Jodi Miller Couldn’t Stop Juneteenth—So She Tried to Bury It

May 05, 2026 | Freeport, IL

An Ordinance That Suddenly Matters

Let me walk you through exactly what happened, because on the surface this looks like a simple discussion about a garage sale ordinance. It’s not.

Last night, the City of Freeport discussed amending Section 840.09, the city-wide garage sale ordinance, to move the June sale weekend out of “respect” for Juneteenth. On paper, that sounds reasonable. But the moment you ask one simple question, the entire situation changes: when was the last time the City of Freeport actually followed this ordinance? Not suggested, not optional—followed.

The answer is simple. They didn’t.

For over a decade, this ordinance sat ignored. No city-wide garage sales. No urgency. No concern from Mayor Jodi Miller or City Manager Rob Boyer about following what was written into the city’s own code. But now, suddenly, that same 20-year-old ordinance is untouchable. Now it matters. Now it is treated as the “law of the land.” That shift is not coincidental. It is deliberate, and it sits at the center of this entire situation.

A Community Event Done the Right Way

At the same time, on the east side of Freeport, something very different was taking place. For months, Akia Sanders and members of the community had been planning a Juneteenth celebration at Taylor Park. A three-day, free, public event and even a parade honoring the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were finally informed of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It is now a federally recognized holiday rooted in both history and community.

This time, everything was done right. The organizers went through the City Clerk. They worked with the Park District. They secured permits. They followed the process exactly as it was designed. And they did that intentionally, because they understood exactly how this administration operates—especially when it comes to Akia Sanders, the east side, and the Black and brown community. There was no room for error, no excuses, and no loopholes left open.

Inside the April Meeting

Then came the meeting.

In April, Akia received word that the Police Chief wanted to meet regarding the event. Given the history, there was immediate concern about what that might mean. So she didn’t go alone. On April 27, she walked into City Hall with support, including Venancia, Windy Pearson, and myself. The room was packed. Representatives from the police department, fire department, public works, the park district, and the City Clerk’s office were all present.

The meeting began with reassurance. The Police Chief described it as standard procedure, the kind of coordination meeting held for large events. To her credit, she maintained that position. But early on, Windy Pearson stopped the process and asked everyone in the room to introduce themselves. It was a simple request, but it exposed something important—this wasn’t a routine meeting. It was an overbuilt response to an event that had already followed the rules.

As the meeting progressed, we worked through event timing, logistics, safety, potential street closures, vendor placement, and police presence. On the surface, it appeared cooperative. But sitting there, listening, it became clear that the real story was in what wasn’t being said.

What They Didn’t Know—or Didn’t Say

Why was Public Works involved in an event being held entirely on Park District property? Why were vendors being discussed as if they would need to operate outside the park? Why were we talking about blocking off streets at all?

That’s when I spoke up.

I pointed them directly to the Freeport Park District’s own regulations—Chapter 5, Section 1—which clearly allows vendors on park property with approval from the Director. That single fact eliminates the need for street closures, removes Public Works from the equation, reduces costs, and makes the event safer by keeping everything contained in one place.

What should concern every resident is this: no one in that room knew that. Not one person. These are the same people tasked with enforcing the rules, yet they didn’t know them. Didn’t even bother reviewing them before a meeting they called. I had to explain the rules that were reviewed and updated on January 20, 2026 to a room full of our local government officials.

See that was why I was there. A little surprise for the Miller administration. I had not been part of the planning committee but Akia knows I do my homework and I answer when called. That I’d show up prepared with the very facts that this administration counts on people not knowing and the questions they hope don’t get asked.

The Cost of “Support”

From there, the conversation shifted to police presence. Everyone agreed it could be beneficial. That wasn’t the issue. The issue was how it was being handled. So I asked the question no one else was asking—how much is this going to cost her?

Eventually, the estimate came back at roughly $60 per hour. Over the course of the event, that put the total near $2,000. A bill that would come after the event, despite months of planning and coordination with the city. That cost had never been clearly communicated. That is not transparency. That is not support. That is how you pressure someone without ever saying the words out loud.

Rules for Some, Not for Others

So I asked again—where is the ordinance that requires police presence? Because I had read them. There isn’t one. They pointed to Chapter 1030, which outlines a review process, not a mandate.

I asked the Police Chief directly what would happen if Akia declined police services. Her answer was clear: then they wouldn’t be there. That should have been the end of it. But almost immediately, the implication came from the room that refusing those services could impact whether a permit would be issued. To the Chief’s credit, she shut that down immediately. But the fact that it was even said shows exactly how this process is being used.

