Kwanzaa Day 7 Imani FAITH

Habari Gani       Response  Imani

Kwanzaa Day 7  IMANI (eeMAHnee) Faith  

Today is New Years Day and the last day of Kwanzaa. It is fitting that it is IMANI, which represents our faith that a better world can be created for the community now and in the future. Take note that each day of Kwanzaa focuses on how we can serve and be a part of the larger community. This is a cultural celebration not a religious one. It doesn't matter what your religious believe is or even if you are an Atheist. Use Kwanzaa to step out of  yourself, your small circle of family and friends.  Look around you to see what you can do to impact and make the larger community and world better. Have the believe that, "Yes, I can make a difference". Then just go out and do it. 

Photos are from here http://bit.ly/vqxZc3

Peace

Michelle

Kwanzaa Day 6 KUUMBA Creativity

Habari Gani              Response Kuumba

Kwanzaa Day 6 Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) Creativity

This should be a special day for all the artists who follow my blog but everyone has creativity in some fashion. Are you the go to person when folks need to know how to decorate for an event, do public relations for an event, raise money to buy instruments, or bake goods for the church bazaar. Well guess what you that's your Creativity.

I am amazed when people look at my work and say I can't do that I don't have a creative bone in my body. My response is always what do you like doing? As we talk I find that the people who say this first are some of the most creative. I am amazed at the creative people who make this statement. Usually its the people who are the most creative in their community. Creativity is not always working with your hands. To me its using your mind's power to make something come into being. School needs to raise $5,000 to refurbish the playground. You pull the various parties together, raise the money and get the job completed. Organize a neighborhood cleanup and get it done. Yes, my dear you are very creative. So don't sell yourself short.

Kuumba asks us to make the community more beautiful. Everyone admires your yard or garden, then SHARE with the community how you do it. All of us do not have green thumbs so we NEED the help. Smile. What ever you can do to make the community more beautiful then do it. Start in your own space no matter how small its yours and go from there to the larger community.

You are not an island, go out into the larger community and make a difference.

Today is also the day for the Karamu feast (http://bit.ly/sRrv1S). I use this time to bring friends together early enough so they can go out to celebrate before the New Year comes in.

Peace

Michelle

Kwanzaa Day Five NIA . What purpose are you serving in the community? http://bit.ly/tuuIOD # Community#Wirequeen#AfricanAmerican

Kwanzaa Day 5 NIA Purpose

Habari Gani           Response NIA


Kwanzaa Day 5 NIA (nee-AH)    Purpose (sense of)


Have you found your PURPOSE in life? One of the big marketing emphasis of life coach's is finding your passion/ PURPOSE in life and promoting that. Yet few of us know our purpose. For many its trial and error to find the purpose that  gives us joy and ignites our passion.


More importantly how is your purpose for being here serving the community. We are not islands,but individuals within a larger community. NIA is a time to focus on how you can serve the greater good (Purpose). Many hide behind the excuse that ,"I'm just one person". That's not acceptable, even the youngest child can contribute even if its just to pick up a piece of litter off the sidewalk. Notice when a child is given a simple task, they stand up a little straighter. Why? because they feel good about being able to contribute. If a child can recognize the value of helping than we should also. Each contribution no matter how small adds up when its thrown into the pot. You give $5.00 and 5 hours to an organization that is doing good things in the community that you like. If fifty other people do the same thing that nonprofit remains viable and can continue its good works. You start or sign a petition to right something that has occurred.  You are serving the greater community. So don't ever think that you or your voice doesn't matter. You are as important as anyone else.


I am very thankful for my Daddy who taught me that money, fame , position did not make anyone better than me. The only one who was better than me was the one who did more good deeds than me. (My Daddy was a staunch Christian who walked his talk.)


So on this the fifth day of Kwanzaa take time to reflect on what your NIA is.  How will YOU will serve the greater good?

