This June, We're Bringing a Week Your Child Will Never Forget.
There is a moment, if you've ever seen it, when a child picks up a drum for the first time and something shifts.
Their posture changes. Their eyes open wider. And for a few seconds, nothing else exists.
That moment is what DRUM The Program was built for. And this June, we're giving an entire community of young people the chance to experience it, not for an hour, not for an afternoon, but for a full week.
The DRUM The Program Juneteenth Summer Camp runs June 15 to 20, 2026, and it is more than a camp. It is a cultural immersion experience rooted in West African tradition, artistic expression, and belonging.
What Is the Juneteenth Summer Camp?
Every year, Juneteenth marks one of the most significant moments in African-American history, the day freedom was finally realized for enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865. We don't just observe that date. We build something around it.
For six days, youth will gather in community to learn, move, create, and grow. The camp is designed to do something that very few programs do: give young people a direct, living connection to their cultural heritage, not through a textbook, but through their bodies, their voices, and their hands.
What Happens Each Day
Every day of camp is designed with intention. Here is what your child will experience:
West African Drumming — learn rhythms, techniques, and the stories behind the music
Dance — West African movement traditions taught by experienced instructors
Song — vocal expression rooted in African and African-American traditions
Yoga and Meditation — grounding practices that build focus and self-awareness
Tai Chi — movement, balance, and discipline
Gardening and Wellness — connection to the earth and understanding of holistic health
Transportation and full program access are included. Every child who attends will be fully supported from arrival to dismissal.
And at the end of the week? They will stand on a stage and share everything they have learned with their families and community. Not a recital. A declaration.
Why This Matters Right Now
We are living in a time when many young people feel disconnected, from themselves, from their culture, and from each other. For African-American youth especially, the erasure of history can create a deep sense of not belonging.
But belonging is not optional. It is essential.
When a child learns who they are, really learns it, through rhythm and movement and ancestral connection, something changes in them. The confidence that comes from that understanding does not stay in the drumming circle. It walks into the classroom. It shows up in how they carry themselves. It shapes the decisions they make.
DRUM The Program has witnessed this transformation firsthand. We have seen quiet, withdrawn young people become vibrant, expressive, and fully alive. We have seen youth discover parts of themselves they did not know existed. And we have stayed with families through hard seasons and watched children go on to college, careers, and futures that statistics said should not have been possible.
This camp is that work, concentrated into one powerful week.
Who Is This For?
The Juneteenth Summer Camp is open to youth. No prior experience with drumming, dance, or any of the program activities is required. All skill levels are welcome. All backgrounds are welcome. The only requirement is a willingness to show up.
If you have a child who is curious, creative, or simply looking for a place where they feel like they belong, this is for them.
Camp Details
Dates: June 15–20, 2026
What's Included: Drumming, dance, song, yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, gardening and wellness, transportation, and full program access
End of Camp Performance, Jamboree: Friday, June 20
How to Register
Registration is now open. Spaces are limited and we encourage families to register early to secure their child's place.
Visit drumtheprogram.org/summer-camp to register. If you have questions about the program, registration, or financial assistance, reach out to us directly through the website.
A Note From the Founder
Before DRUM was a program, it was a personal journey. In 2004, I was introduced to West African drumming and dance and it changed my life. The rhythm, the movement, the energy. I didn't just experience it. I felt it.
My ancestry traces back to Cameroon, Ghana, and Guinea. This art form was not something I discovered. It was something I came back to. And I knew that our youth deserved that same homecoming.
That is why I created DRUM The Program. That is why we built this camp. Not to teach children a skill but to give them a mirror. One that shows them exactly who they are and who they are capable of becoming.
We hope to see your child this June.
