Imagination Unchained – A Three-Day Juneteenth Celebration by Black Genius in Flight 

By Kristen Hernandez 

Lauderhill, FL – Black Genius in Flight’s Juneteenth celebration showed South Florida what it means to be Black and unchained. The three-day event was presented at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, located at 3800 NW 11^th Place, Lauderhill.  

“Black Genius in Flight brings the message through the music,” said Stichiz, featured R&B artist and radio DJ for 103.5 The Beat. “We spread it using poetry to art to the violin.” 

With the help of Next Weekend Productions, the Juneteenth event was split into three cultural categories, each dedicated to the selected themes of art, comedy and concert. Each day had surprise guests, like a performance by MTV’s Making the Band semi-finalist Marcus Terell and the Serenades; a discussion with filmmaker, Chavoita LeSane, about his documentary, On the Line; and a surprise performance by Grammy-nominated duo, Black Violin. 

Opening Night – Cultural Arts 

The Juneteenth celebration kicked off with a showcase of local Black artists, screenwriters, producers and actors. Imagination Unchained highlighted the captivating works of Michael Love, who continued the legacy of the Florida Highwaymen, a group of 26 African American artists from the 1950’s through the 1980’s, that used bright, vivid colors to capture beautiful untouched Florida landscapes. 

Attendees had an opportunity to have a frank and open conversation with Florida filmmaker, Chavoita LeSane, creator and executive producer of the documentary about his father “On the Line: The Richard Williams Documentary.” The film focused on the life story of Richard Williams, who catapulted his daughters, Serena and Venus Williams, into tennis legends. According to LeSane, the film “wasn’t the full story of my father.”  

“Future events will be more educational,” Belvit Jordan said, CEO of Next Weekend Productions. “More education progressively moves the story forward. Our focus is ‘edu-tainment’, a fun way to bring knowledge to people about the facts of our history as Black Americans. We’ve got three librarians who consulted on the fact checking element, so that what we’re putting on stage can’t be denied or debunked. No matter what angle we go, you’ll always get the truth.” 

Freedom and Pride– A Night of Synergy  

Black Genius in Flight combined Pride month into their Juneteenth celebration on day two, with “A Night of Synergy,” featuring headliner, Marcus Terell and the Serenades. The evening was hosted by Frankie Red Wordz, who introduced skilled beats by DJ Dimples, three-time consecutive winner of the Southern Entertainment Award’s Female DJ of the Year. 

The night provided a fun, exciting evening of hilarious comedy, stunning visual arts and unified power.  

The Banger – Signature Concert featuring Sons of MyStro and Friends 

Imagination Unchained wouldn’t have been complete without the headline concert by Sons of MyStro, the talented, crossover duo that precisely mixed classical instruments with hip-hop, serving up a fusion of musical mastery.  

“Saturday was ‘The Banger’, because when we’ve delivered a message and ‘drop the mic’, we’re not dropping anything,” Jordan said. “We’re going to ‘bang, bang, bang it up!” 

Guest performers were introduced by host, Nicky Gelin, and included sets by Stichiz; Young Wylin, top ten artist on Billboard; Emmy-nominated, Alexander Star; and award-winning poet, Ja Rhymes. Concert attendees were treated to a surprise performance by Grammy-nominated duo, Black Violin, winners of Showtime at the Apollo in 2005.  

“That ending with the surprise, Black Violin, was really moving,” said Marvin Dejean, 55, Pompano Beach resident, after the show. “It’s not just Black history, it’s our American history. The fabric of this country is changing. Awareness is changing people. The next generation is seeing a very different country.” 

Our current political climate and constant division across the country needs the message of Juneteenth more than ever. The third annual Juneteenth experience, Imaginations Unchained, was a movement, not just a local event. It showcased the talented Black artists around South Florida who’s imaginations remain unchained, and creativity knows no bounds.  

“The history of the contribution of Black people is in jeopardy,” Jordan said. “Folks are trying to change the narrative of the stories and history of our contributions. The new generation doesn’t know the truth, that the narrative will only change if we change the way we tell the truth. People of color in Florida are an asset to this country, we dream big, and we are world changers.”