Let’s celebrate Kwanzaa, a Pan-African holiday which celebrates Black family, community and culture. Let’s focus on our collective resources to build the New Black Wall Street in 2022.
Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, PhD, professor, and chairman of Black studies at California State University, Long Beach, to reinforce seven Principles for seven days, December 26–January 1.
Here are the 7 Principles of #Kwanzaa
- Umoja: Unity (December 26) Umoja (oo-MO-jah), the first Principle, means Unity. We are stronger when we support each other, Black businesses, organizations and allies that support the Black community! Simply put, it takes unity to build the new Black Wall Street!
- Kujichagulia: Self-Determination (December 27) Kujichagulia (koo-jee-chah-GOO-lee-ah) is to define, create and speak for ourselves. At OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in America, we choose to define the Black community by our assets, such as our $1.3 trillion in annual spending and our contributions to the world, rather than our challenges.
- Ujima: Collective Work and Responsibility (December 28) Ujima (oo-GEE-mah) reminds us of the need for teamwork. We can succeed when we take collective responsibility for the success of our community. We can only achieve social justice if we stand together. #BlackLivesMatter.
- Ujamaa – Collective Economics (December 29) Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah) teaches us to #BuyBlack and #BankBlack to benefit our community. Let’s circulate our dollars within our community first, to provide jobs, close the racial wealth gap and build community wealth.
- Nia: Purpose (December 30) Nia (NEE-ah) encourages us to find our purpose in life. For OneUnited Bank, our purpose is to close the racial wealth gap. You can focus on the #OneTransaction you need to close the racial wealth gap for our family. Our goals are beneficial not only to ourselves, but also our community.
- Kuumba: Creativity (December 31) Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) means channeling our creative energies to build and preserve a strong community. The world does not move without Black creativity…and we need to benefit from our creative contributions to the world! OneUnited Bank is investing in NFTs in honor of Josephine Baker to show how technology and art are coming together to create the new Black Wall Street.
- Imani: Faith (January 1) Imani (ee-MAH-nee), or faith, focuses us on honoring our spiritual traditions. When almost everyone has lost a close family member or friend, we must rely on our faith to help us through this difficult time. Imani is about faith in God and ourselves – which is the best concluding Principle for Kwanzaa.
For fun, check out this Cosmopolitan article, “How to Celebrate Kwanzaa in the (Messy) Year of 2021”.
Happy Kwanzaa! Harambee, Harambee, Harambee, Harambee, Harambee, Harambee, Harambee!