Michelle

Kwanzaa Day 4. Do you practice Cooperative Economics? http://bit.ly/s7FMb0 localfirst#community#African American

Kwanzaa Day 4. Do you practice Cooperative Economics? http://bit.ly/s7FMb0 localfirst#community#African American

Kwanzaa Day 4 Ujamaa Cooperative Economic

Habari Gani                          Response   Ujamaa




Kwanzaa Day 4 is Ujamaa (oo–JAH–mah) Cooperative Economics
To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together. This was the fore runner to the Local First movements.  


Dr Marlenga the founder of Kwanzaa wanted this day to remind us that we need to build businesses in our own communities as a way to strenghten and keep the community strong. Kwanzaa has been embraced worldwide. I think this is because so many other cultures are closer to the land deriving their livihood from the land.  


Black Americans and other communities are realizing they have to support local businesses to keep their communities strong. Local business provide jobs, support charities and are hands on in the communities that the owners live and work in. They have a vested interest in the community where they live.


We see examples of this Cooperative Economics at work in projects like the community farms in Detroit (http://bit.ly/sqSp7b). There are even conferences now that bring community farm directors from around the globe. The conference participants share what has worked in their community or country.  


The Local First movements have picked up on this theme to get people to shop at local stores and businesses. They education people on the impact their money can has when they keep it local. One such movement here in Arizona is spreading like wildfire. Here http://bit.ly/tpTmJb



www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/


Kwanzaa celebrations around the US. http://bit.ly/s7FlT3


How is your community using Cooperative Economics? Please share.

As always you can click on the heading to make purchases.


Michelle

kwanzaa Day 3 Ujima Collective Work and Responsiblity

Habari Gani      Response is Ujima


Today is the third day of Kwanzaa "Ujima" which stands for collective work and responsibility. We see this happening across the country in the Local First movements, domestic violence, community gardens and so many other areas. People are trying to regain that "community feeling". We have become such a mobile society in the past 20 or thirty years that community has been lost. 


I personally love it when I see people come together to create a community garden or to refurbish a park or play field. To see folks come together for something other than a funeral. Yes it is important that we honor tragic victims and see to it that they given honorable burials. We also need to come together to create the kind of community that we are proud to live in. We can no longer hide behind closed doors and hope someone else takes care of the problems. We have to stand up and be a part of the solution. Saying ,"I'm only one person and can't make a difference " was never valid. Each of us no matter how small can make a difference. Combined we are an engine that can. (Ask Former Arizona Legislator Russell Pearce). http://bit.ly/ryA15l


What are you doing to be responsible and work collectively in your community? Please share what you're doing, another community may be able to use your project or action.


As always you can shop my store on the right to keep this site going.

Michelle

Are you celebrating Kwanzaa? A unique cultural holiday Black#African American Small biz http://bit.ly/vjTEFF

Are you celebrating Kwanzaa? A unique cultural holiday Black#African American Small biz http://bit.ly/vjTEFF

Are you celebrating Kwanzaa? A unique cultural holiday Black#African American Small biz http://bit.ly/vjTEFF

Are you celebrating Kwanzaa? A unique cultural holiday Black#African American Small biz http://bit.ly/vjTEFF

Are you celebrating Kwanzaa? A unique cultural holiday Black#African American Small biz http://bit.ly/vjTEFF

Are you celebrating Kwanzaa? A unique cultural holiday Black#African American Small biz http://bit.ly/vjTEFF

Kwanzaa Day 2 KUJICHAGULIA

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves stand up. The second day of Kwanzaa asks us to look inward to define yourself and not give in to how others might try to define you. The seven principle of Kwanzaa were initially created during the sixties when Black Americans were still trying to throw off the shackles of Jim Crowism. This was the era that saw the rise of the Black Panthers, the Nation of Islam, the Urban League and the demand by Black Americans for equal rights etc. Notice I said the rise, even with a Black President in office we are still seeking equal rights.


