KWANZAA- KUUMBA-CREATIVITY- Guerreras y Poetas/Warriors and Poets

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://poesiacolonensecontemporanea.webnode.es/

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

KWANZAA- NIA-PURPOSE- Sacrifice- Disciplina, Honor y Abnegacion

KWANZAA- NIA-PURPOSE- Sacrifice- Disciplina, Honor y Abnegacion

TO MAKE OUR COLLECTIVE VOCATION THE BUILDING AND DEVELOPING OUR COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO RESTORE OUR PEOPLE TO THEIR TRADITIONAL GREATNESS

 Greetings familia,

Have I told you all how much I love Sundays.  I love Sundays! I love the silence of it and  the gathering of thoughts. So it is with that energy that I sat and wrote today’s Kwanzaa blog with the principle of NIA-PURPOSE. 

Familia, I also have to share how surprised I have been with how the words have just moved on the paper with such ease. We were meant to celebrate/reflect on Kwanzaa togetherJ

“Sacrifice is the order of the day” that is the Ifa line that came to me as soon as I began writing. Purpose brings about sacrifice. Sacrifice brings clarity and grounding movement.

Once we have made that connection then we are fueled by NIA-PURPOSE.  This principle fuels my every movement. It fuels my ability to share with you, to remain on this journey that was handed to me and to LOVE.

I can’t help but think of one of my favorite quotes by Che, that you read at the end of all my emails, “Let me say, at the risk of sounding ridiculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by feelings of LOVE.”

It is from that LOVE that I truly believe we can build our community and continue to be the great people that WE are.

Many have asked where it comes from. I cannot name a moment but I can say that it takes over in a way that does not make sense to most.

Today I want to highlight one of my most treasured examples of NIA-PURPOSE in my life and it comes from my father.

My father has been a volunteer firefighter and member of the Banda de Corneta y Tambores de Colon for 50+ years. I need to add that the Banda is the best Band in the country. I don’t think anyone who has heard “Los Bomberos de Colon” can argue against that statement.

My father recently became Mayor Modestin. We were so excited and moved by this recognition. Not only because of his dedication to this familia but also because of his love for this familia. He believes in their greatness and it has impacted all of us or anyone who has spent anytime seeing him march or heard him talk about “Los Bomberos.”

As my father gets older we love the things that fill up his cup and these three words do it, Disciplina, Honor y Abnegacion. Discipline, Honor and Abnegation or I would like to say, dedication and sacrifice. He is dedicated to this family, community that has spilled over and allows my sister, brother and I to see them as such.

My father’s NIA-PURPOSE to be a member of this community unconditionally feeds my commitment to each and every one of you in the best way that I can.

I believe in you, I believe in our greatness as a people and as a community. It is unbreakable because it is built on my LOVE for you, NIA-PURPOSE.  There is that saying that you can’t chose your family but you can chose your friends, as we move through the day, maybe we can all say, I chose US, our community through thick and thin.

The sacrifices to remain on this journey have been many yet there is no stopping it. I hope, no I want to say, Pray, that today’s words land on you in a peaceful way. I hope that my father’s dedication teaches us all something as it continues to do that for me. I hope that when you look at yourself in the mirror today that you see the grown that we carry naturally and that you hold onto to it as you move through your day.

Peace and Blessings my Kings and Queens!

 

In light,

Yvette

KWANZAA- UJIMA-COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS- Flowers and Candles

UJIMA-COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS

TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN OUR OWN STORES, SHOPS AND OTHER BUSINESSES AND TO PROFIT FROM THE TOGETHER

Discipline that is word that came to me as I sat staring at the flame reflecting on, UJIMA-COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS. This principle requires a level of discipline that we do not hold on to long enough.

Every year I buy a Black/African theme calendar for my niece and nephew at A Nubian Notion Inc. Nubian Notion is a family owned Black business in the heart of Roxbury. I love this time of the year in the store. I get my Christmas cards and lovely African centered gifts. I bought my first Kwanzaa book and stand at A Nubian Notion Inc.

The store has a story. It is a community story a family story. They should be bigger but economic times and we as a community not spending enough time or money there, they have had to downsize.

That happens to our stores and businesses a lot. Other cultures go out of their way to buy from each other. We on the other hand are critical and not trusting with our own people.

When we have events I always think, this is a good one, it will be packed. But most dismiss cultural events/gatherings as too heavy. As the principle says, the stronger our community organizations, stores and businesses, the more we profit together as a community. Profit monetary yes,  but profit with a mindset that we can take care of each other, even better.

Today I want to highlight two people very dear to me who wear many hats in my life and I feel have shared Ujima-Cooperative Economics in a loving, natural way with the community.

