News - San Diego Embraces Kwanzaa with Vibrant Celebrations

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- As San Diego steps into the vibrant sphere of Kwanzaa, residents engaged in a celebration of self-determination, highlighting the second day of the lively cultural holiday. Hosted at the WorldBeat Cultural Center, the week-long festivities were filled with ceremonial candle lightings, the rhythmic sounds of African drumming, and expressive poetry by renowned individuals, including Johnnierenee Nia Nelson. Noteworthy speakers such as Shugri Sahl and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black enhanced the event with inspiring talks. Emerging in its founding year of 1966, Kwanzaa encompasses seven spirited days, each dedicated to commemorating essential principles of African heritage. Makeda Dread Cheatom, the executive director and founder of the WorldBeat Center located in Balboa Park, stresses that 'Kwanzaa goes beyond materialistic and spiritual limits, centering on community, family, and culture.' Each day poignantly captures its principles, connected yet unique. Among these, Kujichagulia is particularly significant to Dread Cheatom, representing the philosophy of self-definition: 'We should define ourselves and not be constrained by others' definitions,' she emphasizes. She asserts that umoja is essential before embracing other principles, highlighting that without purpose, progress cannot be achieved. During a keynote presentation, Fields-Black, renowned for her historical works like 'Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War', shed light on stories of liberation. Her talk highlighted the historical marginalization seen through the lack of complete names for enslaved people, noting that for 200,000 Black men, joining the Union army marked their formal acknowledgment. This Kwanzaa celebration stands as a testament to the enduring significance of heritage, self-determination, and unity. 'Our culture, removed during the atrocity of slavery, is being reclaimed,' explains Dread Cheatom. 'By understanding our identity and embracing the value within, we elevate our awareness and affirm our unity as one people.' This year's Kwanzaa festivity not only celebrates identity but also reinforces historical awareness, a collective embrace of legacy and shared destiny.