On June 19, 1865, Union troops marched into Galveston, TX, to announce that all formerly enslaved people were now free. This announcement was issued more than 18 months after the Emancipation Proclamation and a month after Robert E. Lee surrendered the Confederate Army. This date is now celebrated as Juneteenth, a Holiday Observed every June 19, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

To commemorate Juneteenth in my industry, Michael Brown started JuneteenthConf - a conference that celebrates African Americans in the Information Technology field. JuneteenthConf began as an online conference, but we held it in person at the Microsoft office in downtown Chicago on June 19 and 20, 2026. June 19 consisted of five presentations and an interview - all featuring African American tech leaders. On June 20, we held a hackathon to learn more about building apps with Agentic AI.

Day 1

Here are some notes on each presentation:

Pierre DeBois

Pierre DeBois, Founder & CEO of Zimana, presented "Owning Our History in the Age of AI."

He addressed the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence. He encouraged attendees to understand and preserve the historical context of Black innovation while thoughtfully engaging with emerging technologies. His session underscored the importance of ensuring that AI development and adoption reflect diverse perspectives and experiences.

Ramatu Kandakai

Ramatu Kandakai, Founder of My Hyphen, presented "Betting on Yourself: Don't Trade Your Values for a Seat at the Table."

She emphasized that success should never come at the expense of personal values or authenticity. Ramatu challenged attendees to evaluate opportunities not by their prestige or visibility, but by whether they align with the person they want to become. Her key message was that values are not just personal principles; they are a strategic guide for building a meaningful and sustainable career.

Ashley Janelle

Ashley Janelle, Founder of Empathive UX Bootcamp, presented "Building a Business When No One's Hiring."

This was Ahsley's second time speaking at JuneteenthConf. She shared how she transitioned from her corporate role at Amazon to running her businesses full-time. She provided practical advice on validating ideas, building side projects while employed, and gradually creating alternative income streams. Her message encouraged attendees to stop waiting for perfect conditions and start building opportunities for themselves, especially during uncertain job markets.

Hamdi Hassan Shahid Jr.

Hamdi Hassan Shahid Jr., Founder & CEO of Lamma+, presented "No CS Degree, No Permission, No Problem".

He shared his unconventional journey into technology, proving that a computer science degree is not the only path to success. Drawing from experiences as a youth worker, musician, community organizer, and single father, he described the persistence required to transition into engineering and entrepreneurship. His story highlighted the resilience needed to overcome imposter syndrome, financial challenges, and barriers often faced by underrepresented professionals in tech.

Clarene Mitchel

Clarene Mitchell, Founder & CEO of TCM Communications, presented "LinkedIn Power Moves to Grow Your Business."

She demonstrated how entrepreneurs can use LinkedIn as a powerful platform for business development and relationship building. She explained how consistent engagement, strategic networking, and effective use of LinkedIn's features can increase visibility and credibility with potential clients. Attendees left with actionable tactics to strengthen their professional brand and generate new business opportunities.

Madison Butler

Madison Butler, Founder of Blue Haired Unicorn & Black Speakers Collection, delivered the Keynote address to close the conference.

Her keynote challenged attendees to stop performing expected versions of themselves and instead lead with authenticity. Drawing from her experiences promoting psychological safety and navigating the tech industry as a visibly different leader, she argued that authenticity is a strategic advantage rather than a soft skill. In a candid closing conversation, she explored identity, resilience, and self-care, inspiring attendees to embrace their full selves both professionally and personally.

Day 2

On Saturday, about a dozen people returned to the Microsoft office for an AI workshop. After a brief introduction to vibe coding, we began designing and building an application by issuing prompts to an AI engine. The application we chose recorded activities and output them into a weekly status report. We asked the AI to create business objects based on our description; then to build a UI to capture data; and business logic to handle the data. Although we did not finish the application, we made more progress than we likely would have if we had coded it ourselves.

Conclusion

The event was not without challenges. A canceled flight, a speaker who canceled at the last minute, and a glitch in the registration page all presented challenges. But together we adjusted - sometimes on short notice. Pierre stepped up to act as MC until the flight arrived. We adjusted the schedule to fill in gaps.

Those who attended the presentations on Friday enjoyed what they heard. Those who attended on Saturday learned something new. JuneteenthConf was not large event, but it was a successful one.