Happy New Year and Happy Kwanzaa!
Today is the last day of the seven-day  Kwanzaa Celebration. I love this non-religious holiday and I believe it has the power to transform African American families and communities across the nation, making us stronger, smarter, and more supportive of each other.
I started celebrating Kwanzaa when my kids were in elementary school and one of my few black neighbors at the time  invited my family to attend their ingathering potluck.  I fell in love with the seven principles and have been celebrating it ever since. I must give a shout out to Mary Winn and the Afro-Centric Committee of Ventura County who for years put on a community celebration in Simi Valley, California. From those early days the celebration grew to include the Ventura County NAACP Saturday School children and the Black Student Union on my University campus.
Kwanzaa reminds us of our history and calls us to acknowledge the ancestors upon whose shoulders we stand today.  It  reaffirms the need for us to pull together toward common goals and mutual success. It reminds me that together we can accomplish so much more than we can on our own.
The Nyuzo Saba or the seven principles of Kwanzaa are first, Unity, represented by the black candle at the center of the Kanara (candle holder). Then are three red and three green candles that represent the remaining principles: self-determination, collective work and  responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. There are also symbols, each  with a deep and inspiring meaning.
Kwanzaa was founded by a university professor, Dr. Maulana Karenga and you can learn more about Kwanzaa  from its founder through his book  Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture
Each year, I like to focus on one or two issues facing our lives as African Americans in the U.S. The past few years, I’ve focused on the need to support our African American males. I read,  Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption , by Bryan Stevenson and gave him a big hug when I met him in May. He is one of my criminal justice heroes-working tirelessly for justice for black and brown youth in a system that routinely profiles and criminalizes them for minor offenses that their white peers get away with. I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking to advocate for justice in our justice system.
On my campus, I was able to start a Black Male Initiative with the help of colleagues to support the retention, academic and social success, and graduation of our black males on campus. That effort continues and I ask that you support one of my students, Marvin Rue, Jr.  in his effort to study abroad in China this spring semester. He has a gofundme.com  through which he is trying to raise $1000 towards his travel expenses. Whether you donate a little or a lot, this is a great opportunity to act on the cooperative economics principle of Kwanzaa.
Happy Kwanzaa!
And don’t forget to visit me again next Sunday when I begin a series of posts in recognition of the new year and ways to set ourselves up for success.
Amazing post about the meaning of Kwanzaa and its importance in the African American Community. I hope that we can practice these principals year round so we can make a difference in our lives and the community.