Although the seven-day holiday of Kwanzaa doesn’t start until the day after Christmas, the Multicultural Center is lighting the kinara a few weeks early.
The kinara is the candleholder in which seven candles, which signify the seven principles of Kwanzaa, are placed, said Winsome Chunnu-Brayda, associate director of the Multicultural Center.
The program, hosted by the Multicultural Center and the Black Student Cultural Programming Board, aims to teach students about Kwanzaa, and student volunteers will present the Kwanzaa table and explain what the principles are, she added.
Pre-Kwanzaa will also feature Donna Washington, author and storyteller, as she uses a variety of stories to explain the seven principles of Kwanzaa, known as Nguzo Saba.
Kwanzaa is about community, light and understanding the principles, so the stories embody the importance of each one, Washington said.
“The stories I will tell are fun, such as a West African story about the importance of remembrance,” she said.
Washington said building a community with the audience helps get the message across as well.
“I believe really strongly that the bond you make between storyteller and the audience is dependent on what the audience is up for, and I always start with questions to see where everyone stands on holidays,” she said.
The event follows the same program each year, but the experience is always new, said Julius Smiley, president of BSCPB and a senior studying Spanish.
“What I love about this program is that even though I don’t personally celebrate Kwanzaa, what I’ve learned is that you don’t have to be a certain type of person,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what race or ethnicity you are; it’s about the basic principles and connecting back to your roots.”
Chadonn Cummings, the cultural arts director for BSCPB and a junior studying social work, experienced Kwanzaa celebrations for the first time her freshman year and is helping run the pre-Kwanzaa event this year.
“I have been in the back and overseeing things throughout the planning process, so I’m excited to see things come together,” Cummings said. “I’m also excited to show the student body what Kwanzaa is about and hear from Donna Washington.”
If You Go:
What: Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration with Donna Washington
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Baker University Center Ballroom A
Admission: Free
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