Courtesy of Carlton Kinard
NEWBERRY —Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration from December 26-January 1. Celebrated in many African American homes, Kwanzaa honors African heritage and African American culture. Celebrations often include singing, and dancing, storytelling, poetry reading, African drumming, and of course traditional meals that have been passed down through generations in the African American culture. Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in addition to celebrating Christmas such as my family!
During the weeklong celebration, there are seven guiding principles to be discussed during the observance of Kwanzaa.
Day One: Umoja (Unity) To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
Day Two: Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
Day Three: Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and to solve them together.
Day Four: Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
Day Five: Nia (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
Day Six: Kuumba (Creativity) To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
Day Seven: Imani (Faith) To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
I want to highlight the third principle today! Ujima, (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and to solve them together.
As I further developed the thought of “collective work and responsibility,” it is noted that we all have a common responsibility to build, develop, and defend our communities that we represent. Also, it is imperative that we raise awareness of the need for everyone to come together and take action to support all members of our communities. If we make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and solve them together, our world will be much better off.
Depending on your access to resources or what zip code you may live in. You may be stunned at the extent of the problems, too easily ignored by many of us today. Problems like housing and food insecurity, unequal access to health care, education, and technology that are now starkly evident in our country today. Ujima invites us to see that regardless of our personal resources and comfort, we cannot succeed as humans of any background, if any member of our community is suffering. God wants our lives to overflow with mercy, love, and compassion. As a man of faith, I believe we have a choice to respond to unsettling realties with fear and avoidance or we can follow God in responding to the greatest needs of our day with love and hope. As a believer of Jesus Christ, I know caring for those in need is evidence of a faith that changes lives.
We are witnessing unrest in Ukraine, Israel, here in the United States, and across the globe as well. It is imperative that we collectively work together to ensure our communities and neighbors aren’t left behind in time of need. When we do good for others, something incredible happens. We’ll encounter a living God working through us to usher in his kingdom of love and justice on Earth.
In Matthew 25, Jesus calls us to feed and help those who are in need. Within the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is providing the “Life Choices of the Righteous” and contrasting the sheep and the goats. Jesus will say to those who are his sheep, “Come, who you are blessed by my father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you.” “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to see me.”
The principle of collective work and responsibility is not restricted only to actions that attend to the basic needs of a community. Ujima also applies to the work that must happen in communities to regain our self-determination, pride, and live to our full potential. It’s about each of us rigorously looking at where we can step up and do more, not for our own benefit but for the collective good of all.
As we prepare to welcome a new year, I want you to ask yourself – what does my community need? What direct work can I do? What else can I do to support those doing necessary work that I cannot do? As you reflect on this year (2023), ask yourself – what actions have I taken to further the well-being of my community? Lastly, looking into the new year. We must ask and remind ourselves, what is one direct action and one supportive action we can take to make our communities a better place to live, work, and play.
You are welcome to pray with me!
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray for unity and understanding among our community’s, different cultures, and nationalities. Help us to recognize each culture’s unique gifts and strengths. Allow us to celebrate and appreciate our diversity. May we learn to listen and respect one another and work together towards a common goal of harmony and unity. Open our eyes to those who are struggling and need help. Let us be your hands to show all the love of God. Grant us the courage and compassion to stand up for justice and equality and work towards a community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. May you continue to make our Newberry community one of peace where everyone may flourish. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.