06/21/2026
The NAACP Montgomery County Branch proudly celebrated Juneteenth at the BlackRock Center for the Arts, joining community leaders, advocates, and residents in honoring freedom, resilience, and Black excellence.
The Branch was proud to participate in the 2026 African American Living Legends Award Presentation, a special Juneteenth celebration honoring extraordinary individuals whose lives and contributions have enriched our community. Congratulations to Executive Board memeber and Legal Redress Chair Millie West-Wiggins who was honored as a 2026 Montgomery County Liiving Legend honoree.
The program also featured outstanding performances by our ACT-SO students showcasing the remarkable talent and promise of our young people. From spoken word and musical selections to award presentations, the students demonstrated why ACT-SO remains one of the NAACP's premier youth achievement programs. The ACT-SO students participating in the program included:
• Sebastien Daphnis – 7th Grade, Newport Mill Middle School
• Marcus Griffin – Morgan State University
• Zion Johnson – Junior, Seneca Valley High School
• Jacqueline Daphnis – Junior, Albert Einstein High School
• Zion Johnson – Junior, Seneca Valley High School
• Brianne Strong – Senior, St. Johns College High School
• Jacqueline Daphnis – Junior, Albert Einstein High School
• Ava Seyoum – Junior, Excel High School
• Tessa Egwim – Sophomore, Springbrook High School
• Nyah Glover – Rising Senior, Seneca Valley High School
• Brianne Strong – Senior, St. Johns College High School
• Ethan Mejule – Junior, Watkins Mill High School
• Russell Price II – Graduate of Morgan State University
The Montgomery County Maryland Branch NAACP was represented by Vice President Carolyn Brockman who offered greetings and support on behalf of the Branch. We were also proud Branch Vice President Cherri Branson, who served on the program as Co-Chair of the County Executive's African American Advisory Group, helped make this meaningful celebration possible.
Thank you to WIN Committee Co-Chair Lorna Forde for organizing an engaging and impactful Juneteenth panel discussion, "Protecting Our Voice: Truth, Power, & Leadership," featuring distinguished leaders addressing issues critical to our communities. The NAACP Montgomery County Branch was proud to serve as a co-sponsor of this important conversation on civic engagement, economic equity, leadership, and combating misinformation.