Gwendolyn McCoy or “Gigi” is a dear friend. She is a strong voice in the development of Encuentro Diaspora Afro. Gigi has known me since undergrad. When we reconnected, she shared that she had a flower arrangement  business. Since then, in keeping with the Encuentro Diaspora Afro tradition, she does a flower arrangement for our altar. They are beautiful familia because she does it with love and care for the community. Please visit Gigi’s site and next year on Valentine’s Day when you are thinking about buying a unique, lovely arrangement, remember her name. You can visit this website, Makes Scents Floral Design, to see some of her work. http://msdesigngallery.shuttefly.com

The next person to highlight is my Baba, friend, mentor, Tony Van der Meer. Tony had an idea to make Black/African centered spiritual candles. We heard about it, next minute we saw him buy all the tools etc. he needed to make this happen. Then finally we saw the final product. Each candle carries a spiritual meaning with a scent. When you burn them, the flame, the scent and the meaning behind them take over your space and your thoughts. That is exactly what Baba intended to happen. This is a way for us to ground ourselves while we profit as a community. Visit Soul Vibe Candles at www.soulvibecandles.com

These two members of the Encuentro Diaspora Afro family inspire us to follow through with our passion and talent. I know so many people who do so much at home that should be shared in the community but worry if there will be support.

We need to get to a place that as long as it is in the community and owned by us, we should automatically support it. If we can get to that place, then we will have more spaces that not only speak to our hearts but also our minds and we can help those who create these spaces to profit and build.

As you go about your day today, stop and visit Gigi’s and Tony’s sight and begin planning your order. Then when you go about your Saturday errands, stop at a community store and buy something, anything and introduce yourself to the person at the store. It is a wonderful feeling to enter your community store and they call you by your name or recognize you, it feels like home and home is where I would rather put my money.

In light,

Yvette

KWANZAA—UJIMA-COLLECTIVE WORK & RESPONSIBILITY- Putting the “T” back in TEAM

KWANZAA—UJIMA-COLLECTIVE WORK & RESPONSIBILITY- Putting the “T” back in TEAM

TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND MAKE OUR SISTER’S AND BROTHER’S PROBLEMS OUR PROBLEMS AND TO SOLVE THEM TOGETHER

As I lit my candle and sat before my stand keeping today’s Principle, UJIMA-COLLECTIVE WORK & RESPONSIBILITY at the center, a childhood story came to me. Stay with me familia as I will bring it or hope to bring it all together for you.

I joined the Colon Track Team in the fourth grade. I was so excited that my parents said yes to Coach Jones. I remember my first day at the stadium with my cute shortsJ and sneakers. As we got closer, I realized some of my teammates and now dearest friends were running barefoot.  I was not happy about it. I had a look on my face and my mother got very upset.

My mother then had a “Mama” moment and pulled me by my ears to the back of the stadium. She then firmly looked at me and said, you will take off your sneakers and join your teammates and you will never make them feel bad or less than. She ended her moment with these words; you are them now and forever.

Familia, I did become one of them and still am. My teammates where from all parts of Colon and we became a family, a community with a capital “T”.

We traveled together all over Panama, slept in great spaces and not so great. When I had my first adult exchange with Coach, I realized his intent was to bring young kids from all over Colon regardless of class, together as runners but the bigger purpose was as brothers and sisters. As I sit and share with you, I now know that my parents and Coach Jones left a lasting example of UJIMA.

Every single one of them is still that to me that is why I see myself in every Black face and feel all our joy and pain. From that young girl and through my travels my eyes are open and willing to receive which has brought me to a place that I know I don’t need much to survive.

As we continue to grow and gain clarity on who we are as an organization then the name makes more sense, the coming together of the African Diaspora. Every Black/African problem is our problem. When we heard what was happening to the Garifuna community in Honduras we shared the story, When Dr. Camargo faced that racist moment in the supermarket in Panama, we shared the information and joined her in her fight for justice. When we had our “Dia de Trenzas” I had my trenzas.

When Francia spoke about the displacement in Cauca, Colombia, I thought of Curundu, Panama, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Belize, Costa Rica even the South End and Roxbury. Some call it gentrification or “Progreso” but for many it is displacement from family and community.

In thinking of UJIMA- COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY, if one of us doesn’t win then none of us wins.

No moment was stronger this year as the shooting of TREVON MARTIN. We felt every teen’s pain, every Black man’s struggle and our communities search for justice and equality. The young women of the HER Project reminded me that it was also every young woman’s problem as they also feel profiled.

My heart feels heavy thinking of other moments this year when I did not see this happen but today I want us to reflect on putting the “T” back in Team. I am staying on the side of good today because my mother is guiding my words.

If you played any sport, been a part of any group then you understand the phrase, “ I got your Back.” I ask each of you to use that phrase with each other. I got your back, my brother, my sister and the “T” in Team will show its glorious face in our communities.

A cheerleading moment is creeping up but I will spare you or I should say, save myself from the embarrassment of a bad cheer. J

Our Global African TEAM will have the colors of our home country while we hold up, BLACK, RED AND GREEN. UJIMA – COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY will be an amazing home run. Yes, I am a daughter and sister of men who love baseball so that came natural.

I kneel to the ancestors a lot on this one. I ask that we become more humble with one another, to lean on the side of TEAM more. That we come together in good times and bad times and work as a TEAM. That we use the energy, the Ase, to build us UP.

The “T” in team is alive and present to receive and hug you. Peace and blessings my People.

 In light,

Yvette