How to Deal with Holiday Stress: Three Black Moms

On the first Saturday of every month, we are here to answer your questions on the Success Strategies show.    

Whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's or Kwanzaa, you will most likely be dealing with holiday stress.  

This episode was so much fun to do!  The Three Black Moms are sisters - literally, as they have the same parents.  Their focus is on family and the warmth of their connection shines through. 

Three Black Moms dish the dirt on how to find a balance between doing what needs to be done, and staying relaxed and calm.  And what happens when children are in the mix?  

Go here to listen. 

Go here to watch on YouTube.  

Or go here to watch on Facebook. 

Go here for some great holiday gift ideas.  

What are your top tips for dealing with holiday stress?  Please comment below and please share this with your networks.  Thanks!  

50th Anniversary of Kwanzaa

As you may know, 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of Kwanzaa.  And once again, I am listing Kwanzaa events on my website.  

Click here for my Kwanzaa event listings.  I am listing Kwanzaa celebrations being held in Johannesburg, South Africa; Canada, Britain and all over the U.S.A.  Enjoy!  

Please share these with your networks and please leave your comments below.  Happy Kwanzaa!  

 

Kwanzaa 2014 Events

It's that time again!  I am listing Kwanzaa events in the U.S. and internationally on my Kwanzaa website.

In addition to Kwanzaa events in the U.S., I have included events in the UK, Canada and South Africa.

If you are holding a Kwanzaa event, or are aware of one, and don't see it listed, leave the details in the comments section below and I'll add it to the list.  

You can also find information on the history of Kwanzaa, plus background info and lots of gift ideas - books, music, DVDs and more. 

Kwanaa Events 2013

I am currently listing 2013 Kwanzaa events.  Click here for my 2013 Kwanzaa event listings.  

Plus click here for lots of places where you can buy Black. 

Have you ever wondered why Kwanzaa starts on the 26th of December?  Click here to find out about the timing of Kwanzaa.  Remember, Kwanzaa is an opportunity to Buy Black. 

Do you know of a Kwanzaa event I have not listed?  If so, please post a comment below with the details of the event.  

Happy Kwanzaa!  

 

Happy Kwanzaa!

President Obama's Kwanzaa greetings read:  

Michelle and I extend our warm thoughts and best wishes to all those celebrating Kwanzaa this holiday season. Today marks the first day of the week-long celebration of African-American history and culture through the seven principles of Kwanzaa: unity, self determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. 

Click here to read the rest of President Obama's Kwanzaa Statement.  

Click here for more information on Kwanzaa, including my listings of Kwanzaa events.  I have listed Kwanzaa celebrations all over the U.S.A. and in London and Paris.  

Happy Kwanzaa, everybody! 

Kwanzaa Events 2012

I am currently listing Kwanzaa events on my Nurture Success site.  This site is coming down soon, so to keep in touch, please join my new Nurture Success site.  

For more about Kwanzaa, see:  

Kwanzaa – Celebrating Traditional African Values

Kwanzaa Books 

Black Talk Radio: Kwanzaa: Do Black Consumers Buy Black? (2)

Do Black Consumers Buy Black? Judging by the emails I have received, the answer is a resounding "No".

On my radio show, I was joined by Kwanzaa expert Charles Taylor, author of Kwanzaa: How to Celebrate It at Home. You can listen to the recording below.

We discussed many things, including

- the meaning of Kwanzaa
- how to involve children in Kwanzaa
- the seven principles (nguzo saba)

and the role of business owners in Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa is not a commercial holiday. However, the founder, Dr. Malauna Karenga, wanted Black business owners to be in charge of the sale and marketing of Kwanzaa items - and that is largely the case.

Click here for lots of lovely Christmas and Kwanzaa gift ideas.

Click here to read about Kwanzaa.

The recording of the show is below.

Preview: Kwanzaa: Do Black Consumers Buy Black?

As the season of Kwanzaa approaches, we are asking, Do Black Consumers Buy Black? We will be joined by Charles Taylor, author of Kwanzaa: How to Celebrate It in Your Home. For more info, and to listen in, scroll down.

Listen to internet radio with Zhana21 on Blog Talk Radio

Click here to listen or phone in, on Saturday the 3rd of December, 4:30 p.m. EST, 9:30 p.m. GMT.

If you miss the broadcast, you can still listen to the recording there.

Click here for lots of Christmas and Kwanzaa gift ideas.

Click here to read about Kwanzaa.

Two Pre-Kwanzaa Events

I have just found out about two pre-Kwanzaa events being held at the Alexandria Black History Museum in Alexandria, VA on Saturday December 10th. For more info, see Black Museums.

Click here for more listings of Kwanzaa and pre-Kwanzaa events.

Click here to read about the tradition of Kwanzaa.

Click here for loads of lovely Christmas and Kwanzaa gifts, including my books as well as free online fun for children and the whole family, books, DVDs and more.

Happy Kwanzaa!

Kwanzaa and Pre-Kwanzaa Events

I have started listing Kwanzaa and pre-Kwanzaa events on my site. Click here for Kwanzaa events.

Some of these include:

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture will hold Kujichagulia: A Kwanzaa Celebration for School Groups on Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Click here for museum events.

Some of these include:

The DuSable Museum in Chicago will hold the Harambee pre-Kwanzaa Celebration on the 8th of December.

The African American Museum in Philadelphia will hold a Kwanzaa event on the 30th of December.

I shall continue to add details of Kwanzaa events, so please come back.