Black Americans still did not have the right to vote. The right to stay where they wanted or to even use a public rest room. So one has to look at the time frame for the origination of Kwanzaa, a non religious holiday. Kwanzaa is to celebrate the cultural of Black Americans going back to our origins in American. Yes, we as Black Americans have our own distinct culture separate from Africa. That's why there was the explosion of the Urban Studies curriculum during the seventies and eighties. Urban Studies is the study of US. Just ask Shirley Sherrod who was summarily fired from her Dept USDA job because a racist blogger falsely accused her of racism. http://ow.ly/8b0O8


This principle alone may account for why Kwanzaa is now celebrated worldwide. This is the official Kwanzaa website so you can make you own family tradition to celebrate http://ow.ly/8b10e


I hope these short posts will at least peak your curiosity about Kwanzaa so that your family and community can share this cultural holiday.


As we lumber into the new year you have a clean slate  to write on. You have the power to determine what will be written. Either you take charge and write on the slate or someone else will. Its your call.


As always you can click above to make a purchase to keep this site going.

Michelle

I will post every day of Kwanzaa http://ping.fm/Igt6F African american Kwanzaa Family

Kwanzaa Day 1 Umoja Unity

What started out as a way for African Americans to reconnect with self, family and community has now been embraced by many worldwide.


The guiding principles of Kwanzaa (the Nguzo Saba) are;
1. Umoja-Unity
2. Kujichagulia-Self determination
3. Ujima-Collective work and responsibility
4. Ujama-Cooperative Economics
5. Nia_Purpose
6. Kuumba-Creativity
7. Imani-Faith

I have celebrated Kwanzaa for many years. I like the fact that it comes after Christmas. We have used Kwanzaa as a time of reflection and to share as a family and community. What's especially nice is the ceremony of lighting a candle each day as a family. I have celebrated this day by myself when I was single, but it is much nicer as a family.


There are so many ways you can share Kwanzaa. My single friends and I have each taken a night to host the celebration so that we didn't have to do it alone. Great way to strengthen the bonds of your Sister Circle. There are so many activities that you can find on the net for the kids to do each day makes Kwanzaa a wonderful way to make family memories.


Today is the first day of Kwanzaa titled Umoja which is Unity. For me this is a time to reflect on how I can make a difference by bringing people together. I use my facebook page (http://facebook.com/MichelleSHawkins) for this purpose. My page is like the United Nations. You will find many races,cultures and opinions. People I may totally disagree with on some issues and share the same positions on others. Yet we are adult enough to agree to disagree with out animosity or snideness. If you can't handle that then you leave my page.


Do you celebrate Kwanzaa? If you do how do you celebrate? If not, why not? Please leave a comment.


As always you can shop with me to keep this blog going.




Michelle

Do You Celebrate Kwanzaa?

I'm originally from Detroit, Michigan. I now live in Scottsdale,Arizona. I went from the #1 Chocolate City to the 5th whitest city in America. Yes there was a cultural shock. I celebrate Kwanzaa no matter where I am if I have to celebrate it with just my daughter and myself.


In Detroit its a very big deal with Kwanzaa Celebrations going on every night. Kwanzaa has grown from a Black American Celebration to one that is celebrated world wide. All communities are now celebrating Kwanzaa. People celebrate at home, in the workplace and at their houses of worship. Gatherings go from informal to very elaborate events where people rent nightclubs, Museum of African American History and other large venues. Many of them including the City Hall Building allow vendors to come sell and disseminate info about their businesses.

Truly celebrating the principle and purpose of Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa provides a way to Buy Black and shop local. Many consumers discover businesses they never knew existed and continue to patronize after the season.

Do you celebrate Kwanzaa? Whether you celebrate or not it is a gift buying season with emphasis on handcrafted items as gifts. If you sell product you really show have Kwanzaa as part of your marketing strategy. There are now many who no longer celebrate Christmas because it has become so commerical and they only celebrate in church. Many of these same people celebrate Kwanzaa because it is a time of communal sharing and the emphasis on handcrafted gifts.

Do you celebrate or ignore Kwanzaa?

Click on the title to learn how to celebrate Kwanzaa.

Thanks for coming to my blog.