[neighborhood ball]

[inspiration]

[imani]

Happy Kwanzaa and Happy New Year! Today marks the last day of Kwanzaa and the first day of 2009. The last principle of Kwanzaa is Imani (faith) : To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. -The Official Kwanzaa Website

[kuumba]

Happy Kwanzaa! On New Year's Eve the Kwanzaa principle is Kuumba (creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. -The Official Kwanzaa Website

[ball droppin/champagne poppin]

Wishing everyone a Healthy and Happy New Year! A little before 10pm tomorrow night we will be heading downtown to see the Big Wish globe set on fire. The globe, a 1500-lb steel sculpture full of paper wishes sent in by Monroe county residents, will be set aflame right before the fireworks display. This I gotta see.

After that we will be heading to One. Enjoy and see ya in '09!

[nia]

On this fifth day of Kwanzaa the principle is Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and development of our community in order to restore our people to their tradiitonal greatness. -The Official Kwanzaa website

[ujamaa]

Today is the fourth day of Kwanzaa. Today's principle is Ujamaa (cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together. -The Official Kwanzaa Website

[ujima]

Happy Kwanzaa! Today's principle is Ujima (collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community together, make our brother's and sister's problems our problems, and to solve them together. -The Official Kwanzaa Website

[kujichagulia]

Today is the 2nd day of Kwanzaa. Today's principle is Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves. Check out the official Kwanzaa website to learn more.

[umoja]

Happy Kwanzaa! Today marks the beginning of the seven day celebration. Today's principle is Umoja (unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. "Kwanzaa, which means “first fruits of the harvest,” is a time of reaffirming African American people, our ancestors and our culture. We seek to honor our past, evaluate our present and commit ourselves to a more productive future. Africans and African-Americans of all religious faiths and backgrounds practice Kwanzaa." -Baobab Cultural Center

Celebrate Kwanzaa in Rochester, NY:

Kwanzaa 2008: A Change is Gonna Come

Umoja (Unity): December 26 - Wheatley Library, 3-5 pm. 33 Dr Samuel McCree Way.

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): December 27 - Baobab Cultural Center, 3-5pm. 728 University Ave.

Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility): December 28 - Memorial Art Gallery, 12 noon -5pm. 500 University Ave.

Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): December 29 - Rochester Museum and Science Center, 6-9 pm. 657 East Ave.

Nia (Purpose): December 30 - North Street Recreation Center, 3-6 pm. 700 North St.

Kuumba (Creativity) December 31 - Dunwoody Studios, 6-9 pm. 34 Elton Street.

Imani (Faith): January 1 - Celebrate at home with family.

For more information: call the Kwanzaa Hotline at 585-234-KWAN (5926).

[gee whiz, it's christmas]

Holidays and music go hand in hand. For another spin on the Xmas mixtape head over to That Real Ish and get a free download of "A Funkadelic Christmas". This mix features Tribe, Snoop, The Roots, Mr. James Brown and a whole bunch of other artists I love. So sip that eggnog, chill with the fam, and love every minute of it.

[santa's got a big bag of soul]

Enjoy the holidays! For a seriously funky Xmas mix head over to Daptone Records and download JBX's "Soul Santa" (it's FREE Merry Xmas). I am loving all the tracks on this mix and will be playing it tomorrow for the fam. Spread some soul and love around.

[jingle bells around his feet]

'Tis the season for holiday songs and traditions! Last night we went to a fabulous holiday party at our friends' place. Throughout the night we all took turns at computer dj'ing and one song that was in heavy rotation was "Dominick the Donkey." Neither of us had ever heard this Italian-American Xmas tune and it's one catchy little song. The hostess of the party told me that the song was one of her Xmas traditions and and how as a child she had loved envisioning Dominick bringing presents to kids in Italy. She explained that Rudolph could never make it up the hills of Naples so Dominick did the work. A cute little donkey climbing hills so he can bring presents to children? This song has Xmas cartoon special written all over it.