Habari Gani? UMOJA! 

Happy Kwanzaa! Today is the first day of Kwanzaa and we celebrate Umoja or Unity.

Umoja is about striving for and maintaining unity in the family, the community, the nation, and people. For today’s reflection on Umoja, comes from our Executive Director, Trina Greene.

This year for Umoja we are thinking beyond unity and about solidarity!
 We are inspired by the long history of Black Resistance and Solidarity with oppressed people everywhere including the People of Palestine, Congo and Sudan and beyond. As a Pan-African holiday, it is important to strengthen our learning and actions as continued suffering takes place around the globe and right here at home. 

This Kwanzaa, we hope to hold the multiple connections to ongoing struggles for liberation movements as we celebrate and reflect on our roles in the road towards liberation. 

Here are some resources for your continued learning about how our struggles are intersecting:

Angela Davis states, “Mutual expressions of solidarity have helped to generate a vigorous political kinship linking black organizers, scholars, cultural workers and political prisoners in the U.S. with Palestinian activists, academics, political prisoners, and artists.” You can hear more from Angela Davis here.
 

As a family, we invite you to watch “When I See Them, I See Us” a spoken word video from  2015 featuring over 60 leading Black and Palestinian artists and activists who affirm Black-Palestinian solidarity.

Following the video, reflect on the following three questions: 

• What are the unique differences of our struggles?
• What are some similarities between our struggles? 
• What are hopes for our collective future?

As a family, ask “What can I do to show Umoja or Unity with the People of Palestine?” 

There are so many ways to build your awareness, advocacy and action right now! Check out Families for Ceasefire and Portraits for Palestine for family-friendly ways to get activated this holiday season.