Happy Kwanzaa
from The Blackyard CollectiveUMOJA (unity) KUJICHAGULIA (self-determination) UJIMA (collective work and responsibility) UJAMAA (cooperative economics) NIA (purpose) KUUMBA (creativity) IMANI (faith)Hello Michael! Happy New Year! Today is the seventh and final day of Kwanzaa, dedicated to the principle of IMANI (faith) … to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. For most people, struggling is not a desired experience. However, for descendants of the African Diaspora, to be identified with The Struggle is to be connected to the 400-year American journey toward liberty and justice for all, especially Black people. The long and treacherous march from Emancipation through Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, and Black Lives Matter is a struggle of faith, Imani. It was by faith that our ancestors, our grandparents, our parents, our teachers, and the host of amazing Freedom Fighters fought tirelessly for a future free from slavery, lynching, segregation, and police brutality. These mighty ancestors remind us that none of us are free till all of us are free. As Black queer and trans people recovering from addiction and alcoholism, it’s not enough to achieve sobriety for only one’s self. The faithful struggle from active addiction to recovery is strengthened and secured when we support others in their journey toward sobriety. This struggle is not a struggle of shame or victimhood but a struggle of faith for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness from the grip of drugs and alcohol. When we light the candle for Imani on this seventh and final day of Kwanzaa, may we move forward with Imani, knowing that we are not alone in our struggle. Ours is a rich history of faithful people overcoming obstacles so that we may live lives free from addiction and alcoholism.
Happy Kwanzaa and Happy New Year!
Love,
Michael
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