Dr. Trudy Coleman - Founder & Visionary

Founder and CEO, Trudy Coleman experienced her first Juneteenth celebration in 1990, started by the Black Teachers Association in Pomona, CA.  Back then, it was called the Juneteenth Music Celebration. Her co-founder and business partner, John Thompson (who celebrated Juneteenth in Kansas City, Missouri) invited her to the celebration.

She was so enthused with the new information about Juneteenth. The freedom of African Americans wasn’t the Fourth of July, which only freed the land, not the people. She along with co-founder and President, John Thompson Sr., along with other community members founded and formed the (501c3) non-profit organization in 1995, Juneteenth America Inc. They wanted to “Bridge Unity in Community”. Trudy was so excited about Juneteenth at that time that she became intensely involved and dedicated her life to letting the public share in this historic day in history. The organization wanted a legal holiday and a museum to share our culture. 

Trudy has over 20 years in computer technology experience, over 12 years of Real Estate Sales and Mortgage Lender expertise, and over 30 years of Special Events Planning and Marketing Experience. She has earned her MBA Degree from the University of La Verne in (2006), and a Certificate in Organizational Leadership and Management (2008), and earned her BS Degree from Azusa Pacific University in 1995. She has two Doctorates.