Talking Self-Determination in the Middle of Kwanzaa

[Editor’s Note: Ms. Robinson-Flint is with Los Angeles-based Black Women for Wellness.]

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2003 Kwanzaa celebration with its founder, Maulana Karenga, and others.

Kwanzaa, a seven-day holiday from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, was created in 1966 as a non-religious, non-heroic holiday to uplift African American communities and culture.

Each day, a value/principle is celebrated with the intention to remind us of our shared history and experience.

Today that principle is kujichagalia, self- determination.

Are we self-determining?

Are we the authors of our destiny?

We ask these questions looking in the mirror as individuals and as the organization Black Women for Wellness. 

We also ask this of our community: Are we defining who we are and telling our story? 

Black Women for Wellness this year practiced kujichagalia by:

• Convening Get Smart B4U Get Sexy — Making sex smart and smart sexy convened 150 health professionals, community leaders and advocates to share the reproductive health status of black women and girls as well developing a picture of how we see our future and the path to healthy and empowered life.
• Continuing Stylin' Safely/Healthy Hair Initiative research examining the impact of our personal care products and practices on our health. Our beauty professionals are over-exposed and under-informed on the chemical makeup of the products we use every day. Black Women for Wellness conducted surveys, focus groups and trainings in partnership with our beauty community. Look for our published report during the first quarter of 2015 at www.bwwla.org
• Implementing Sisters With Options who organized Super Soul Sundays (faith based) and Black Beauty Mondays (beauty industry) communities to share information on Covered California, very conscious of the health disparities faced by African American and black community members and increasing our options to eliminate those health challenges.

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Asante Sana (Thank you)

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Ms. Robinson-Flint may be contacted at www.BWWLA.org or at 323.290.5955