By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
The county’s 2024 Little Mr. Juneteenth Prince, Cade Harper, is a busy young man who demonstrates his passion for his faith, football and his heritage.
Though he is only 10 years old, Cade serves as a reader of the Holy Scriptures in front of the congregation at his church, McKinney Memorial United Methodist Church in La Marque. He also serves as an usher at his church.
During the school week, he is busy with making the honor roll and playing football.
As a young athlete, Cade has played the position of running back with the Raiders in Hitchcock. His favorite football team is the Dallas Cowboys.
Serving as Little Mr. Juneteenth has kept him busy having many new experiences attending numerous events.
It was a year of firsts for Cade, and his mother is very pleased that Cade was able to represent the county as Little Mr. Juneteenth.
“It exposed him to a lot of different things, such as art and culture, and he had to learn how to speak with a lot of people, especially adults,” said his mother, Ashanti Harper.
Of all the events he has attended and new people he has met, his favorite experience was meeting Greg Ellis, a former football player, at a Juneteenth play.
When I asked Cade if he had liked being the Little Mr. Juneteenth Prince, a smile slowly overcame him, and he responded, “yes.” His favorite part about being Little Mr. Juneteenth Prince was that he felt like he was carrying on the legacy of his ancestors.
The county also is represented by a Little Miss Juneteenth Princess, and she too has had a busy year.
Feyah Nashae Fanuiel has reigned as Little Miss Juneteenth Princess 2024. When she grows up she wants to be a professional dancer, or an artist or maybe work with animals. Her grandmother shared that Feyah is a straight-A student.
With a smile and excitement, Feyah shared her work as an artist on a painting hanging at the Nia Cultural Center. The painting was created by a group of young artists at Freedom School and is a depiction of the different zones of the ocean and features many species of fish swimming in the ocean.
“I really like painting, and I enjoy nature,” Feyah said.
She attends Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Texas City where she serves as an usher and greeter. She is also a part of the praise dance group, and she is a dancer with the House of Performing Arts –HOPA.
Throughout the year, she has been busy attending and performing at events. Feyah participated as a dancer at Reedy Chapel in Galveston for last year’s Juneteenth celebration.
Her favorite performance as a dancer and as Little Miss Juneteenth was in the production “Black Flowing Waters” celebrating Black history month.
“It’s been a busy year,” said her grandmother, Leah W. Fanuiel. “We have attended many events, and I have watched her grow more confident this past year.”
Feyah explained that this as Little Miss Juneteenth Princess she enjoyed learning more about Juneteenth and her heritage this past year.
Galveston County has only recently begun the tradition of crowning a Little Mr. and Little Miss Juneteenth. This tradition was initiated by Lawanda Hardeman-Ward.
Lawanda shared with me her personal journey to bring children into the spotlight as Juneteenth royalty.
“In February of 2021, I was called by someone suggesting that I coordinate and revive the Juneteenth Celebration once coordinated by Mr. James Josey many years ago on the island. He retired from coordinating the celebrations.
I diligently prayed to ELOHIM (Creator God Almighty) to order my steps on whether I should take on this assignment.
It wasn’t until a month later in March 2021 that God answered my prayer. This gave me approximately two weeks and two months to plan this festival, which was held on the historical grounds of McGuire Dent 2222 28th st on the Seawall. Known today by many as Menard Park
God led me to get vendor entrepreneurs to come showcase their business.
God ordered my steps to seek out a female child to be crowned the first Galveston County Little Miss Juneteenth Princess which was Amariah Archie Lomax. The following year, in 2022, Renee Lewis was crowned.
I deeply believe in our youth. Children are our future!
In 2023 God led me to add something extra — to seek out the first Galveston County Little Mr. Juneteenth Prince, which was Khi Douglas Edwards. Cade Harper was crowned by Khi Douglas Edwards in 2024.
David Levon Burleson will be crowned the Galveston County Little Mr. Juneteenth Prince and Psalms Karys Conley will be crowned the Galveston County Little Miss Juneteenth Princess.” Shared Lawanda Hardeman-Ward
The crownings of Lil Mr. and Lil Ms. Juneteenth for 2025 will take place at 4 p.m. June 14 on the outdoor stage at the McGuire-Dent Recreation Center, 2222 28th St. in Galveston.
