06/19/2026
For fourth-generation Texas rancher Deydra Steans, Juneteenth is more than a holiday—it's a reminder of resilience and the determination to keep farming. Deydra owns and works the same land where her family was once enslaved and later worked as sharecroppers. Today, she's helping Black farmers stay on their land.
As Deydra says:
“We’ve always celebrated Juneteenth in my family because June 19, 1865 is when news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas, and that meant real freedom. It’s great to see that it has become a National holiday, but here at home we celebrate it because it means we are going to be here, we’re going to keep producing and feeding the people in Texas.”
This Juneteenth, read Deydra's story and learn why supporting Black farmers matters. https://www.farmaid.org/blog/farmer-heroes/deydra-steans-we-are-still-here/
Photos courtesy of Deydra Steans
