The Scroll Down Monthly: June '25
We dropped merch in partner with Are.na (!!), took a field trip to Houston for Juneteenth, and made it through a very June-y June. Tap in for the drop + the full Black Are.na-verse recap.
A Reverent & Rising Month
Welcome to the June issue of The Scroll Down—our monthly update on what’s happening in the Blacks of Are.na community.
June brings with it a layered energy: reflective, charged, and deeply alive. It’s a month where freedom shows up in many forms—national, personal, cultural—and invites us to think about what we do with it.
From Juneteenth 🇺🇸 (June 19) to a global chorus of independence days—Angola 🇦🇴 (June 10), Mozambique 🇲🇿 (June 25), Madagascar 🇲🇬 (June 26), and Seychelles 🇸🇨 (June 29)—we honor the rhythms of liberation around the world. These aren’t just historic milestones; they’re invitations to stay awake to the ways we continue to resist, remember, and reimagine.
We also make space this month for Father’s Day (June 15 in the U.S.) and Pride, both of which remind us that care, legacy, and self-definition are all part of freedom work too.
And while the global climate can feel heavy—warcrimes, brutal abuse of power, and the nagging leak of energy that comes with being commodified—we’re reminded of how vital it is to ask questions, look closely, and remain tuned in. Awareness doesn’t have to harden us—it can sharpen our insight, shape our practice, and spark new kinds of community.
That’s the exactly spirit behind our very first merch drop: a celebration of the information we do have access to, of ancestral preservation, and to what is possible when we leverage what we have to honor ourselves; with the story of Juneteenth at the center.
Keep scrolling to see how it all came to life—and what else we’ve been up to ‘round these parts.
😎 Looking Back: What We Loved in June
Gift Shop
“In Honor of Juneteenth” (2025)
To kick off the summer right, we teamed up with Are.na to launch a two-piece capsule collection featuring original artwork by Houston painter, Mitchell Reece. The tees—titled Written In Our Image and Written In Our Imagination—honor the power of knowledge and the direct impact of our access (or lack there of) to information, with 25% of net proceeds supporting The Reading Room HTX, a free resource library stewarded by longtime Are.na user Amarie Cemone Gibson.
💡 Explore the channel: In Honor of Juneteenth (2025)
🛒 Shop the shirts:
→ Written In Our Imagination Tee
Did We Mention, Logo Stickers ! ?
Deck out your water-bottle, laptop, journal, and more with B.O.A. Pride.
We also dropped our first piece of evergreen merch—the official Blacks of Are.na vinyl sticker! Through the summer, 25% of proceeds will benefit The Reading Room, with the sticker continuing to live on the Are.na store long after. It’s a small but mighty way to support the work and rep your Black Are.na pride.
🎶 Music
“In Honor of Juneteenth” (2025) – The Perfect Juneteenth Playlist for Every Generation
You may wanna skip some songs around granny tho…
Inspired by the soul of Houston and the spirit of Juneteenth cookouts across the U.S., we crafted a soundtrack commemorating this year’s Juneteenth offering. Lean into chopped & screwed tempos, two-stepping rhythms, and jam to the playlist we played during the launch event. BIG shout out to Mitchell Reece who threw some Houstonian deep cuts into the mix and who really made us question if she lived in Texas in a past life with this one.
✍🏽 Events
(6/19/25) “Re:Written” — Our Juneteenth Workshop in Houston
On June 19th, we gathered in person at The Reading Room, HTX for a writing workshop and reflection session. Together, we held space for the stories of our ancestors, ourselves, and our imagined futures.
💐 Thank you to everyone who showed up, scribbled, shared, and sat with us.
Threading a Digital Quilt: In Honor of Juneteenth (2025) – Open Channel
🎥 Movies
Boomerang Returns
Thanks to our first-ever Cinema Club revote, we revisited Boomerang (1992) at the end of May. Originally curated by Ra Lee in March, the film made its way back to the top and into our group chat once more. Still hilarious. Still stylish. Still deeply chaotic in the best way.
🗣️ Community
Member Highlight Series; Max Hemphill
On an unforgivably windy Friday in May, beneath Tiffany glass domes and atop lush rooftops, max and I floated through the streets of Chicago—talking family, architecture, all things Cowboy Carter, and what kinds of vegan friendly “meals” also qualify as jail food. The interview was meant to happen in person that day, but like most great conversations, we got swept up in the moment. A few days later, we picked things back up—this time over the phone, dialing in from Chicago to Los Angeles.
[BONUS] Max Hemphill Playlist
Following our June member interview with Max Hemphill (more on that below), we collaborated on a playlist unlike any we’ve done before—anchored by Max’s Buddhist practice and sonic taste. This is our most meditative, conceptual playlist yet. A three-act journey, best played in full—but feel free to float and see what lands.
Our Instagram is Outside Now
We officially doubled our IG following and are just shy of 400 (!!). Thanks to everyone who liked, shared, commented, or tagged a friend.
Don't miss a single beat! Exclusive drops and updates..? IG will likely hear it first. just sayin 👀 Lock in with us there too!
We Did It, Joe! MUMMA Has Been Green-Lit Thanks to Your Contributions! ($16,752 raised to be exact omg)
This month; Blacks of Are.na Community Member and Creator/Director of upcoming short film, “MUMMA”, Shanice Brette, crowdfunded enough fund to green light her directorial debut. Watch the trailer above to get a sneak peek into the worlds she’s weaving with the project. Reach out to her directly to learn more about what’s to come.
📰 In The Press
Our First-Ever Press Interview is Live
We sat down with Are.na editorial for our first formal interview! In conversation with Meg Miller (Editorial @ Are.na); Darrel Kennedy and Alice Otieno break down the roots of B.O.A., the ideas behind our Juneteenth collaboration, and the dreams still in motion.
📖 Read the full interview on Are.na
🗓️ What’s Ahead: July Forecast
In July, we’re pressing pause on our regular programming…
…to reflect, relax, celebrate (👀 happy early birthday, Alice!), and redesign how we do things around here. Think of it as a mid-year reset—less grind, more grounding.
If you made it to the end of our Are.na interview, you may have caught the announcement: we’re looking to expand the B.O.A. team!
Picture it like joining the committee of your favorite afterschool program.
We’re especially seeking:
✍🏽 Writers
🎨 Designers
🧠 Leaders & Organizers
If that sounds like you—or if you’ve got other ideas, skills, or offerings you’d love to bring into the mix—we’d love to hear from you.
Huge thanks to everyone who has reached out so far. We see you, acknowledge you, and are thrilled about your submissions! We’ll be getting back to everyone in the coming weeks, just catching up on what was missed while partying a little too hard in Houston. (hence The Scroll Down being delivered on CP time this month)
We’re also wide open to feedback on how we can show up more intentionally as a community. Got thoughts on what you’d love to see more of, less of, or differently?
Slide into our DMs or drop a comment. We’re listening.
Got an event, an accomplishment, movement, or a project you want the community to know about? Email us at blacksofare.na@gmail.com. Let’s amplify each other!
Until next time, keep scrolling, keep thriving,
B.O.A Bot