Los Angeles may always be the place to be, but this is particularly true this weekend, as the B-Hen Block Party will be in the “city of angels” to celebrate Juneteenth.
Juneteenth kicks off the B-Hen Block Party’s 2022 tour, and it’s all about celebrating “unapologetic Black joy” through a series of events known as “Joy of June.”
The initiative is done in partnership with DIAGEO, an alcohol company, and some of its brands — namely Smirnoff, Crown Royal and DeLeon Tequila.
“This Juneteenth, we’re bringing the B-Hen Block Party back home to L.A. and making it bigger than ever by partnering with DIAGEO to showcase unapologetic Black Joy,” Brian Henry, founder of the B-Hen Block Party, said in a statement to Blavity. “I’m looking forward to everyone joining us as we toast to Black creativity, Black excellence, Black families, Black love, and Black Pride.”
“The B-Hen Block Party creates a space to experience Black culture proudly. Everyone is equal — no one is more significant than another because we are all VIPs. Our DJs play music from across the Diaspora that gets you dancing all night long,” he continued.
Henry initially conceptualized the B-Hen Block Party back in 2014, according to Flaunt, as a way to celebrate “the full breadth of [Black] culture” on his own terms. He specifically attempts to capture the “core values” associated with the historically Black college or university (HBCU) experience.
“Without a doubt, attending and graduating from an HBCU completely changed the course of my life. Morehouse College is the gift that keeps on giving because it fostered a deep conviction and confidence in who I️ am as a Black man, a leader and an entrepreneur, he said.
“Community building by uplifting one another is the fabric of the HBCU experience, and I’m thankful to imbue those core values into the B-Hen Block Party experience,” Henry added. “I️ bring that same energy, showmanship and excellence into all of my performances.”
The B-Hen Block Party is going down on Saturday, June 18, in Los Angeles. You can learn more about the specifics and get tickets here.
The party won’t be limited to Los Angeles; from June through September, DIAGEO will collaborate with B-Hen Block Party to bring Black Joy to other cities, including DC, Chicago, and New York.
