7th Annual San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration

 

Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation

by Adrian Williams

San Francisco – The Village Project and the Bayview Y present San Francisco’s seventh annual Kwanzaa, featuring a special celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. This year’s event will again highlight the seven principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba), with 14 free events taking place over seven days throughout San Francisco. Each celebration begins with a spiritual ceremony, followed by a feast, live entertainment and a lighting of one of the seven candles of the Kinara. The many performers will include rhythm and blues bands the Soul Mechanix and Bernard Anderson and the Old School Band.

Malik-Seneferu-honors-elders-Kwanzaa-SF-City-Hall-2011, 7th Annual San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration, Culture Currents The seven-day celebration opens at San Francisco City Hall at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 26, with a keynote address from Dr. Amos C. Brown, pastor of Third Baptist Church, and a special recognition of Tempi Priestly, executive director of Renaissance Parents of Success, for her service to youth, families and the community of Bayview Hunters Point.

Other highlights of this year’s Kwanzaa celebration include “A Celebration of Our Elders” at Westbay Conference Center, 7 p.m. on Dec. 26; “A Celebration of Dance,” featuring The Village Dancers of Crossroads and the Laney College Dance Department at Hamilton Rec Center, 2 p.m. on Dec. 27 ; “A Celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation” at 2 p.m. on Jan. 1 at the Bayview Opera House Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre and “A Night of Gospel” at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church at 6 p.m., featuring Emmit Powell and the Gospel Elites and Kevan Peabody leading the First Friendship Institutional Church’s Praise Team.

Full calendar of Kwanzaa events, Dec. 26, 2012, through Jan. 1, 2013

All events are free and open to the community. For more information, go to www.kwanzaasanfrancisco.com or www.thevillageprojectsf.org.

UMOJA (unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race

Wednesday, Dec. 26: 12 noon – City Hall Rotunda, 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Way (“A Pre-Celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation”); keynote speakers: Dr. Amos C. Brown, pastor of Third Baptist Church, and Ms. Gina Fromm, district vice president, YMCA of San Francisco; 7 p.m. – West Bay Conference Center, 1290 Fillmore at Eddy, performance by Bernard Anderson and the Old School Band

KUJICHAGULIA (self-determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves

Thursday, Dec. 27: 2 p.m. – Hamilton Recreation Center (“A Celebration of Dance”), 1900 Geary at Steiner; performances by Laney College Department of Dance, The Village Dancers of Crossroads, and The San Francisco Sea Hawks; 7 p.m. – OMI FRC, Minnie and Lovie Ward Rec Center, 650 Capitol Ave. at Montana, performance by the Jah Summit Reggae Band

UJIMA (collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and solve them together

Friday, Dec. 28: 1 p.m. – WAFRC/Western Addition Senior Center (Queen Adah), 1390 Turk at Fillmore (“An Inter-Generational Moment”), performance by Jay’e and Friends; 5:30 p.m. – Bayview Y/Bayview Library, 1601 Lane St.

UJAMAA (cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together

Sat, Dec 29: 1 p.m. – MoMagic at Ella Hill Hutch, 1050 McAllister at Webster (“Young Entrepreneurs in Action”); 4 p.m. – Potrero Hill Family Resource Center at Potrero Hill Recreation Center, 801 Arkansas St. at 22nd Street

NIA (purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness

Sunday, Dec. 30: 1 p.m. – Third Baptist, 1399 McAllister St. at Pierce, featuring the Tolson Family Dancers; 6 p.m. – African American Arts and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton at Webster

KUUMBA (creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it

Monday, Dec. 31: 2 p.m. – The Jazz Heritage Center/Yoshi’s, 1330 Fillmore, performance by Soul Mechanix; 6 p.m. – Augusta Collins Blues Band at Marcus Book Store, 1712 Fillmore at Post

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

Tuesday, Jan. 1: 2 p.m. – Bayview Opera House Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre, 4705 Third St. at Oakdale (“Celebration of The Emancipation Proclamation”); 6 p.m. – Union of Black Episcopalians, St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church, (“A Night of Gospel”), 2097 Turk at Lyons, performances by Emmit Powell and The Gospel Elites, along with Kevan Peabody and the First Friendship Institutional Church’s Praise Team.

About Kwanzaa

Created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966, Kwanzaa is celebrated annually by more than 30 million people worldwide over seven days, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. The values of Kwanzaa, Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles), are critical tools for addressing the issues facing the African-American community.

Ceremonies will be led by Brotha’ Clint, Kwanza Morton and Malik Seneferu. There will be a candle lighting and pouring of libation ceremony, live entertainment and a feast at each event. For more information, visit www.thevillageprojectsf.org or www.kwanzaasanfrancisco.com.

Community partners

The Bayview Y, Mayor’s Office of Economics and Workforce Development MOEWD), Union of Black Episcopalians, Episcopal Charities, St. Mary’s of the Virgin Episcopal Church, Renaissance Parents of Success, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services (MONS), West Bay Conference Center, The Bayview Opera House – The Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre, Western Addition Family Resource Center, Urban Solutions, African American Arts and Culture Center, OMI Family Resource Center, Potrero Hill Family Resource Center,Village-Kids-Chorus-celebrates-Kwanzaa-SF-City-Hall-2011, 7th Annual San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration, Culture Currents Potrero Hill Rec Center, Marcus Book Store, African American Holistic Wellness Program, San Francisco Black Film Festival, Planet Fillmore Communications, Minnie and Lovie Ward Rec Center, Bayview Public Library, The Jazz Heritage Center, Yoshi’s, Hamilton Rec Center, St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church, Western Addition Senior Center, The Fillmore Center, Jamie’s Graphics, Third Baptist Church, The St. Coltrane African Orthodox Church, SNIG, The New Fellowship Institutional Church, The Magic Zone, St. Augustine Episcopal Church, San Francisco State University Africana Studies Department at, Laney College Department of Dance, Meadow Livingston School, Gussies Chicken and Waffles, Teri’s Boutique, Charlie’s Pharmacy, The Village Dancers of Crossroads, Dance Kaiso, Malik Seneferu, Brotha’ Clint, Kwanza Morton, Carl Barnes, Glenda Smith at Greasy Spoon Catering, Delaine Irvin, Santi Hucklaby, Cheap Pete’s Framing, The Village Project Advisory Board; funded in part by the San Francisco Department of Public Health

About the Village Project

Adrian Williams is the founder of The Village Project, a youth service organization focusing on education and cultural enrichment for youth and their families in the Western Addition. She has revived the celebration of Kwanzaa throughout San Francisco by connecting traditionally African American communities for this celebration.

About the Bayview Y

The YMCA has long been at the forefront of providing quality, free or low-cost programming for youth and families. Their programs are run by caring, experienced staff with a focus on youth development principles: safety, relationship building, skill building, community involvement, and meaningful youth participation. The Bayview Hunters Point Y has been the co-sponsor for the San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration for the past four years.

Donations

Help us to continue this important community celebration. Please send donations to The Village Project, 2097 Turk St., San Francisco, CA 94115, (415) 424-2980, www.thevillageprojectsf.org, and watch http://www.youtube.com/user/fillmovillageproject.