TACOMA, Wash. — At around 11 a.m. at Stewart Heights Park in Tacoma's East side, things were starting to heat up for Nathaniel Epps. Epps is the owner and operator of Damarciano, a custom T-shirt printing business.
"I guess this is a testament to how my day's going to be," Epps said, wiping his brow.
Epps said he intentionally designed his booth so that customers can stroll in and out without the pressure of having to talk to him.
The theme of this year's Juneteenth celebration is 'A Road to Economic Freedom.' It's a road Epps is familiar with.
"I started Darmarciano when I was stationed in Japan. I was going through depression, and I needed to make something to remind myself to stay positive," he said. "So I started making shirts with phrases on them."
Many of his shirts are statement pieces that exude empowerment. Some are focused on faith and family. Some of them have dad jokes on them.
Epps says he's often had to use them to remind himself that his business is one worth pushing forward.
"A lot of times as a business owner, they look at who I am, and they determine the value of my clothing and my T-shirts based off of what I look like," Epps said. He added that the experience of being a Black business owner is sometimes frustrating, but he hopes, in turn, to encourage people who buy his shirts.
"When you support a Black business, you're showing us that we matter, you care, and that you're here as an ally," he said.
Eileen Rossignol was a supporter. She purchased a shirt from Epps that read, "Herstory in the making."
"They never got the representation. You can't find Black-owned businesses when you go to the mall, when you go to the strip malls, K-mart or Walmart or Target," Rossignol said.
That message of support and celebrating Black independence in the community starts young, too.
"I think a lot of people don't know what Juneteenth is so I think just explaining in simple terms, celebrating freedom," Jasmine said. She was there as a caregiver for young Layla, who was getting her face painted. "Everyone should celebrate Juneteenth, and because she is so dependent on her caregivers, it really is up to us to teach her."
So that kids like Layla can grow up dreaming about becoming anything. Nathaniel Epps is a great example of that.
"You don't have to do a nine-to-five if you don't want to; you can do something creative with your mind and turn it into your dream," Epps said.
The celebration's organizers said they are estimating more than 10,000 people attended the celebration at Stewart Heights Park this year.