Now that the Christmas rush has settled, Kwanzaa is here to help us reflect and embrace our culture.
A solid grand closing to the year, the weeklong cultural celebration is intended to bring Black people together and think about the values that can keep us moving forward in a world that consistently attempts to set us back. Think New Year’s resolutions, but for a whole community.
Starting on December 26, Kwanzaa centers on embracing a different principle (the Nguzo Saba) for seven consecutive days until January 1. The first day, Umoja, means unity in Swahili.
If it’s your first time celebrating Kwanzaa or your 50th, here are ways you can join this tradition.
01
Create your own Kwanzaa set up at home and invite friends and family
Kwanzaa, meaning “first fruits” in Swahili, is supposed to have a full set up with items that symbolize different values and candles that represent each Kwanzaa principle. These principles are also expressed in Swahili (a common African language): Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility),
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith)
The centerpiece is the kinara, or candle holder holding seven handles, with a candle lit on each day of the celebration. The purpose is to have conversation and reflection around each of the symbols and items with loved ones, which connect us to our African heritage. You can read more about the items needed on the official Kwanzaa website.
02
Join a community celebration
If the prospect of celebrating Kwanzaa at home is a bit daunting, join a community celebration. A lot of organizations will celebrate at least one principle, and you’re likely to find an event for the first day, Unity, on Dec. 26. Check out eventbrite for festivities happening near you.
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03
Visit a Black museum or exhibit
If it’s not feasible to attend a full Kwanzaa celebration, you can still enjoy the spirit of the holiday by doing an activity that gets you to reflect. We’re all so busy on our daily grind, it’s easy to lose a sense of purpose. That goes for us individually and in thinking about how Black people can progress collectively. Take a moment to pause from our everyday problems to honor those who have fought hard for us and to think about how we can continue that history and practice of resilience.
Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
04
Have a solo Kwanzaa day
Kwanzaa is meant to be enjoyed with others, but it may not always be feasible. Choose a day that you may want to think about more, whether it’s Cooperative Economics and finding a way to support Black workers and businesses, or Kuumba (creativity) and taking time offline to do something that gets your creative juices flowing.
05
Gift the little ones simple presents that stimulate their mind
Kwanzaa serves as a stark contrast to the commercialization of Christmas. Instead of exerting yourself to stock up on thei latest gadgets, Kwanzaa is a time to exchange small gifts (aka the “zawadi”), like books, especially for the little ones. Plant the seeds for the next Toni Morrison or Imani Perry with presents that can stimulate the minds of the youngins.
06
Read up more about the holiday and what inspired it
If you’re not sure Kwanzaa is your thing, read more about its history. The official Kwanzaa website describes the principles and background further. There has been valid criticism of its founder Maulana Karenga, though its goals are often viewed as more valuable than the controversy surrounding him.
Karenga started Kwanzaa after the Watts uprisings in the 1960s. Black people have often felt frustrated with our conditions; Kwanzaa was a way to be more proactive instead of reactive about them.
07
Have a service day
For the principle of Ujima (Collective work and responsibility), you can spend the day doing volunteer work or some other service activity. We’re encouraged to think more individually and selfishly in the U.S., but Kwanzaa is a way to think about building together.
There has been no progress for Black people throughout the globe without collective organizing and mass movements. Working in the community is a small way to practice that idea of collectivism.
If you’ve ever been to ESSENCE Hollywood House, you know it’s more than just a series of panels—it’s a gathering of visionaries. A space where Black creatives and leaders come together to share stories, strategies, and solutions. This year’s conversation, Let’s Talk About LA: Preserving Our City, presented by AT&T, was no different.
The discussion brought together three voices, each deeply invested in shaping LA’s future: D. Smoke, the Grammy-nominated rapper and educator; Olympia Auset, founder of SÜPRMRKT, a grocery service tackling food apartheid in LA; and DJ HED, a radio personality and advocate for independent artists. Though their paths differed, their mission was the same—creating opportunities, protecting culture, and ensuring Black spaces in LA don’t just survive but thrive.
For Olympia Ausset, the work she’s doing with SÜPRMRKT goes far beyond providing fresh groceries—it’s about laying the foundation for a stronger, healthier community. “The LA we love, the cultural beacon it’s known as today, was built by people who worked hard to create their own spaces,” she shared. “The reason I do what I do is because it’s essential. We can’t achieve any of the changes I want for my community without being in good health and having access to affordable, organic food. Without places where we can gather, heal, and support each other, none of the other goals will be possible. It starts with taking care of ourselves and building those spaces together.”
From Olympia’s focus on wellness and accessibility to DJ HED’s belief in the power of self-worth, the discussion explored what it means to dream beyond individual success and invest in collective progress. “I see a lot of people who aren’t proud of where they come from, what they look like, or where they’re at in life,” he said. “I had to learn to give myself grace, to grow. I grew up in Inglewood, raised by a single mom. We lived in a car, we were on welfare, but I knew I wanted to be bigger than my circumstances. That’s what dreaming in Black is—believing in something greater and nurturing it until it grows.”
DJ Smoke also touched on this, emphasizing the importance of intention and fulfillment. “You don’t want to climb that ladder and realize you went real high in the wrong direction,” he warned. “A lot of people in LA are ambitious, but if you don’t understand your ‘why,’ you can get to the top and still feel empty. The goal isn’t just to make it—it’s to make it mean something.
Sometimes, as Black creatives, we only dream as far as the next gig or the next check, but dreaming in Black means going beyond that. “It means thinking bigger than what’s right in front of you,” said host Donye Taylor.
This conversation was a call to action – a reminder that preserving LA’s Black culture means investing in community, honoring our history, and building a legacy that lasts.
