What is this Richmond Kwanzaa Kollective you may be asking yourself and why do we need one? In 2005 we called for a meeting to introduce a model used in California's Bay Area, Seattle, and Chicago, to form a Richmond Kwanzaa Planning Collective. On December 31, 2005, we had a wonderful Kwanzaa Karamu. Since then the RKK has grown from 5 participating organizations to 13 organizations and families contributing to the Kwanzaa Kollective in 2008. Many expressed that the event was breath taking, refreshing and much needed. The idea is to support each others Kwanzaa events in a more organized manner but present these events in a family oriented grass-root vibe. Ten years since that meeting in 2005 we continue to build new relationships and each year we learn more about how to come together to work collectively.
Richmond Kwanzaa Kollective exists for the following reasons:
Kwanzaa has lost or is losing its Pan Afrikan Centered Integrity.... It's becoming more commercial and multi-culturalized every year.
Often we plan similar events on the same day and same time thus dividing the Afrikan community.
Too many times people leave a Kwanzaa presentations, festivals, or celebrations not really understanding the purpose, symbols, principles or origins of Kwanzaa. By joining with other Afrikan Centered organizations/families/individuals Kwanzaa truly becomes a community supported and promoted event.
No singular entity should own how Kwanzaa is to be projected to its people. No singular entity should use Kwanzaa for monetary gain. Let us do something for us by us and use Kwanzaa as a paradigm for future joint projects.
The Richmond Kwanzaa Kollective welcomes Afrikan Centered & Pro Active organizations/families/individuals with much emphasis on organizations. We understand that there are those of us that prescribe to different ideologies and schools of thought: Christian, Muslim, Moorish, Hebrew, nationalist, intergrationalist, separatist, pan – afrikanist, antagonist, militant, passivist, artist, activist, and so on. But what doesn't make sense is there are many of us that fit under the so-called "CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY" umbrella and many of us don't know one another or do work together.
The RKK is a project where we can practice on working together. We are asking you or your organization to support our Kwanzaa observance by hosting a day during the week. In the past we've planned to do all 7 days but opted to present one big feast "The Kwanzaa Karamu". Your organizations commitment to sponsorship is an essential element in proving that the Afrikan community came come together to do something good. For the past two years we have been blown away by the friendships that are created, the networking and bonding of community programming and the manifestations of collective work and responsibility (Ujima) that is demonstrated by those who have participated in organizing a very joyous event. It is certainly appropriate that you and your organization share in the recognition generated during this inspiring week.
There are several important features to hosting:
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