Harriet in Theaters November

"It seems impossible until it is done"   Nelson Mandela

Harriet Tubman is one of my favorite sheroes. As a conductor for the Underground Railroad, she did the impossible lifting hundreds out of slavery while never losing a passenger. Hearing the story of this visionary always gives me chills.  In November families have an opportunity to check out a new film about her life, and be inspired by this woman of courage and faith. Harriet starring Cynthia Ervio will be released to theaters on November 1.

A Tribute to My Mother During Breastfeeding Month

Thanks to my mother whose example inspired me and other mothers to breastfeed long before it was fashionable. A tribute to her as we celebrate Black Breastfeeding Week.

One of my earliest memories was watching my mother nurse my sister. Sometimes she would talk to my sister while she nursed, and explain to her that she had eaten a nice healthy meal just for her.  Listening to my mother I got the connection between caring for the baby and self care. So breastfeeding  always seemed like a natural process to me although few women were breastfeeding, and many considered it old fashion and out dated at that time.  My mother probably felt like a pioneer going against the tide of modern advancement. However, she instinctively knew this was the best for mom and child. So without any documentation extolling the benefits of breastfeeding, she encouraged other mothers to breastfeed.

Even when I nursed my son years later, breastfeeding was still a novel idea. However, by that time organizations like La Leche were paving the way by providing information and support to new mothers. Unlike my mother, I found a community where I could get information and support. Today the tide is slowly changing, breastfeeding is beginning to be looked at as a natural process with benefits to both mom and baby. Everyday researchers hail the benefits that help build the baby's immunity system, create bonding between mother and child, and strengthen the mother's body.

August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month, a time to spread the word on the benefits of breastfeeding. All month long, people around the world are celebrating the amazing benefits of breastfeeding, while continuing the fight to ensure women have the support they need to breastfeed. In America the message needs to be heard loud and clear especially for African American mothers whose rate of initiating breastfeeding is the lowest in the country. There are social, political and cultural reasons for this disparity that need to be addressed. Today laws are being passed to protect mothers who decide to breastfeed but more work has to be done.  Women should not have to fear losing their job in order to nurture their babies.

Communities and hospitals need to spread the word and provide support for breastfeeding mothers. Even as individuals, we can help mothers with words of encouragement, a cooked meal, housekeeping, shopping errands and much love. We are all part of the village.

Here are a few groups providing information and support.

La Leche
https://lllusa.org/
https://www.llli.org/

United States Breastfeeding Committee
http://www.usbreastfeeding.org/nbm19

Black Moms Do Breastfeed
https://blackwomendobreastfeed.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Blackmomsdobreastfeed/

Mocha Milk Mommy's Breastfeeding Support Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mochamilkmommys/

Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth For Mazie by Floyd Cooper

Today we celebrate the struggles, hopes and dreams of those who came before us. Floyd Cooper shares the history and significance of the day with young people in his book, Juneteenth for Mazie. We have come a long way and still have a long way to go but today we celebrate our accomplishments and our vision for the future. Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth: Celebrating The African American Independence Day

"But, if this part of our history could be told in such a way that those chains of the past, those shackles that physically bound us together against our wills could, in the telling, become spiritual links that willingly bind us together now and into the future - then that painful Middle Passage could become, ironically, a positive connecting line to all of us whether living inside or outside the continent of Africa..."

                                                                                                                Tom Feelings

We can only imagine the joy, jubilation and trepidation of our  ancestors on June 19, 1865  when Major General Granger  rode into Galveston, Texas and informed everyone that slavery was abolished.  We know that it left enough of an impression that the day is still commemorated today. Juneteenth has become the independence day for African Americans.

One of the first things that the newly freed slaves did was to thank God and begin looking for family.  In that spirit Juneteenth has continued to be a day of thanksgiving, prayer service, bringing together family, connecting with the past and celebrating our accomplishments.

