Parade, festival mark start of Kwanzaa in Leimert Park
The 46th edition of what organizers say is the world's oldest Kwanzaa parade will be held Monday in South Los Angeles to mark the start of the seven-day African-American festival.
The Kwanzaa Gwaride is set to begin at 11 a.m. at Adams and Crenshaw boulevards, then head south on Crenshaw Boulevard for two miles to Leimert Park, where a vendor and entertainment festival will be held, including jazz, R&B and reggae performances and African drumming.
The theme of this year's parade is "Kila Kitu Kwanzaa" and will feature the history, origins, spirituality, and impact of Kwanzaa on the African diaspora in communities nationwide. "Kila Kitu" is the Swahili term for "everything."
The parade's oba (king) will be Torre Brannon Reece, the founder and director of the mentoring and school-based art program FA-MLI Inc.
The iyada (queen) will be Crystal Mitchell, a co-director of Recycling Black Dollars, a nonprofit corporation that encourages supporting Black-owned businesses.
The 2022 Kwanzaa theme is "Kwanzaa, Culture and the Practice of Freedom: A Message and Model For Our Times."
Kwanzaa's focus is the "Nguzo Saba," the Seven Principles, all of which are Swahili words. Each night is dedicated to one of the principles, beginning with Umoja, unity, expressing the goal of striving for and maintaining unity in the family and community.
The principle for the second night is Kujichagulia, self-determination, "to define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves."
The principle for the third night is Ujima. "One of my favorite principles is Ujima. Ujima means collective work and responsibility in an effort to build and maintain our community," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told City News Service. "It means making the problems of our brothers and sisters, our problems.
The other principles are Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).
During the week, a candelabrum called a Kinara is lit, and ears of corn representing each child in the family are placed on a traditional straw mat. African foods such as millet, spiced pepper balls and rice are often served. Some people fast during the holiday and a feast is often held on its final night.
A flag with three bars -- red for the struggle for freedom, black for unity and green for the future -- is sometimes displayed during the holiday.
Kwanzaa is based on the theory of Kawaida, which espouses that social revolutionary change for Black America can be achieved through cultural heritage.
A Kwanzaa celebration will be held at Ovation Hollywood from noon-4 p.m. Tuesday. The celebration at the shopping complex formerly known as Hollywood & Highland will include free coffee and a food bar, a poetry jam by Jamai Fisher, a performance by the Ujima Dance Troupe and a children's crafts corner.
Kwanzaa celebrations will be held at the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
Pasadena's 34th annual Kwanzaa celebration will be conducted from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Tuesday through Zoom and include music and storytelling.
