(upbeat music) - PBS Utah and the Utah Cultural Celebration Center are partnering for Shared Stories, which includes film, conversation, and activities each month at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center.

Craig Thomas is here to tell us more.

Hi Craig.

- [Craig] Hello.

- Thanks for being here.

So tell us why you decided to start this collaboration with PBS Utah.

- Well, we've partnered with PBS over the years off and on, but in January, we did an event at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center with PBS, and it really kind of inspired us in a way that we want more stories, we want to share stories, if you will.

And we approached PBS about possibly doing a monthly series at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center.

You have amazing programming on PBS and it just seems so right to be able to share those stories in West Valley City at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center.

- That's great.

And I know you're kicking off this summer with Juneteenth, so tell me about the Juneteenth event.

- Juneteenth will be our launch, it will be on Juneteenth.

We're doing it on the actual day so people don't get confused.

It's not on the Monday before.

(laughs) So it'll be on Thursday, June 19th.

All the Shared Stories events will be from 6:00 until 8:00 PM at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center.

But with Juneteenth, we have a couple of gallery exhibits that we're bringing in.

And then really exciting, the host from Roots, Race & Culture will be there on site as well.

And we'll do a viewing of the Buffalo Soldiers.

- [Mary] Oh, great.

- One of their stories and celebrating that and learning about that great, amazing history and what they contributed to our country.

So it's really an awesome opportunity, I think.

The Sema Hadithi nonprofit will also be there.

They'll be helping with the galleries so people can ask questions and learn more about the history of Black history in Utah and Black history throughout the country.

So it's gonna be a really nice night.

- Great opportunity.

I know you've got more coming, and people just have to go online and see what they are.

- Yeah.

- So thanks for being here.

- Well, thank you.

- And if you'd like to know more about Shared Stories, a collaboration between PBS Utah and the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, it starts with the Juneteenth celebration, Fighting for Freedom, June 19th from 6:00 to 8:00 at the Center.

Just go to pbsutah.org/events.

I'm Mary Dickson.

Thanks for watching "Contact".

(upbeat music) - Local events, arts, culture.

It's what brings us together.

Hi, I'm Mary Dickson.

Here on Contact, we introduce you to local events and organizations that serve your neighborhood.

If you work for a nonprofit and would like to appear on our show, please visit pbsutah.org/contact.