Day 7 - Imani

Today we celebrate Imani (ee-MAH-nee)

Imani stands for faith

On the seventh day of Kwanzaa the we light the green candle. This candle is symbolic of the prosperity and success. The placement and order of the Kwanzaa candles teach and reinforce valuable lessons for the family. The green candle is symbolic of a prosperous future which comes about as a result of work and effort. Hence, the family or community rewards the children and youth for their achievements.

The Kwanzaa principle “Faith” is the bedrock or foundational principle. Faith is what sustains us in difficult times, allowing us to see beyond the immediate. For children and youth as well as adults, this principle is provides grounds for hope and possibility.

Day 6 - Kuumba

On Day 6, we celebrate Kuumba

Kuumba - Creativity

During this time we are reminded to always do as much as we can,  and to work hard to ensure our communities are more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.  

On the six day of Kwanzaa the family lights the red candle. This candle is symbolic of struggle- continuous effort and work. The placement and order of the Kwanzaa candles teach and reinforce valuable lessons for the family. The lesson here is that we light the red candle to reinforce the value and priority we place struggle as the method for creating progress.

Day 5 - Nia

Today is the fifth day of Kwanzaa, a celebration of the Kwanzaa principle is Nia.

Nia means Purpose. As we light the green candle in the kinara, it's important to understand what our purpose is. We need a clear understanding on what it means to be committed to building our family and our community. Take this time to reflect on your purpose for your life. 

There is a proverb that says, "The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people".

This means - The destruction of the community/nation starts in home. Therefore, develop strong and productive families. Become a strong and productive member of society. 

Day 4 - Ujamaa

Today is the fourth day of Kwanzaa, a celebration of the Kwanzaa principle Ujamaa - Cooperative Economics. We must address the importance of our economic well being. It's important to understand finances and how we can build our community through cooperative economics.

We will light the red candle today and think of ways to work together. 

Have you heard of the term susu?

In parts of West Africa and the Caribbean an ancient version of cooperative economics exists, called “susu.” is one of the oldest forms of microfinance in Africa, the practice is run by one of Africa’s oldest financial groups, susu collectors.  They run their businesses from kiosks in the marketplace and act as mobile bankers.

Clients make low but regular deposits on a daily or weekly basis over the course of a month into a susu account. At the end of this period the susu collector returns the accumulated savings to the client but keeps one day’s savings as commission. Susu collectors may also provide advances to their clients or rotate the accumulated deposits of a group between individual members.

Today, susu collectors provide many West Africans who would otherwise be denied credit with access to money they need to start up small venture projects that in many cases benefit the community as a whole. In the United States, Black immigrants from the Caribbean have enjoyed one of the highest economic growth rates using a form of the susu and leveraging this practice to establish successful credit unions.

Let's build our community and teach our families the importance of cooperative economics.

Day 3 - Ujima

Today we celebrate UJIMA (oo-gee-ma).

Ujima stands for  - Collective work and responsibility.

During this time we must remind ourselves to build and maintain our community together and identify our sister’s and brother’s problems and assist them by providing a solution. 

In order to celebrate Ujima we must light the green candle next to the black candle (Umoja). As we light this candle, we reflect on our family and our community. If you see our members in our community struggling with something we can offer a resolution. 

We are here to help one another. We need each other more and more each day. Lend a helping hand, encourage one another and above all... love one each other.

There is a proverb that says, "A bundle cannot be fastened with one hand".

The explanation is that, no man is completely self-sufficient.  We have need of each other.

Day 2 - Kujichagulia

Happy Kwanzaa!

Today we celebrate Kujichagulia (koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-ah)!

What does Kujichagulia mean?

Kujichagulia in Swahili means Self-Determination.

Self-Determination - To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

On day 2 we light the red candle on the kinara. This candle is lit to remind ourselves of our hard work and to continue teaching our community to be productive citizens. We must make sure that we don't forget to reach for the stars and to be the best we can be. Continue to build your community and your families. It's important to achieve your goals and to be successful.

Happy Kwanzaa - Day 1 Umoja

Today is the first day of our seven day celebration. We encourage you to celebrate with Kwanzaa this week. We are excited to celebrate our heritage and our culture. 

Our first principal of the week is Umoja.

Umoja is the Swahili word for "unity".

Umoja - (Unity)
To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

Today we light the black candle on the kinara. While lighting this candle think of ways to continue to strive for unity, oneness with your family and community. It's important to talk with your family and to teach them the importance of working together.

Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.
~ Bondei proverb

  

What is BLOODY SUNDAY?

BLOODY SUNDAY was the 1st of 3 marches in Selma. 

"It was fifty years ago this month - March 7, 1965 that hundreds of demonstrators began a 54 mile march to Selma, Alabama to the state capitol in Montgomery to protest unfair laws that prevented African Americans from voting. The marchers, in plain sight of photographers and television journalist were brutally assaulted by state troopers and deputies. It would be the first of three Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. But this particular day would be remembered as "Bloody Sunday."

Source/Video Credit - Thank you PBS for sharing.