This year 2019 is especially important because it will mark the 154th year of celebrating Juneteenth and represents the 400th anniversary – 1619 – of when enslaved Africans arrived in Hampton, Virginia aboard a Dutch ship.  Juneteenth Celebrations will be held will be across the country this weekend. Check your local historic societies and museums for more information. Here are

a few listings:

The Johnson House Historic Site -6306 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144 (215) 438-1768 continues a 13-year tradition with its Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival, a free day of cultural and educational presentations vendors and performances including a Children's Village, a street festival, and a Beer and Hard Cider Garden on Saturday, June 15 from noon to 7pm.

10th Annual Juneteenth Heritage Festival - Join Black Arts LA for their 10th year celebrating one of the greatest events in American history on June 15-16 from noon - 6pm!  Bring  family and  friends to enjoy the 2-day free outdoor festival showcasing outstanding work from fine artists, fashion & jewelry designers and food artists as well as enjoy great music.  Be sure to visit their History/Inventors area, Health Village, and Technology Tent.  Fun for the whole family!In Leimert Park Village, Degnan Blvd & 43rd Street, Los Angeles 90008.

2019 Juneteenth Rhythm & Blues Celebration at Mills Park in Carson - The City of Carson invites everyone to enjoy Classic Cars, Food, Live Entertainment and Fun Games for the kids on June 15 from 11am - 6pm. At Mills Memorial Park, 1340 E. Dimondale Dr., Carson, CA 90746

(310) 631-3130.

32nd Annual Berkeley CA Juneteenth Festival! - Adeline St. at Alcatraz Ave, Berkeley, CA. The Juneteenth Festival is held annually in June in South Berkeley’s 5-block Alcatraz-Adeline Corridor with performances, children's events, fashion, art and basketball on June 16 from 11am-7pm.

Juneteenth Celebration - Nautilus Playground- W. 30th St. & W. 32nd St, Brooklyn, NY - join NYC Parks, Alvin Ailey Extension, and NYC Council Member Mark Treyger as we commemorate the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans throughout the former Confederacy of the southern United States. This wonderful event will feature music, dance and community performances on June 19, 2019 from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.

10th Annual Juneteenth 2019 Festival - "Back to the Future" - in Brooklyn, NY at Gershwin Park, 800 Van Siclen Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11207 There will be vendors selling crafts and food (really good food), activities for kids, games for parents and their children, a wonderful showcase, great raffle prizes and Trivia about the African American journey. Enjoy the parade on June 15 from 11am - 6pm.

Mama K's Team 4: Netflix's First Original African Animated Series -

Parents who have been looking for children's programs that reflect the diversity and cultural heritage of Africa will be interested in Netflix's latest project.

As part of its growing acquisition of content from Africa, Netflix has announced its first original African animated series.  Mama K's Team 4 tells a story of four teenage girls living in a futuristic version of Lusaka, Zambia's capital city. The girls are recruited by an ex-secret agent to save the world.

Designed by Cameroonian artist Malcolm Wope, the animation drew inspiration for the visuals from retro 90s hip hop girl groups, Netflix said in a statement announcing the deal.  It was written by Zambian writer, Malenga Mulendema who was one of the eight winners of the 2015 Triggerfish Story Lab initiative, a talent hunt for African storytellers. 

Mulendema says she grew up watching cartoons and wondered why none of the heroes looked like her. "In creating a superhero show set in Lusaka, I hope to introduce the world to four strong African girls who save the day in their own fun and crazy way. Most importantly, I want to illustrate that anyone from anywhere can be a superhero," she said in the Netflix statement.

The monetary success of Black sci fi movies like Black Panther have sparked an interest in companies like Netflix expanding their market to Africans and African Americans.  Mama K’s Team 4 is designed to particularly target Black families on a global level. This is a market that has been overlooked, and will give young Black children an opportunity to see themselves on screen. Netflix is also planning to use their platform to find the next generation of African women writers.

The series is produced by award-winning South Africa based studio, Triggerfish Animation, and London based kids and family entertainment specialist, CAKE.

Paine College Offering Free Summer Classes in Chemistry

Paine College  Announces Free Chemistry Class
Augusta, Georgia

Paine College announced that it is once again offering its free six-week chemistry course and registration is now open for middle and high school students in the CSRA (Central Savannah River Area). The class will begin on June 5, 2019, and run through July 11.

