Juneteenth 2026 Photoshoot: Celebrating Black History Through Storytelling in Spokane
- Glos Creative Studio
- Jun 22
- 3 min read
This Juneteenth, Glos Creative Studio brought together elders, leaders, youth, and creators from across Spokane's Black community for "A Living Archive" a photoshoot celebrating both the deep-rooted foundations of Black families who built lives here, and the families who've transplanted and made Spokane home. The result was a campaign about community, history, and presence, proof that Black history isn't just something we look back on, it's something we're living and building right now.
Where It Started
This shoot started as a conversation between Amera and me. Amera's love for the history of the Black Panther Party, what the organization meant, what it stood for, became the heartbeat of the concept. I brought my love for Spokane, having grown up here, and my desire to highlight the Black history of those who've laid foundations in this city.
Together, we wanted to do two things at once: honor the Black families who've called Spokane home for generations, and celebrate the families who've transplanted here and built community of their own. We wanted elders, leaders, youth, and creators all in the same room, and we wanted that mix to carry our real intention: to celebrate community.
The visual language came straight from that history. Red and black backdrops. Raised fists. Leather. The bold, declarative typography on "We Are Black History." Every choice nodded to the imagery of the Black Panther Party, not as costume, but as a reminder that the fight for dignity, pride, and self-determination has always run through everyday people, not just history books.
The Concept: Juneteenth photoshoot Spokane
We kept it simple: red and black backdrops, soulful funk music, and some light appetizers, because what Black function doesn't have food and music?
Listen to our playlist while you scroll through the photos to imagine the sound of the room. https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/black-photoshoot/pl.u-4JomaD2CavbAdKv
Behind the Scenes
Our nerves were all worked up before the shoot, because event days always are. So many things run through your mind. Would people really show up? Would we be able to create an atmosphere that felt welcoming to everybody, where people got along, engaged with one another, and walked away wanting to be part of more things we put together?
Simone: My highlight was watching the elders show up. It's hard for elders to come out, especially on a church day, and they dressed up and supported us anyway. I loved that.
Amera: My highlight was watching everyone vibe out to the music, the crowd hyping each other up, everyone genuinely enjoying themselves. There was a moment where my creative lightbulb went off: "we should have these two ladies walk toward each other for a motion shot." Kemoni, a talented photographer in his own right, suggested I hold up the "power to the people" sign behind them. I said absolutely, and that became one of my favorite photos from the whole shoot.
Why This Mattered
This shoot was never just about the photos. It was about creating a room where Spokane's Black community, across generations, could show up as themselves, be celebrated, and be seen. That's the whole idea behind Glos Creative Studio: storytelling rooted in real community, not just content.
If you were part of this shoot, thank you for showing up and trusting us with your story. If you weren't, we hope this is an invitation to the next thing we build, and to the ongoing story of Black history and presence in Spokane.
Follow along @gloscreativestudio on Instagram to see the full "A Living Archive" campaign, and reach out if you'd like to collaborate on storytelling rooted in your own community admin@gloscreativestudio.com
Thank you for reading
with warmth and Strategy
Simone' & Amera
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