Black Artists and Designers Reimagine Black Family Life in 2025

The Barka Dal – ‘An Abundance of Welcome’ (Cleanse/Pause) by Cheryl Umbles of Cheryl Umbles Interior Design

How do we see our future home life? How does our home reflect our values? Great questions to explore with family this Black History Month.

In the midst of a pandemic, the Black Artists + Designers Guild believe we need to imagine a future for our families that is completely different.  BADG, "a community of independent Black makers in creative industries is committed to investing in Black ancestral futures by taking ownership of our narrative, and creating spaces to celebrate Black creativity and culture through design." Their latest project, Obsidian aims to empower a million Black families to affirm our right to occupy space, dismantling decades of environmental injustice and social inequity.  The Obsidian Virtual Concept House is a collective vision of the future designed by BADG members who created a home that reflects African American values. For the month of February, BADG have created the Obsidian Experience where they will showcase the house, along with live discussions designed to encourage thoughtful conversations about the home being a place of thriving for one million Black families. 

For more information visit the Obsidian Experience at badguild.info and sign up to explore their virtual house where Black creators are constructing new visions for Black family life,  Donations can  also be made to their project.

Join The African American Children's Book Fair on February 6

 

Celebrate Black History Month. by supporting African American authors.  

Join the event at https://hopin.com/events/29th-annual-african-american-children-s-book-fair

The African American Children's Book Fair is one of the oldest and largest single-day events for African-American children's books in the country hosted by the African American Children’s Book Project (AACBP).  The  AACBP, a non-profit organization, was created in 1992 to promote and preserve children’s literature written by or about African Americans.  The AACBP believes A BOOK OPENS UP A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES.

 To learn more go to theafricanamericanchildrensbookproject.org, email - read@theafricanamericanchildrensbookproject.org, or call (215) 878-BOOK.

 

Kwanzaa Stories -Ujima - Collective Work and Responsibility

For Kwanzaa 2020, I am highlighting people who exemplify the principles of Kwanzaa.  

People who bring the wisdom and courage to make sure Black Lives Matter. Today's 

principle is Ujima - Collective Work and Responsibility.

Counting The Days of Kwanzaa: Honoring the Principles

This was first published on  December 26, 2018 and still relevant today. 

The first principle of Kwanzaa is Umoja: Unity

Kwanzaa is that holiday we talk about a lot but tend to forget to celebrate enough.  In the mad rush to celebrate the week between Christmas and New Years, this holiday gets pushed to the side with a greeting of Happy Kwanzaa or if we are more enlightened with the question, Habari gani? But there are a lot of reasons to recognize this holiday. First of all celebrations are always great fun. Especially a holiday that brings us together to celebrate our culture and heritage. The end of the year is a good time to connect to our values and principles as a family and a nation. Especially after a year when our moral judgement has been challenged.  Think of Kwanzaa as that special time each year that gives us a fresh new look into who we are as a people. This year's theme is ““Kwanzaa and the WellBeing of the World: Living and Uplifting the Seven Principles.” At a time when principles and integrity have been pushed aside, The Nguzo Saba: The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa reminds us that everyone should live by principles every day. Our goal should always be to leave the world a better place.

For seven days Maple Sugar Child wants to help you stay ahead of the holiday week so that you can celebrate Kwanzaa. Enjoy our culture, history, philosophy, art and music. Each day we will share an inspirational story or message to remind you that this holiday is special.

Donny Hathaway's This Christmas Celebrates 50th Anniversary

December 9, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Donny Hathaway's holiday anthem "This Christmas." Get into the spirit with Donny's first ever official music video, an animated special drawn by famed cartoonist Lonnie Milsap.

Merry Christmas!

South African Animated Film Takes on Climate Change

 Look for more Black Girl Power in 2021

South Africa-based Lucan has released a trailer for their upcoming animated series, Isaura, currently in development. The series follows Isaura, a young girl from a fishing village in Mozambique who attains the ability to breathe underwater and communicate with turtles as she journeys along the east coast of Africa. The series will feature her fight to conserve the ocean, as well as various social and political climate change issues.

Isaura is the brainchild of Lucan, an animation and film collective based in Cape Town. The series fuses Africa’s southern and eastern coastal folklore and culture, emphasizing the importance of a young, African female protagonist when so much of modern media diminishes and depicts African countries as victims of war, poverty, and environmental devastation. Throughout the season, viewers will travel through the streets and coast of Mozambique with Isaura and her family, who make their living as fishermen in a small village. Isaura evolves into a bright young woman, teaching young audiences to be empowered, despite how small and insignificant they may feel at times.

Director Andrew Mcnally and AD Wian van Bergen at Lucan: “The show centers around Isaura, a resilient and resourceful girl living in a coastal village in Mozambique.

“After risking her own life to save a turtle, she is rewarded with a powerful and ancient talisman that allows her to breathe underwater and communicate with turtles. As bearer of the Talisman, Isaura becomes the first human guardian in centuries entrusted with protecting the ocean and restoring the connection between humans and animals.

Look for Isaura in 2021. It is still in development and has no confirmed release date.

Yara Shahidi's Barbie Shero Doll Introduces Young Girls to their Voting Rights

 We can look forward to a new season of Black Girl Power

Yara Shahidi, actress and activist has been honored for her social and political activism with her very own Barbie Shero Doll. Mattel as part of the toy company’s ongoing Role Model Series aims to inspire young girls by highlighting empowering female role models including Alex Morgan, Naomi Osaka and Adwoa Aboah. Today the grown-ish star has become one of the most influential celebrities of her generation speaking out on political issues, feminism, racism, STEM awareness and other social justice issues..

Now, ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Mattel is relaunching the collectable doll to encourage young people to learn more about the voting process and cast a ballot if they are able.  The doll rocks an Afro and the same Tory Burch “Vote” t-shirt the actress wore to the Eighteen X 18 Presents We Vote Next Summit in September 2018. 

The collectible doll “empowers the next generation of voters to stand up for what they believe in, emphasizes the importance of using one’s voice at every age, and shows young voters how they hold the power to help shape a better future,” a Barbie press release states. It retails for $29.99 and is available now for pre-sale exclusively on Amazon and barbie.com (the doll officially launches on Oct. 9).