Dr. Sardar Yousufzai,Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Physics & Environmental Sciences at Paine College and Minority Affairs Chairperson of the Savannah River Section of the American Chemical Society, will teach this free summer class. The popular course offers students an opportunity to gain exposure to the basic concepts of chemistry and includes both instruction and demonstration.

By fostering learning opportunities for pre-college-age students, Dr. Yousufzai's class hopes to pass on his own fascination with science – a fascination he acquired at an early age. His teaching style is designed to help students see basic scientific concepts in practical terms, to simplify the learning process. As he told Diverse Issues in Higher Education in 2016, "I make chemistry like a pie, so easy to eat, so easy."

The program has proved its worth over the years, with many of its participants going on to pursue careers in science-related fields – including dental and medical school. 

Paine College is a private, historically black Methodist liberal arts college in Augusta, Georgia. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

The six-week program offers classes for middle school students on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 10:40 AM to 11:30 AM. High school student class times are Tuesday and Thursday, 10:40 AM to 11:30 AM. All classes are held at Paine College Campus in Haygood-Holsey Room 220. Registration is now open.

For more information visit:

https://www.paine.edu/web/mycampus/home/-/journal_content/56/10217/157969

Celebrate Pinkster - The Oldest African American Holiday

Pinkster at Philisburg Manor

Step into the rhythms and get swept up in this springtime holiday featuring continuous performances of African drumming, dancing, and storytelling. Experience a recreation of a colonial cross-cultural event known as Pinkster, first celebrated in the Hudson Valley in the 17th century.

Pinkster was a holiday celebrated by the Dutch on Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter. African American slaves adopted the holiday and put their own cultural spin on the festivities. Today, Pinkster is recognized as the oldest African American holiday in the United States, celebrated since the colonial period. The African cultural influence on Pinkster dates from the fifteenth century in the Bantu regions of Congo and Angola.

On May 18, 2019 from 10 am to 5 pm, Philipsburg Manor - 381 N Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, New York 10591 will share and reenact this holiday for families.

Learn a new dance step, move to an age-old rhythm, listen to the melodious strings of the kora, enjoy African folktales, and taste akkra (West African pea fritters). Visitors of all ages are invited to join the parade, dance step across the plank, and elect next year’s Pinkster King or Queen. Throughout the historic site, learn about the accomplishments of the enslaved men, women, and children who lived and worked at Philipsburg Manor. Celebrated author Michael Twitty, winner of the James Beard Book of the Year Award in 2018, will be reading and signing copies of "The Cooking Gene: A Journey through African-American Culinary History in the Old South" in the New World Dutch Barn.

Stop by the Visitor Center to experience People Not Property: Stories of Slavery in the Colonial North. This groundbreaking interactive documentary reveals the scope of Northern slavery through the individual stories of those who were enslaved.

Philipsburg Manor began celebrating Pinkster in 1977, making this event the longest-running authentic recreation of Pinkster in North America. Tickets are $14; $12 for seniors; $8 for children 3-17 and are available online at: https://hudsonvalley.org/events/celebrate-pinkster.

On Saturday, June 15, 2019 from 12 PM – 4 PM African Burial Ground National Monument - 290 Broadway, New York, New York 10007 will also celebrate Pinkster.

Since the 1970s, New Yorkers have resurrected Pinkster festivals in New York and throughout the surrounding areas. Celebrate New York’s vibrant African American history and culture at one of New York City’s most sacred sites.

The African Burial Ground National Monument and the African American Pinkster Committee of New York (AAPCNY) invite the general public to a commemorative celebration featuring the pouring of libations, lectures, songs, performances, reading of proclamations, and the laying of flowers on the burial mounds.

For information on AAPCNY or to become involved, please contact (646) 559-2218.

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Women's History Month

                                           A portrait of Serena Williams by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair, 2017.

