What I Wore (Juneteenth Edition): Sabby Lou x Black House Radio

This Juneteenth, I celebrated Black history and havens at the Black House Radio pool party, held at the historic Dr. Patricia Bath Residence in View Park, Los Angeles. Founded by my friend and filmmaker Michael Donte, Black House Radio is a digital media platform that champions Black DJs and Black sound, paying homage to the past, present, and future of house music. If you’ve ever had the privilege of attending a Black House Radio party, you know that dance plays a major role in these celebrations. As one of the “house rules” stated in the Juneteenth event’s invitation, “We celebrate the freedom of expression through dance. It’s about the music AND the liberation that comes with moving to the rhythm.”

Aligned with their mission of preserving Black culture, Michael and the Black House Radio team collaborated on this Juneteenth party with Dr. Eraka Bath, daughter of Dr. Patricia Bath, a pioneering ophthalmologist, laser scientist, and inventor, and owner the Dr. Patricia Bath Residence. Dr. Bath, who purchased the home in 1977, made significant contributions to her field while living there, including becoming the first African-American woman doctor to receive a patent for a medical purpose, which helped establish laser cataract surgery. “She would be so proud of us all here convening Ubuntu in community,” Dr. Eraka said, insisting that her mother’s spirit was among us. “This home has been the home to celebrate Black life, Black culture, Black artists, Black dignitaries, and so you are carrying on that spirit.” Through events like this and a recent house tour with Hood Midcentury Modern, Dr. Eraka aims to highlight the importance of Black homeownership, encouraging us to pursue homeownership, whether solo or collectively.

Juneteenth is about more than just a day off work, a party, or an outfit. It’s about Black liberation. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when about 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, to formally (though not effectively or immediately) liberate over 250,000 enslaved Black people in that town and throughout Texas. Originally a Texas holiday, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 after a hard-won campaign led by many Black Texans, like Opal Lee. Despite this, most folks living in the U.S. still have no idea about the origins or purpose of the holiday. (When I wished one of my neighbors, an older white woman, a happy Juneteenth, she replied with, “What is that anyways?”) Thankfully, ample historical resources about Juneteenth exist, but its meaning varies depending on who you ask. Personally, I defer to Black academics and scholars who aren’t new to this, like the curators at the National Museum of African American History & Culture, along with Black Texans, the originators of the holiday who are often erased from the national narrative as Juneteenth becomes yet another opportunity for performative allyship and marketing (remember Walmart's Juneteenth-themed ice cream?).

At the same time, Black self-expression and self-perception—especially among cishet Black women and the Black LGBTQ+ community, a group that Black House Radio unapologetically centers and champions—have always been tools of liberation. When deciding on my Juneteenth outfit, I aimed to evoke enthusiasm, optimism, and joy. I wanted to be bold, loud in a celebratory way, to take up space. Enter: The Tango Midi Dyana dress from Sabby Lou Knit, a Black woman-owned knitwear brand based in the U.K. Designer Sabrina Louisor sources fabrics and yarns with a luxurious look and feel, handcrafting pieces that highlight and enhance the wearer’s silhouette, making them feel sexy, confident, and empowered. Complemented by my white cat-eye sunnies and pink furry sling-back heels, I really felt like that girl in this clementine-colored number. The retro vibes of Dr. Bath’s home, a mid-century modern property built in 1950 by architect Leopold Fischer, perfectly matched my outfit. (This isn’t a sponsored post, by the way. I wanted to show love and support to an independent Black-woman owned fashion brand that I actually wear and enjoy.)

Every Black House Radio party I’ve attended feels like a homecoming, and this kick-back was no different. There’s a familial energy where folks you’ve never met feel like play cousins. It’s the essence of found families, vital enough to rival that of blood. DJs of all levels and styles play sets that satiate a collective nostalgia for a time when people actually danced at parties. That day, Michael, Chrysalis, DJ Nico, and Silhouwet provided the soundtrack to our Juneteenth, and they did not disappoint. (Exhibit A: see the video above.)

In celebrating Juneteenth, we honored our collective legacy of liberation, resilience, and Black joy—dancing, expressing ourselves, and gathering to celebrate our shared heritage and our right to family, leisure, and respite.