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Kwanzaa principles celebrated throughout area
By Bekitemba E. Taylor
Contributing Writer
From South DeKalb to Southwest
Atlanta, it’s beginning to look a lot like
Kwanzaa. The seven-day gathering
created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga,
runs from Dec. 26 - Jan. 1 and various
places across town are in the spirit of it.
The Malcolm X center for self-
Determination on Candler Road in Decatur
will have a Kwanzaa celebration on the
second day, Kujichagulia, which focuses
on self-determination. Mawaza Odinga,
an employee at the center, said they will
ring in the “first fruits” with fun and
enjoyment for the whole family.
“On Kujichagulia, we will have
performances by the New Afrikan Scouts
and the New Afrikan Panthers, dancers,
drummers and a naming ceremony,” said
Odinga, who is also a member of the
Malcolm X Grassroots Movement.
Although the center does not plan to
celebrate Kwanzaa as a unit, it has not
been confirmed how many days they will
bold a gathering for the winter harvest.
However, Odinga said that anyone who
wishes to participate in the naming
ceremony should call ahead so that he or
she can get an African name at the
celebration.
“If they want to be named, they have to
get in contact with us before Dec. 27,”
Odinga said.
The political activist said that it will be
an important day for friends to celebrate
self-determination and pride with one
another.
The Malcolm X Center is located at
2118 Candler Rd. For more information
about naming ceremony registration, call
(404) 288-9800. The center is accessible
from the Decatur Station.
Downtown Atlanta will also be a good
site for Kwanzaa celebration-goers. From
Dec. 27-Jan. 1 (the day called Imani or
“Faith”), the Auburn Avenue Research
Library on African-American Culture and
History will sponsor a series of poetry
readings and gatherings for the event.
Deemed “A Kwanzaa Affair," everyone
is invited to share in the celebration. Akbar
Imhotep, who had a workshop for the
holiday on Nov. 30. said he plans for it to
be a special occasion.
“1 will participate at least four nights
with the Auburn library," he said. “During
the celebration, Voices of Light Black
Poets Society will read poetry, candles
will be lit on the kinara and I’ll do some
storytelling.”
Imhotep, who made it clear he is not a
griot, said he will also partake in other
celebrations throughout the month, but
emphasized participation in the Auburn
library’s function. Ceremonies will begin
each day after 6 p.m. and community
participation is needed so it can be
continued each year.
Meanwhile, the West End Mall near the
Atlanta University Center will not have a
Kwanzaa celebration, but mall authorities
have put up a display near the center of the
mall.
“We just did not have the community
that we thought we would have," said
Wilma Terrell, mall marketing manager.
“As a consolation, we put up the display.”
Terrell said that in the display is a huge
book with the Nguzo Saba principles
printed on them and their meanings; mkeka,
the ceremonial prayer mat; zawadi, the
ceremonial gifts andakinara. Each day of
Kwanzaa she will activate a light on the
latter in honor of the day and its principle.
“Everything will be beautifully set up
for all our mall visitors," she said.
In the spirit of unity (U moja), it is stressed
that as many people as possible participate
in these and other Kwanzaa celebrations
going on around the city.
If not, the purpose of the first fruits and
the harvest will become a distant memory
and no longer important.
For many students, there’s
no place like home for the
Mass Media Arts student
Ava Evans receives major
sdrolai^sliip
holidays
Py Stacie Yddell
Contributing Writer
With the holiday season fast upon us.
many Atlanta University students eagerly
preparing to return home and reunite with
family and friends, many, for the first time
since they left in August.
Political Science majorToriea Williams,
who was not able to travel home for
Thanksgiving due to lack of money and
job obligations, has different plans for
Christmas.
“1 am definitely going home for
Christmas, because my parents are paying
for my ticket!”
AnotherCAU student, Oeataiye Samuel,
also stayed behind for Thanksgiving, but
hopes to make it home for this extended
holiday. “I am forced to pay a promissory
note to CAU and I [had] to work too. So.
I probably won’t be able to go home until
Christmas. But it’s cool, you have to do
what you have to do.”
And many students took advantage of
buying tickets early or saved money
especially for the holidays.
“I got my plane ticket on Valujet a
couple of months ago,” said freshman
Tiffani Jackson, an English major at
Spelman. “So, it wasn't that expensive. I
am looking forward to going home and
seeing my parents and friends—I’m alittle
homesick.”
Some freshmen are looking forward to
going home just to eat “real food” again.
Khalilah Wynn, a freshman and fashion
merchandising major said, “I can’t wait to
get home and eat some home-cooked food,
because this dorm food is disgusting.”
Students living in other campus housing,
as well as apartments also expressed they
were glad to be going home so they could
eat well.
AUC students collectively have also
made exciting plans forthe holiday season,
such as vacations and trips.
Morehouse student Ellington Robinson
said, “Some of my friends and I are going
to St. Thomas [Virgin Islands] to kick it
and visit my dad.”
Continued on P4
By Megan Scott
Staff Writer
Ava Evans was recently awarded the
National Black Programmers Coalition
Scholarship. Evans is a senior at Clark
Atlanta University, majoring in Mass
Media Arts with a concentration in Radio/
Television/Film.
The National Black Programmers
Coalition is a national organization of
African-Americans who own radio and
television stations. The scholarship
founded 14 years ago by President and
CEO Irene Johnson Ware, recognizes
outstanding students majoring in mass
communications. Each year, six students
from each region of the country that are
attending an HBCU are awarded the
scholarship. Evans was the second CAU
student to ever receive the scholarship.
Senior Melvin Jackson was the first.
At the recent ceremony held in New
Orleans on Nov. 1, Evans was awarded
$3,000. Special guests CeCe Peniston,
Yo-Yo, Mint Condition, Mista, L. A. Reid,
and Babyface appeared at the event held
at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Transportation and room and board were
provided to Evans free of charge.
"I was very excited when I found out I
had won. This scholarship will help me
pay for my tuition and books,” said Evans.
After graduation, Evans plans to attend
Boston University. Northwestern
University or San Francisco State
University to obtain her masters degree in
broadcastjoumalism. She hopes tobecome
a news reporter and eventually an anchor
woman for a major news station.
In order to apply for the scholarship,
students must be majoring in Mass Media
Arts with a concentration in Radio/
Television/Film. They must have a GPA
of a 2.5 or higher and be a junior or senior.
Any interested students should speak to
Professor Amaryliss Hawk, Internship
Coordinator for students in the Division
of Communication Arts.