Part One Parents of all races and nationalities are crying out for help. Parenting classes have grown exponentially. Parents in too many instances have lost control of their children and are at the mercy of the child welfare or juvenile justice system.  The profile of American children suggests that something is terribly wrong. More...
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Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday organized around the 7 Principles. These seven guiding principles form the building blacks for family nurturing and development, thriving children and youth, and restoration of a network of community caring. Hence, these instructional values give Kwanzaa its importance beyond the 7 day cultural celebration which occurs each year December...
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Seven Kwanzaa Candles As we approach Kwanzaa, approximately 10 weeks out, it’s time to take inventory of our Kwanzaa commitments against the 7 Principle of Kwanzaa. This is the time to make adjustments and even recommitments to the practice of: Unity/Umoja, Self-Determination/Kujichagulia, Collective Work and Responsibility/Ujima, Cooperative Economic/Ujamaa, Purpose/Nia, Creativity/Kuumba, Faith/Imani.  It’s time to...
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Happy Kwanzaa Faith/Imani: Trusting and believing with our heart and mind in ourselves, our parents, our teachers, and our leaders and our capacity as a people to make a better world Imani Message The Imani principle is the bedrock principle. Mary McLeod Bethune teaches us that “Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing...
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Happy Kwanzaa Faith/Imani: Trusting and believing with our heart and mind in ourselves, our parents, our teachers, and our leaders and our capacity as a people to make a better world Imani Message The Imani principle is the bedrock principle. Mary McLeod Bethune teaches us that “Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing...
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Happy Kwanzaa Creativity/Kuumba: Working diligently to continuously enhance our families, neighborhoods and people Kuumba Message The Kuumba principle is teaches that both children and adults should strive for continuous improvement. This principle is central and essential to the restoration of academic excellence for African American youth.  Rediscovering an achievement ethic in education and professional...
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Happy Kwanzaa Purpose/Nia: Fulfilling our duty and obligation to contribute to  the high and morally serious purpose of nation-building, i.e. , the quest to recover and restore our people to their traditional greatness Nia Message Charles Hamilton, the intellectual giant who built from scratch the intellectual and framework and the legal strategy and infrastructure...
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Happy Kwanzaa Cooperative Economics/Ujamaa: Sharing and pooling our financial resources and goods and services for the common benefit of family and community participants with the goal of building and sustaining cooperative economic enterprises Ujamaa/Cooperative Economics Message  The practice of mutual aid, Cooperative Economics, by traditional Africans gave recognition and worth to members of the...
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Happy Kwanzaa Collective Work and Responsibility/Ujima: Investing  collectively in our family’s and community’s well-being, and working in   mutual beneficial way to create the best conditions and possibilities of life for everyone Ujima/Collective Work & Responsibility Message Collective work and responsibility is a powerful force in the construction of family and community, and in healthy...
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Happy Kwanzaa Self-Determination/Kujichagulia Defining and shaping our own interests, priorities, and image, and grounding our thoughts, practices, rituals, and celebrations in our own history and culture Kujichgulia/Self-Determination Message The practice of kujichagulia/Self-determination affirms the right and responsibility of African Americans to think, to speak, and to act from their own cultural framework. By doing...
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