This has certainly been a new era for African American woman. Last year, Black celebrity image makers have taken their message to a new level. While the women of "Hidden Figures" and "Girl Trip" did their thing at the box office, and Sloan Stephens and Venus dominated the tennis court. This year the women of Wakanda have provided us with diverse "Black Girl Power" images. While  Beyonce and Serena are taking Black motherhood to another level.  Their message is clear, we are strong, in charge and celebrating the joys of motherhood.

A message not taken lightly considering the problematic history of African American women.  For almost three hundred years, they endured rape and abuse, and were forced to abandon their children while they nursed and raised other people's children. The pain and stress of their condition is still fresh in their DNA. In spite of this legacy, they have also been the pillar of their community choosing to be over comers.

Declaring that Black Motherhood is something to celebrate can only be the first step toward addressing the needs of raising African American children and nurturing their mothers.  Now we need to focus on healthcare issues in the African American community like the high rate of maternal and infant mortality, low breastfeeding participation; the discrepancy in educational opportunities, financial problems, poverty, and mental depression.

Even with all their success both Serena and Beyonce have acknowledged the challenges of motherhood to both their bodies and their spirit.

The Boy Who Harnesses The Wind

These times call for stories that encourage and inspire. Children have their pick of superheroes but sometimes they need stories of real heroes, and the hope they bring. Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor gives us the story of a real young hero in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, premiering on NETFLIX in March. 

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is the true story of thirteen-year-old William Kamkwamba who inspired by a science book, against all the odds, invents an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine in Malawi. His story is emotional, encouraging and inspirational. A story that the whole family can see and share together.

Welcome to Black History Month: 400 Years of History 1619-2019

This year marks 400 years since the first 20 "indentured" servants from Africa arrived in Virginia in 1619. They were forced to come to this country so that others might prosper. Known as the triangle trade, sugar, rum and tobacco were traded for slaves from Africa who were sent to America and England.  None of the products traded were essential for human development or survival. In fact today they are deemed  harmful. Through a modern lens, tobacco, rum and sugar are all considered unhealthy vices.  So from the very beginning, Black lives were destroyed by greed and avarice. Family, men, women and children's lives were impacted in  destructive ways that are still being felt today. Africans became the primary labor force for producing wealth for Europe and its colonies. Businesses flourished in America, and fortunes were amassed through free labor.

This year reminds us of the long journey African Americans have taken since 1619. This month we celebrate the heroes known and unknown who fought against the injustices of slavery and racism, and showed us a brighter future in spite of circumstances. They changed the course of history. African American history is a story of courage, determination and faith that is still being written. This is an American story.

Yale Summer Writers Workshop

The 2019 Yale Writers' Workshop application is now open.

From first to final draft, find your voice at Yale.

The Yale Writers’ Workshop brings together the experience and expertise of leading teachers, authors, editors, agents and publishers in a series of panels and workshops, for the benefit of writers the world over. They offer two sessions on Yale’s historic campus that match the needs of any serious writer. Their faculty provides unique, tailored, and transformative experiences to all participants. Applicants must be 18 years or older. Deadline for all applications is March 15, 2019.

The Yale Writers' Workshop experience includes:
Immersive creative environment
Seasoned faculty of writers and editors
Workshops limited to 10-12 participants
Access to industry professionals

For more information visit: https://summer.yale.edu/academics/yale-writers-workshop. For cost visit https://www.regonline.com/registration/Checkin.aspx?EventID=254637

Welcome to Black History Month!

Happy Birthday, Langston Hughes!

Welcome to Black History Month!

This month always begins with the birthday of an American Icon. Langston Hughes is the writer, poet and activist of the Harlem Renaissance. And as I have explained on occasion the inspiration behind the name of this blog celebrating the African American Child and the people who raise and teach them.

This blog post from February1, 2013 explains the inspiration for Maple Sugar Child:

Today is the birthday anniversary of James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967).  Langston Hughes as he was called was an African American icon of the twentieth century. He is also one of my favorite poets and writers. He wore many hats as an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance.  He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. "

I interviewed him when I was in high school, and he asked to see some of my writings. We met at the Schomburg Library and he took time to read and encourage my work. He told me I was  a writer and he would love to work with me. I was very curious and impressed by his generous spirit since I had not thought of myself as a writer. We stayed in contact for only a short while because he passed away in my first year in college.  I am so grateful for that short encounter with this munificent icon.

