ORLANDO, Fla. – Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration of African heritage and African-American culture that begins Dec. 26.
The holiday runs until Jan. 1 and spans over seven days, with each day focused on a particular moral, belief, or value.
Each day, a candle is lit to highlight the principle of that day, with a celebration tailored to that day’s lesson.
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- Day 1: Umoja – Unity. To strive for and maintain unity within your family, community, nation and race.
- Day 2: Kujichagulia – Self-determination. To strive to define, name, create and speak for yourself.
- Day 3: Ujima – Collective work and responsibility. To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together.
- Day 4: Ujamaa – Cooperative economics. Uplift your community economically. To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
- Day 5: Nia – Nia means purpose. To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
- Day 6: Kuumba – Creativity. To do always as much as we can, in the way we can to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
- Day 7: Imani – Faith. To believe with all our heart in ourselves, our community, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
Kwanzaa, first celebrated in 1966, is a time for families and the community to gather to remember the past and to celebrate African-American culture. Kwanzaa is not considered a substitute for Christmas, and many people celebrate both holidays.
We wish all those celebrating a peaceful, joyous Kwanzaa. pic.twitter.com/m1AZvzPcSB
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 26, 2022
When I was growing up, Kwanzaa was a special time in our home. Today, my family and I are reflecting on the seven principles. Happy Kwanzaa! pic.twitter.com/w1pFOIUU9G
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) December 26, 2022
Here are some Kwanzaa events happening in Central Florida:
- Eatonville: Kwanzaa Celebration: Dec. 26-Jan.1
- Winter Park: Central Florida’s Kwanzaa Celebration, Dec. 27
- Sanford: KUUMBA! Kwanzaa Celebration Dance Class, Dec. 31
- Palm Coast: Kwanzaa Celebration, Dec. 28
- SeaWorld Orlando: Kwanzaa Festivities, nightly lighting of the kinara in Sesame Street Land: Dec. 26-Jan.1
- Orlando: Orlando Kwanzaa 2022, Dec. 26-Jan. 1
Our team is wishing all who celebrate a happy Kwanzaa filled with community, purpose, and faith in the days to come! pic.twitter.com/3gqPHkkepK
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) December 26, 2022
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