50 Years Later...

Why We Celebrate Black History

Thank you for following COMAEANEWS throughout this month. To wrap it all up, here is a short video discussing the importance and why we celebrate black history. Did you have a favorite post from COMAEA this month? If so, please let us know. We hope that this will led to more dialogue relating to cultural enlightenment. Thank you and remember.....



WE ARE BECAUSE THEY WERE!

Harriet Tubman - Black History

Harriet Tubman became famous as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad during the turbulent 1850s. Born a slave on Maryland’s eastern shore, she endured the harsh existence of a field hand, including brutal beatings. In 1849 she fled slavery, leaving her husband and family behind in order to escape. Despite a bounty on her head, she returned to the South at least 19 times to lead her family and hundreds of other slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Tubman also served as a scout, spy and nurse during the Civil War.






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Black History Month at the County of Marin

The County of Marin African-American Employee Association (COMAEA) continues to celebrate Black History Month. As we come near a close to this month, we wanted to share with you a video recorded by COMAEA where we got the opportunity to a meet with Marin County's Board of Supervisors and discuss the importance of black history. Check out the video below.

Comic Book Hero: Lobo - Black History

Lobo, a western hero (he did not possess superpowers), is a former Union soldier who heads west after the Civil War. Upon being wrongfully accused of murder, Lobo sets out on a mission to fight injustice and to clear his name.

Lobo’s importance to comic history stems not only from being the first black comic hero to star in his own series, but also in that he is free from the racist stereotypes that plague other early black comic book characters. In fact, the comic doesn’t even make reference to the fact that Lobo is black.

Unfortunately, racist attitudes would ensure that Lobo would  be a very short-lived series. Although 200,000 copies of the first issue were printed, only about 10,000 – 15,000 copies were sold. This was largely due to many retailers refusing to carry a comic book about a black hero. What’s more, many of these retailers not only returned Lobo, but also every other comic shipped with it. The return of so many unopened shipments was a huge loss for Dell Comics and caused Lobo to be canceled after only two issues.

Although the brief series was a financial disaster, a comic starring a non-stereotypical black hero was a huge milestone for people of color in comics.








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Vivien Thomas

Vivien Theodore Thomas was an African American surgical technician who developed the techniques used to treat blue baby syndrome. He served as supervisor of the surgical laboratories at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD for 35 years.  First, Thomas tested the techniques that would be used to treat blue baby syndrome on animals to make sure it would work.  In 1944, Dr. Alan Blalock performed the first successful "blue baby" operation.  Thomas advised Blalock through the operation. 

In 1976, Johns Hopkins University presented Thomas with an honorary doctorate.[2] Because of certain restrictions, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws, rather than a medical doctorate, but it did allow the staff and students of Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine to call him doctor. After having worked there for 37 years, Thomas was also finally appointed to the faculty of the School of Medicine as Instructor of Surgery.

Without any education past high school, Dr. Thomas rose above poverty and racism to become a cardiac surgery pioneer and a teacher of operative techniques to many of the country's most prominent surgeons. He was the first African American without a doctorate to perform open heart surgery on a white patient in the United States.

Harlem Renaissance - Black History

artwork from the period of the Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was the name given to the time period between the end of World War I and the mid 1930's in Harlem.  This period was a cultural, social and artistic explosion of African American works. Harlem became the go to place for writers, musicians, artists, photographers, poets and scholars during this era.  During the time it was known as the "New Negro Movement" and the "Negro Renaissance".  This era was looked at as a cultural awakening.  Participants sought to re-conceptualize "the Negro" apart from white stereotypes that influenced African American relationships to their heritage and each other.   Among those artists whose works achieved recognition were Langston Hughes and Claude McKay, Countee Cullen and Arna Bontemps, Zora Neale Hurston and Jean Toomer,  Walter White and James Weldon Johnson.


Jazz Musicians of Harlem Renaissance

While the renaissance did not achieve the sociopolitical transformation for which some had hoped, today it is clear that this movement marked a turning point in black cultural history; it helped to establish the authority of black writers and artists over the representation of black culture and experience, and it help those writers and artists carve their niche in western culture.

Ernest "Ernie" Davis - #BlackHistoryFact

Davis with Heisman Trophy

Ernest "Ernie" Davis (December 14, 1939 - May 18, 1963) was an American football player.  He was the first African American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy.  Davis played college football for Syracuse University.  When Davis won his award, President John F. Kennedy was quoted as to saying "seldom has an athlete more deserving of such a tribute.  Your high standards of performance on the field and off the field, reflect the finest qualities of competition, sportsmanship and citizenship.  The nation has bestowed upon you its highest awards for your athletic achievements.  It's a privilege for me to address you tonight as an outstanding American, and as a worthy example of our youth.  I salute you." 

Ernie Davis in his Cleveland Browns Uniform

Davis was the number-one draft pick in 1962 NFL Draft.  He was selected by the Washington Redskins and was immediately traded to the Cleveland Browns.  Davis never actually played a game for the NFL.  After being drafted, he was diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia.  His only appearance for the Cleveland Browns was during a 1962 pre-season game.  Davis ran onto the field and was followed by spotlight.  Following his death, the Cleveland Browns retired his jersey.