Last Friday, owners of the GEM Theater, Wade Kavanaugh and Beth Weisberger, provided citizens of the community an opportunity to have their voices be heard and to commemorate Juneteenth. Kavanaugh and Weisberger erected fencing on Cross Street in front of the GEM theater building and invited citizens to display their messages. “Black Lives Matter,” “Be kind to all people,” “Listen. Respect. It’s up to us,” “Dear Bethel, We are not exempt,” “Mainers Against Haters,” “We are all the same inside,” and “Create Change. VOTE!” were among the many messages. There were also original expressions in poetry as well as an excerpt from Maya Angelou’s poem “Equality” ending with the words “Equality, and I will be free.” Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, commemorates the June 19, 1865 freeing of the last remaining thousands of enslaved African Americans in our country. Maria Holloway