Joy Yvonne Jones is an actress, playwright, and artist who is no stranger to bringing visions to vibrant reality. As co-founder of the San Diego Black Artist Collective and a driving force behind the Juneteenth Black Arts Festival, she brings passion, purpose, and deep artistic roots to a celebration that is anything but ordinary.

Now in its 2025 edition, the festival returns from June 19 to 22 at Diversionary Theatre with a four-day lineup that radiates Black excellence, featuring electric performances, bold new plays, joyful community gatherings, and spirit-filled song. In this interview, Jones discusses what it means to build a festival rooted in Black joy, legacy, and liberation, as well as what’s in store for this year’s powerful programming.

The theme of this year’s Juneteenth Black Arts Festival purposefully centers joy, visibility, and community, not just as abstract ideas, but as intentional guideposts. Every piece of programming carries that energy. Joy explains that these values helped shape the 2025 lineup.

“With every Black Arts Festival, we strive to create space for fellowship and authentic artistic expression. Because this event is community-driven, we allow the submissions to guide the theme, and this year, they made it clear: there is a deep need for joy.

Not just surface-level joy, joy that holds space for our grief, our healing, and our hope. Some of the work may challenge or discomfort you, but it’s all rooted in truth. This year’s programming is a reflection of that—raw, celebratory, and unapologetically ours”.

Still, the festival isn’t only about celebration—it’s also about reclamation. Jones has described it as “a reclamation of space and story,” a phrase that speaks volumes.

“There’s a clear and growing backlash against diversity, and we always knew a moment like this could come. That’s why building a strong, supportive community has been essential—not just to survive, but to protect the integrity of our work. Our very first event as the San Diego Black Artist Collective was a Juneteenth festival in 2021, and this year we’re returning to those roots. We’re no longer waiting for invitations to someone else’s table—we’re creating space at a table we helped build, reclaiming our right to gather, create, and be heard on our own terms.”

This festival is also created for the young Black artists who may be seeing themselves represented on stage for the first time during this festival. That kind of representation can be empowering, even life-changing, and Joy wants to encourage them to join them and step into the spotlight.

“There is room for you. Your voice, your story, you matter and deserve to take up space. We’re holding the door open, and we’re excited to hear your ideas. You belong here.”

Joy Yvonne Jones
Photo Credit: Tasha Gorel

The performances themselves are a testament to the festival’s purpose—bold, moving, and deeply rooted in Black artistic tradition. From new plays to genre-spanning showcases, the lineup is rich with intention. Joy explains that each event is an intentional and entertaining pick for the festival audience to enjoy.

“We have five exciting events, each intentionally chosen to highlight the richness and range of Black artistry. The festival kicks off on June 19th with The Kickback at the Clark Cabaret—an open mic night designed to uplift as many voices as possible. It’s a space for community, for fellowship, and for trying out new poetry, stand-up, music—whatever’s on your heart. It’s truly community-led.

On June 20th, we present "Actin’ Brand New," our new play reading series featuring works by Irene Kellogg, Krystle Dellihue, and Candrice Jones. Each play brings a unique lens to the Black experience. Irene’s piece explores Haitian history and culture, Krystle offers a historical vignette through the eyes of icons like Hattie McDaniel and Arthur Ashe, and Candrice brings us into the lives of children navigating the crack epidemic in Crackbaby.

June 21st includes two events. In the afternoon, "Lift Every Voice," our community showcase, offers a curated selection of performances across all genres, with a focus this year on uplifting underrepresented voices. That evening, we’ll host a staged reading of Black Creek Rising by LaDarrion Williams. Set during the early days of Prohibition, it follows Mama Jakes, a juke joint owner forced to make hard choices to protect her community.

We close the festival on Sunday, June 22nd, with our Gospel Brunch—a chance to gather, break bread, and raise our voices in celebration and praise. It’s a joyful, soul-filling end to a powerful weekend.”

The festival also reflects the growth of the San Diego Black Artist Collective itself. Since its founding, the Collective has evolved in both size and scope, shaping a new narrative in the local arts landscape. Joy says that this evolution is echoed in this year’s festival.

“The Black Arts Festival marks our fifth year as an organization and our sixth year uplifting Black artists in San Diego. Over that time, we’ve learned the hard but necessary lessons of sustaining a grassroots collective. We've expanded our reach, built lasting relationships, and collaborated with artists at every stage of their careers. More importantly, our performances, readings, and advocacy have helped open real doors, creating access, opportunity, and momentum for our members.

This year’s festival is our most ambitious yet. Now that we’ve proven we can survive, we’re raising the stakes. We believe the new works showcased here have the potential to move beyond the festival, to become fully realized professional productions in future seasons. It’s not just about being seen; it’s about building a future.”

This years festival is being held at the Diversionary Theatre, a venue with its own legacy of queer artistry and resistance. Jones says that hosting the festival there isn’t just a logistical choice—it’s a powerful alignment of values. We asked Jones what it means to take up space in that particular theatre.

“When diversity and inclusion are under attack, the people who stand with us matter more than ever. Diversionary Theatre has supported us from the beginning in whatever ways they could, and this year, when we needed a space for the festival, they didn’t hesitate. That kind of solidarity is powerful. Community is intersectional, and this partnership is a reflection of what it means to show up for one another across identities and shared struggles.”

With four days of art, story, and celebration, the Juneteenth Black Arts Festival is poised to leave a lasting mark. But beyond the applause and standing ovations, what emotional imprint does Jones hope the audience will carry home?

“I want the audience to leave feeling excited and empowered, like they’ve witnessed something bold, beautiful, and necessary. I hope they walk away knowing that Black stories are not only worthy of the stage but vital to the heart of our community.”

How To Get Tickets

The 2025 Juneteenth Black Arts by the San Diego Black Artist Collective and hosted at Diversionary Theatre takes place June 19 - 22, 2025. For ticket and full event details, go to sdbac.org