Today (December 27) is the second day of Kwanzaa. The principle we focus on is Kujichagulia (koo-gee-chah-goo-lee-ah) or self-determination.

Greeting: Habari gani! 

Response: Kujichagulia!  

On the second day of Kwanzaa the black candle, the center candle, is again lit in the kinara (candle holder) and then the red candle that is next to the black candle on the left. The red candle represents the second of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, Kujichagulia which means self-determination. We affirm our determination to create, name and define our lives for ourselves, instead of allowing others to do this for us.

The person who lights the candle makes a statement about the principle and its meaning. Sometimes a passage or poem is read relating to what the principle means and how it relates to their life.

Then the kikombe cha umoja (kee-comb-bay-chah-oo-MOH-jah) or unity cup might be filled with fruit juice and shared among those gathered. Each person is supposed to drink from the cup and pass it to the next person. For sanitary reasons some families simply pass the cup from one person to the next. Other families prefer to use a Unity cup for each member, or the cup can just be left in the center of the Kwanzaa table.

After the sharing of the Unity cup the candles are extinguished till the next day. 

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” - Coco Chanel

Another way to light the Kwanzaa candles:

On the second day the black candle is again lit, as well as the farthest red candle on the left.

Today (December 26) is the first day of Kwanzaa.

Happy Boxing Day! Boxing Day is traditionally the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts, known as a "Christmas box", from their bosses or employers. Today, Boxing Day is the bank holiday that generally takes place on 26 December. It is observed in the United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth nations.

Photo: pepe.com

Merry Christmas to all Blogging Black Miami subscribers, readers, Twitter followers, Facebook fans, etc. May Your day be filled with Joy, Peace and Love. Thank you for reading this blog and for sharing its content with your family and friends. As we bring this year to a close and welcome 2014, let's continue to expand the outreach of this blog and its mission of community connection and uplift. 

Smooches...

~Va-Va

Miami, FL__ In the spirit of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, the South Florida community is invited to unite for the 24th Annual Mary Williams Woodard Legacy Kwanzaa Celebration presented by the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida A&M University National Alumni Association and Community Builders Holistic Development Corporation on Saturday, December 28, 2013, 4PM-7PM at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, 6161 NW 22nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33142. The event, including a feast of ethnic foods, is free and open to the public.

Entertainment will include special performances by Osundara Yoruba Dance Theatre featuring Osun’s Village & African Caribbean Corridor International Artist-in-Residence, Prince Emmanuel Abiodun Aderele and the Girls Choir of Miami. “It is an honor, privilege and our cultural responsibility to continue our fruitful partnership in this magnificent community event. We welcome the opportunity to introduce and reinforce the principles of Kwanzaa and the culture of the Motherland,” said Chief Nathaniel Styles, Jr., Executive Director at Osun's Village Miami & African Caribbean Cultural Arts Corridor.

Prince Emmanuel Abiodun Aderele

Girls Choir of Miami

For parents, students, educators and others interested in academic achievement, Charles W. Cherry II, JD, MBA, publisher of Florida’s first statewide African-American weekly newspaper, the Florida Courier; speaker; writer; radio broadcaster and practicing attorney will share practical and insightful information from the new edition of his classic book, Excellence Without Excuse: The Black Student’s Guide to Academic Excellence. Cherry says, “Black students must understand that the days of ‘White guilt’ are over, and that being a so-called ‘disadvantaged minority’ is no excuse for academic failure.”

Charles W. Cherry II

Cute little 7 year-old Zoe Terry of Zoe's Dolls, a non-profit organization, will continue to fufill her mission of making sure that all beautiful little brown girls have a beautiful little brown doll. She will distribute her dolls to all of the little girls in attendance.

Zoe Terry of Zoe's Dolls

Multi-Grammy Award winning “King of Blues”  B.B. King will perform at the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall in the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, January 5, 2014 at 8 p.m. Tickets may be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722, or online at www.arshtcenter.org. 

Photo: George Lange

when will it stop


Another drive by shooting another youth that will not to live a life
that is so full dreams-another mother in tears a community living in
fears--another drive by shooting another young life taken--when will
it stop when will the blood of the youth be planted into hope and a
better life--school is cool pick up a book and uplift your mind you
dont have to die by a nine another drive by shooting another mother in
tears a community living in fears when will it stop someone tell them
they can live a life of dreams they can fly high in the sky like
winston scott of cocount grove he even walk in space and played his
trumpet in the spaceship to show pick up a book make school cool
uplift your mind drop the nine--pictures of youth on tee shrits that
have had their life taken by another drive by shooting when will it
stop

...poet terry fernando newton