Kamala Harris celebrates Kwanzaa over Zoom, reveals favorite principle
"It's about not letting anyone write our future for us, but instead going out and writing it for ourselves," Kamala Harris said.
In honor of the first day of Kwanzaa, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris shared a video to commemorate the holiday she attributed as one of her childhood memories.
In the video, she shared that her family plans on celebrating over Zoom due to the coronavirus pandemic as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests limiting large gatherings and traveling during the holiday season.
“You know, my sister and I, we grew up celebrating Kwanzaa. Every year, our family and our extended family, we would gather around across multiple generations and we’d tell stories and light the candles,” Harris said.
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She shared that during family celebrations, there were discussions of the seven principles and revealed her favorite.
“My favorite, I have to tell you, was always the one about self-determination: Kujichagulia. And you know, essentially it’s about ‘be.’ ‘Be and do,'” Harris said. “Be the person you want to be and do the things you want to do, and do the things that need to be done.”
She continued, “It’s about not letting anyone write our future for us, but instead going out and writing it for ourselves. And that principle motivates me today as we seek to confront the challenges facing our country and to build a brighter future for all Americans. So, to everyone who is celebrating, Happy Kwanzaa, from our family to yours.”
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The seven principles of Kwanzaa are: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith).
Created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 after the Watts riots in Los Angeles, Kwanzaa is recognized from December 26 to January 1 in celebration of African American culture.
Kwanzaa is derived from a Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits.”
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