Kwanzaa Celebration

 

This week we are honoring the celebration of Kwanzaa.  Each day lighting a candle to represent a principle we can reflect upon.  Yesterday, the first day, we lit a candle for Umoja, Unity.  Today, we light the candle of Kujichagulia or Self-Determination.  From the National Museum of African American History and Culture website this day honors that to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves. 

Our Sacred Conversations on Race group is committed to reading first-hand narratives of the experiences of African Americans, Indigenous, Asian, and Latino voices because for many of us, we did not hear these voices growing up.  Too often these voices continue to be silenced and sidelined.  We give thanks today that there are so many wonderful resources we can read, podcasts to listen to, films to watch, and conversations to be had.  This week, however, honors African American voices.  You are encouraged today to listen to music, read poems, tune into podcasts or watch movies/television shows that are written by African Americans.  Today you may dive into a writing by Maya Angelou or James Baldwin.  Watch a show written and directed by an African American.  Listen to music such as jazz or performed by African Americans.  Listen to the ways African Americans are defining, naming, creating and speaking with their authentic…made in God’s image…self.