Recently I learned that "his ashes are interred beneath a floor medallion in the middle of the foyer in the Arthur Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem. It is the entrance to an auditorium named for him. The design on the floor is an African cosmogram titled Rivers. The title is taken from his poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers". Within the center of the cosmogram is the line: My soul has grown deep like the rivers'."

Maple Sugar Child takes its' name and inspiration from his poem, Winter Sweetness.


                                          Winter Sweetness

                                      The little house is sugar,
                                      Its roof with snow is piled.
                                      And from its tiny window,
                                      Peeps a maple-sugar child.

Black Panther Returns to The Theater for One Week in Celebration of Black History with Free Screenings

After a year of breaking records, Marvel Studios’ Black Panther is returning to theaters in a one week engagement. In celebration of Black History, free screenings of Black Panther will be shown at select AMC Theaters for one week running from February 1-7. AMC will show the movie at 250 locations in the U.S. Participating theaters will offer two free showings each day during that week.

Since opening in February 2018, Black Panther has amassed over a billion dollars in sales making it the highest grossing superhero film of all time in North America. Following this success Panther has scored seven Academy Award nominations, including an historic Best Picture nod, and has won for Best Ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.  Starring Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger, and Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Black Panther changed the dialogue on the  marketability of Black films. For many African Americans the film represented a new narrative on Black culture.

Disney is also giving a $1.5 million grant to support UNCF (United Negro College Fund), an organization dedicated to helping minority students gain access to college education and fund their higher education.

To find participating theaters near you and obtain a free ticket, visit the advanced ticketing site for Black Panther.

Visit: https /https://www.weticketit.com/blackpanther/

Are you a high school junior interested in journalism?

Apply to the free summer journalism program at Princeton University.

The Princeton University Summer Journalism Program is a free 10-day journalism program hosted at Princeton University for high-achieving, low income high school juniors.

Students learn reporting from celebrated journalists and are paired with a college counselor during their senior year.

All expenses, including students’ travel costs to and from Princeton, are paid for by the program.

Application deadline is February 15.

Visit psjp.princeton.edu for more info.

Misty Copeland Shares Her Success

Photo: Rebecca Miller/Disney Enterprises  

Misty Copeland continues to electrify the world of classical ballet and provide inspiration to young people of color.  In 2015, she made history when she became the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre (ABT).  Later she along with Brooklyn Mack became the first Black couple to play the lead roles in a full-length production of "Swan Lake" at the Washington Ballet.

"Beyond my personal goals as a ballerina, I want to celebrate, elevate and give opportunities to talented Black and brown dancers to share the stage with me while I have the power and presence that I do," Copeland told the Los Angeles Times in an email. "And to build a structure which can continue to exist beyond me."

With that goal in mind, Copeland broke another barrier at the American Ballet Theatre when she and Calvin Royal III made their debuts as Pierrette and Pierrot in "Harlequinade" at Segerstrom Hall in California early this month. Taking on the ballet's secondary leads to the main character, this marks the first time in ABT's history that an African American man and woman will dance a lead couple's roles.

Royal, who joined ABT in 2010 and was later promoted to soloist in 2017, said of the feat: "To finally be able to take the stage, two leading dancers in a production with ABT, I see it as such a huge step forward in terms of visibility."  As for Copeland, she plans to continue to spread her good fortune and inspire budding artists through the country.

American Ballet Theatre will present "Harlequinade" at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts -  2700 F St NW, Washington, DC 20566, Washington, D.C., starting Jan. 29- 31 and at Lincoln Center For the Performing Arts - 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023  starting May 13 - 18.

BAM Black Comix Expo

In conjunction with Fight The Power: Black Superheroes on Film,  the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Black Comics Collective present a free day-long expo celebrating comics of color. The showcase features comic exhibitors, a panel discussion, a children's art workshop, and a superhero cosplay showcase for fans of all ages.  The BAM Black Comix Expo examines the demand for diversity and representation across sci-fi and fantasy genres by presenting a range of acclaimed independent comic writers and illustrators, as well as the freshest emerging talent.  

