KWANZAA- KUUMBA-CREATIVITY- Guerreras y
Poetas/Warriors and Poets
TO DO ALWAYS AS MUCH AS WE CAN, IN THE WAY WE CAN,
IN ORDER TO LEAVE OUR COMMUNITY MORE BEAUTIFUL AND BENEFICIAL THAN WE INHERITED
IT.
Greetings familia on the last day of 2012,
Today we reflect and celebrate on KUUMBA-
CREATIVITY. This principle presents itself in our community with a big smile.
It shows in everyone I have shared with you in the last six days. We are a
creative bunchJ
I love how we express ourselves through music, clothes,
poetry and our facial expressions. I enjoy our facial expressions. They always
tell the story before the words come out.
Self-expression is something I cheer on in a society
that forces us to look and talk the same to be accepted. It is up to us to tell
it the way we need to and want to.
As I reflect on this principle I want to share an experience
at a conference I attended this year. I attended a Human Rights conference and
after speaking someone asked if I could find another word to use other than “racism”
and “exclusion” that would make others listen. I responded saying, those words
speak to my reality and I was not willing to change it to make others comfortable
and I was not willing to give up my truth. The person went on throughout the
conference trying to explain to me what she was trying to say. They were so
many “wrongs” in her approach. Finally when she did get me alone, she said she
needed to explain what she was saying. I heard her out and at the end I shared
that I heard her but there was nothing she could possibly say that would change
my position or the words I used to tell MY story. My spirit knows no other way.
Telling OUR story in our way, the way that it will
be heard and most importantly in a way that it would honor our ancestors and
heal our community is a MUST familia, as we move into a New Year. I have
learned to practice KUUMBA-CREATIVITY on an ongoing basis because what
Encuentro Diaspora Afro moves to do is not always received with open arms. We
have had to tell the story through film, music and dialogue. People need to
hear the truth in many forms for them to reach their truth, their
transformation.
Writing has become my KUUMBA-CREATIVE way to get
closer to you. This year we celebrated the words of Afrodescendent Women of
Latin America and the Caribbean in the labor of love book “Women Warriors of
the Afro Latina Diaspora” by Marta Moreno Vega, Marinieves Alba and I. We are
so proud of the book because it brought you closer to the reality of women in
Puerto Rico, Brazil, Venezuela to name a few. This was our way to celebrate us
by doing it the way we know best by telling our own story and elevating these
amazing Guerreras.
If you have not picked up a copy, please do so. We
need to celebrate US as much we can.
The other moment of great joy and KUUMBA- CREATIVITY
was the release of the “Antologia de Poesia Colonense.” By now you know how in
love I am with my Colon so when I was asked to be a part of this book, I was
beside myself. It has been a wonderful gift to work with Sr. Luis and Mr. Winston.
Their support has fueled a natural comfort with my own words. Colon has had a
tough year so this book brings us closer to what we inherited as a creative
group of people. When you read the words of these poets we move closer to our
natural beauty. I am PROUD to be a member of Grupo Poesia Colonense
Contemporanea. Please visit our website and learn more about
the poets and Colon. http://
Each
of you makes our community beautiful. Continue to share your story, your truth.
It is through our KUUMBA-CREATIVITY that we raise the spirit of those who see
themselves in your words, your actions.
We will continue to restore our light
together familia. Giving thanks to you for a year filled with your love and
support.
Be
safe and see you in the New Year!!
In
light,
Yvette
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