Kinara (The Candle Holder)

This year Christmas seemed to have a somber tone. The recession has everyone down. More than ever, I have seen the importance of celebrating Kwanzaa. These 7 principles are more relevant today than ever before. Do yourself a favor and celebrate Kwanzaa with me:

NGUZO SABA(The Seven Principles)

Umoja (Unity)To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.

Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together.

Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Nia (Purpose)To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

Kuumba (Creativity)To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Imani (Faith)To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
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To kick off today’s concept of Umoja (Unity), check this out: U.N.I.T.Y