All activities will be held at BAM Rose Cinemas and BAMcafé located at the Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11217 on February 11, 2019 from 11am- 5pm.  Admittance to the BAM Black Comix Expo is on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.  

Visit their website: https://www.bam.org/community/2018/black-comix-expo

Wellesley Summer Program

Discover what's possible in One Wellesley Summer!

If you are a motivated young woman and a rising sophomore, junior, or senior in high school, you are invited to find out what it is like to experience college life.  Enjoy a balance of scholastic and social experiences in a safe, academically challenging, and culturally inclusive environment.  Take thought-provoking undergraduate-level courses from data and mathematics to college writing.  Connect with college staff, explore the Boston area, and form friendships with women from around the world.  

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

The African American Children's Book Fair

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Celebrating a Day of Service

Marin Luther King, Jr. who was born on January 15, 1929 would have celebrated his 90th birthday this year.  As a civil rights leader he extolled the importance of service. "Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

His birthday is now a national holiday celebrated on the third Monday of January. To honor King’s memory, since 1994 this federal holiday has also been celebrated as a day of service. The website for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service encourages people to think of the holiday as “a day on, not a day off” by volunteering for local causes. Join with people around the country to make a difference especially this year with so many of our public servants working without pay.  Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service for ideas and opportunities to volunteer.

Activism and community building are buzzwords not just for this day but as a way of life. As the website A Mighty Girl explains,  "In addition to contributing time to good causes, this day also provides an excellent opportunity to talk about service, charity, and generosity with children. By providing concrete examples of ways to help and showing them that their efforts do make a difference, parents and educators can encourage children and youth to be socially minded. Then they can turn their creative minds toward finding solutions to the problems they see around them!" Check out their list of books and resources for parents at A Might Girl. Kids who are used to having what they need may find it hard to believe that anyone lacks for the basics. These books will help parents and educators show kids that there are many people out there who need our help — and that small contributions can make a big difference, both locally and globally.

Counting The Days of Kwanzaa: A Day of Meditation

The seventh principle of Kwanzaa: Imani

The last day of Kwanzaa is considered a day of meditation and reflection. Kwanzaa is the only holiday where we are asked to examine our moral conscious as a people, evaluate our lifestyle and principles, and embrace each other. For families this is an opportunity to create a family mission statement, hear the stories of the elders and allow children to learn and express themselves. This is the time to renew ourselves as we start a new year.

How are we doing? How are we dealing with daily stress?  Where are we going?

Reflection: From Langston Hughes

                    Harlem

What happens to a dream deferred?

      Does it dry up
      like a raisin in the sun?
      Or fester like a sore—
      And then run?
      Does it stink like rotten meat?
      Or crust and sugar over—
      like a syrupy sweet?

      Maybe it just sags
      like a heavy load.

      Or does it explode?

Counting The Days of Kwanzaa: Karamu The First Fruits Celebration

The sixth  principle of Kwanzaa: Kuumba: Creativity. 

Karamu "The First Fruits Celebration" is the celebration of the seven days of kwanzaa. This is when family, friends and neighbors sit down to the welcome table and share traditional dishes. The Kwanzaa holiday is rooted in the harvest celebrations of ancient African civilizations. African Americans are part of a global nation sharing many different traditions representing African, American, Caribbean and South American cultures giving us a unique perspective. The dishes prepared show the creativity and ingenuity of the people from the diaspora. This is a reminder that no matter where we go or how diverse we are our cultural heritage unites us. Sharing food, stories and history in our home and community is an important part of Kwanzaa. 

This is also the time to express gratitude for those who prepare and organize the welcome table and activities for Kwanzaa. There is always that one person whose home is always opened to everyone for holiday gatherings or that person who organizes community events every year. They are unsung heroes. Today we thank them and honor them for their service. They have kept alive our history and traditions.

For inspiration visit Kwanzaa Culinarians for stories and recipes that make Kwanzaa special. Sanura Weathers, the founder of the website has curated stories and recipes according to the The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa that are both creative and informative.