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Kwanzaa: Celebrating More Than 7 Principles

Some people think of Kwanzaa as an alternative to Christmas, referring to it as Black Christmas. Karenga writes that Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, but one that is cultural “with an inherent spiritual quality. Thus, Africans of all faiths can and do celebrate Kwanzaa.” This, Karenga says, includes Muslims, Christians, Black Hebrews, Jews, Buddhists, Baháʼí, and Hindus, as well as those who follow the ancient traditions of Maat, Yoruba, Ashanti, Dogon.

Published

4 years ago

December 22, 2021

Oakland Post

A typical Kwanzaa altar features a mat, fruits and vegetables as well as a kinara, or candleholder and mishumaa saba, the seven candles representing the principles of Kwanzaa that are lit each day from December 26 to January 1. Photo courtesy of iStock.

By Tamara Shiloh

Millions of people worldwide participate in Kwanzaa, celebrated from December 26 to January 1. Modeled after traditional African harvest festivals, the name of this holiday was borrowed from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning “first fruits.”

More than 2,000 languages are spoken in Africa. Swahili is one of its more unifying languages, spoken by millions on the continent.

Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga, activist and American professor of Africana studies, created the pan-African holiday. He did so as a way of uniting and empowering the Black community in the aftermath of the Watts Rebellion, or the Watts Riots, which broke out on Aug. 11, 1965, in Los Angeles.

Prompted by a Black man’s altercation with police, the riots lasted six days, leaving 34 dead, 1,032 injured. There were 4,000 arrests and more than 1,000 buildings destroyed, totaling $40 million in damages.

The first celebration was held in 1966. Seven children attended, each representing a letter in the word Kwanzaa, hence Karenga’s addition of the letter ‘a’ to the traditional Swahili spelling of kwanza.

Kwanzaa, modeled after the first harvest celebrations in Africa, is rooted in African culture. However, people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds are welcome to join in the celebration of its principles.

Part of the tradition is gift-giving on the last day. Because the holiday is a celebration of spiritual qualities and not commercialization, handmade or educational gifts, such as books, puzzles, or culturally themed items, are encouraged.

Activities held throughout the week embrace five central values: ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration. From these, one of the seven principles, or nguzo saba, are celebrated each day: umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity), and imani (faith).

The mishumaa saba (seven candles) are set in candleholder called a kinara. The candles boast the colors of the pan-African flag designed by Marcus Garvey: black for the people, red for the noble blood that unites all people of African ancestry, and green for the rich land of Africa. The lone black candle stands for unity. The three green candles represent the future, and three red candles represent the struggle out of slavery. Each night one candle on the Kinara is lit in honor of the day’s principle.

Although Kwanzaa is not widely celebrated in Africa, it is publicly acknowledged in the Caribbean as well as other cities where there are large numbers of descendants of Africans such as London, Paris, and Toronto. Such a prideful event honoring family, culture, and heritage should be reflected upon year-round.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

2 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.