Kwanzaa Stories Wanted

I am seeking original Kwanzaa stories by writers of African heritage for publication.

I am looking for short stories of 500-1500 words on the theme of Kwanzaa, and/or set at Kwanzaa. Your story must be suitable for a family audience.

Click here for more about my work.

Click here for details of how to submit your story for consideration.

For more about Kwanzaa, see: Kwanzaa - Celebrating Traditional African Values.

Deadline: 31st October 2011

Kwanzaa Events 2010

Kwanzaa is a festival which is observed from December 26 through January 1. This is an opportunity for people of African heritage to focus on traditional African values including family, community responsibility, creativity and faith. The word Kwanzaa means "first fruits" in Swahili.

Preserving our cultural heritage is particularly important for those of us from the African Diaspora, as our heritage was stolen from us.Celebrating Kwanzaa is a way of reclaiming our identity, our ancestral heritage and our sense of self.

To read more, see: Kwanzaa - Celebrating Traditional African Values.

Click here for my list of 2010 Kwanzaa events. I have listed events across the UK, as well as in Ottowa, Canada and the U.S.A.

I have updated this list several times. Some of the many U.S. events I have listed include those in:

- California
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Michigan
- New York
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas

and more.

See also: Kwanzaa Videos

The Spiritual Dimension of Kwanzaa

Happy Kwanzaa!

Kwanzaa Videos

This article on Kwanzaa - Celebrating Traditional African Values has some lovely videos with children explaining the meaning of Kwanzaa.

See also: The Spiritual Dimension of Kwanza.

Click here for a listing of Kwanzaa events 2010. I have listed Kwanzaas all over the UK as well as U.S. Kwanzaas.

Happy Kwanzaa!

The Spiritual Dimension of Kwanzaa

One of the many attractive aspects of Kwanzaa, the African American holiday celebrated December 26th through January 1st, is its spiritual feature. Although Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, it nevertheless has a spiritual dimension.

Spirituality is defined here broadly speaking as the highest values which humans aspire to attain, is expressed in the values, concepts and themes of Kwanzaa.

To read the rest of this article by Jitahadi Imara, click here to download the free Black Holiday Gifts Guide. It contains loads of free resources for parents and children, as well as loads of gift ideas.

See also: Nikki Giovanni - 100 Best African American Poems.

Click here to read more about Kwanzaa - celebrating traditional African values.

Click here for a list of Kwanzaa events.

Happy Kwanzaa!

Holiday Open House at the Schomburg

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a research unit of The New York Public Library, is recognized as one of the leading institutions of its kind in the world.

For details of the Holiday Open House on Saturday December 11th, see Black History International.

They will also be screening The Black Candle, a film about Kwanzaa narrated by Maya Angelou, on 21st December. Click here for details. This is a free event.

To watch a trailer for The Black Candle, and to see more Kwanzaa videos, go to African American Holiday Shopping.

Ancient Egyptian philosophies influenced many religious and spiritual traditions. To read more, see The Influence of Ancient Egypt.

African American Holiday Shopping

The Black Gifts Guide 2010 is now online. Looking for a brilliant gift for Xmas and Kwanzaa? Click here to download your free copy now.

We have lots of free online fun for your children. There are also free resources they can download, print out and keep.

Print out and color a Kinara.

There's an online Black history quiz.

And lots more free resources for children and parents.

Plus, we have lots of children's gifts you can buy.

And articles about Kwanzaa. This guide will continue to be a resource for you and your family.

New for 2010: we now have book reviews, too!

Click here to order your free copy now.

See also: African American Holiday Gift Shopping.

The Maya Angelou Collection

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture's Director, Howard Dodson, and New York Public Library President Paul LeClerc announced on October 29, 2010 the acquisition of the personal and professional papers of Dr. Maya Angelou, who is regarded globally as one of the greatest voices of contemporary literature.

We congratulate them on acquiring this important collection.

For more events at the Schomburg, and to watch a video of Maya Angelou, see Black History International.

To watch a trailer of The Black Candle, a video about Kwanzaa narrated by Maya Angelou, see African American Holiday Shopping.

Do Black Consumers Buy Black? Tomorrow (Saturday)

Ujamaa, or Co-Operative Economics, is one of the principles of Kwanzaa.

This month, as Kwanzaa and the holiday season approach, What U Need to Know asks, Do Black Consumers Buy Black?

Click here to listen or to join us in the chatroom. The show starts at 2 p.m. EST, 7 p.m. UK time:

I hope you will join us.

Plus click here to downlod the free Black Holiday Gifts Guide. With gifts that reflect African American history and culture - books, music and more - plus crafts, activities, and recipes for Kwanzaa and the holiday season

Happy Kwanzaa!

Happy Kwanzaa, everybody.

Kwanzaa is a festival which is observed from December 26 through January 1. This is a time for people of African heritage to focus on traditional African values including family, community responsibility, creativity and faith. The word Kwanzaa means "first fruits" in Swahili.

Celebrating Kwanzaa helps us to build our self-esteem and confidence. To read more, see Kwanzaa - Celebrating Traditional African Values.

Click here for listings of Kwanzaa events. I've got events all over the UK, as well as Paris and the U.S.A.

Click here for books about Kwanzaa and lots more. Click here in the UK.

Resources for Black Parents

Free online activities for children, crafts, make a kinara, African recipes, plus books and resources for parents - get all this and more from the new Black Holiday Gifts Guide 2009. Click here to download it now.