At that point, I made it clear that I supported police presence, but if the city was going to enforce rules, it needed to enforce them equally. Because through FOIA requests, I had already exposed that for the past three years, Tutty Baker Festival—connected to Mayor Jodi Miller—has not been charged for police or public works services. That is not speculation. That is documented. So the question becomes simple: are there rules, or are there different rules depending on who you are, who you know, or maybe… the color of your skin? So many are quick to dismiss that racism is alive and well. Even I have, at times—until moments like this remind me.

See, racism isn’t just someone screaming a slur out of their window. It isn’t just holding your purse a little tighter when someone that looks like me walks by. It isn’t just something committed by individuals—it can be embedded in how entire communities operate. Some people reading this will think to themselves, “Black people are always trying to get something for free.” Here’s a hint—that’s racism talking. For Akia and for me, this was never about the money. Either one of us would write the check ourselves if that’s what it came down to.

This is about fairness.

Two years ago, I exposed the fact that Mayor Jodi Miller was not paying for city resources used for Tutty Baker Fest through Freeport Festivals Inc.—her own organization. This community, by and large, didn’t react. Some excused it. Others justified it. And the majority re-elected her. That is where the problem starts.

Racism is expecting Akia to pay for the same services Jodi Miller has received for free for years. Racism is the City charging Akia for something it gave to Jodi Miller at no cost. Racism is a taxpayer demanding payment from one community organizer while turning a blind eye when another takes those same services without question.

The Realization

We left that meeting cautiously optimistic, but I knew something was missing. Something wasn’t adding up.

Then it clicked. I found it - Freeport Find Fest

For the first time in over a decade, the City of Freeport suddenly decides to follow its own ordinance and schedule a city-wide garage sale on June 18, 19, and 20. Directly overlapping with the Juneteenth celebration.

That’s how they did it.

Mayor Miller and City Manager Boyer didn’t need to deny the event. They didn’t need to block permits. They created competition, knowing exactly what that would do. In a city that is struggling economically, where residents are trying to make extra money or stretch what they have, a city-wide garage sale pulls people in. It divides attention. It divides participation. It weakens the very event they couldn’t stop.

The Moment That Said Everything

At the council meeting, Alderpersons Simmons and Stacy pushed back and asked to move the garage sale. City staff pointed to the ordinance. Now, after years of ignoring it, it had to be followed. The law suddenly mattered.

Then came the moment that said everything.

Mayor Miller, attempting to justify the conflict, asked Alderwoman Simmons if she was suggested moving the event to Father’s Day weekend, stating there is always going to be a conflict somewhere. Alderwoman Simmons fired back, asking, “Would you prefer it to be July 4th?” The room reacted, and then First Ward Alderman Tom Klemm added, “No, that’s my birthday,” drawing laughter from parts of the room.

People laughed.

But not everyone.

Alderpersons Simmons, Stacy, and Sellers were not laughing. Their expressions made it clear they understood exactly what was happening. While some in that room treated the conversation like a joke, others recognized the reality—that a federally recognized holiday marking the end of slavery was being compared to Father’s Day. That in the Mayor’s opinion and those in here inner circle a garage sale event had no place being held before Father’s Day but it was completely appropriate to overshadow the Juneteenth holiday. What they didn’t realize was that not only was Freeport Find Fest being held during the Juneteeth event but also Father’s Day weekend.

Simmons said it plainly. The comparison was a slap in the face.

And she was right.

Because this was never about Father’s Day, and it was never about a garage sale. This was about control. Mayor Miller and City Manager Boyer could not stop the Juneteenth celebration, so they made sure it had to compete.

The most concerning part is that people in that planning meeting knew exactly what was happening. They saw it. They understood it. And they said nothing. Not one mention of the city’s desire to bring back the event.

Final Thought

You don’t ignore an ordinance for ten years, then suddenly enforce it when it becomes useful. You don’t change ordinances when it fits your agenda and then hide behind them when it doesn’t. And you don’t get to pretend this was accidental.

Because it wasn’t.

This is how this administration operates. Not hidden. Not subtle. Just allowed.

In March of 2025, during an interview with a Rockford news station while running for re-election to her third term, Mayor Jodi Miller told the people of Freeport exactly who she is. When asked about marginalized communities, she couldn’t answer the question until the interviewer explained what a marginalized community was.

For those in this city who refused to listen last year—or over the past ten years—last night she told us again exactly who she is.

This time, believe her.

By Joshua T. Atkinson, Chairman – Fighting4Freeport