Celebrating the seven principles since the 1970s, the 46th LGBT Kwanzaa celebration goes down at the SAGE Harlem Center this Saturday, Dec. 30.
Founder Imani Rashid, 83, first encountered the holiday almost half a century ago thanks to an Afrocentric alternative school her partner’s son attended. Back then, Kwanzaa was a fresh holiday created a decade prior by Maulana Karenga to celebrate pan-African heritage. Rashid soon pitched the holiday to Salsa Soul Sisters, the country’s oldest Black and brown lesbian organization now known as the African Ancestral Lesbians United for Societal Change.
“At the meeting, I introduced Kwanzaa and the sister that would become my very best, bestie said ‘if she wants to have Kwanzaa let her bring it here,’” said Rashid. “And I set the work to do that. That was 46 years ago.”
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Like Rashid’s then-wife, many lesbians were rearing children from past relationships at a time when fertilization procedures were science fiction and same-sex adoption was fantasy. So the women of LGBT Kwanzaa often brought up the children together, as a community. Rashid’s Riverside Drive brownstone became the staging ground for those youngsters to celebrate Kwanzaa. She recalls drumming, storytelling and setting up the table.
Through her work, Rashid has become a godmother to many youth. And she’s quick to adopt anyone, even a 28-year-old Chinese American reporter after just one interview.
Fast forward to today, LGBT Kwanzaa remains an intergenerational affair. Rashid calls her youngsters the “Kwanzaa kids.” Participating elders put together stories for them months ahead in preparation. Together, they attend retreats and put together coloring books. This year, Rashid and team are even teaching the “Kwanzaa kids” how to shoot and edit so they can create a film about a young boy aspiring to become a pro boxer.
She says that Kwanzaa’s seven principles resonated with her community at the time, even if LGBTQ+ observers didn’t always feel welcome in other pan-Afrikan movements. Umoja, or unity was a given, especially with their organizing. Rashid points to Kujichagulia (self-determination) as especially relevant today for trans community members who define themselves by pronouns of their choice. For elders like Rashid who are “not the elders of 20 years ago,” they get to spend time fostering the next generation rather than always in a nursing home (Rashid was moving her car for alternate side parking when the Amsterdam News initially reached out to her).
The LGBT Kwanzaa celebration lands on the fifth day, represented by the principle Nia, or purpose.
“It’s a very special principle because folks spend their whole lifetimes trying to figure out what is their purpose, [their] why are they here.” said Rashid. “So what I find [is] that Kwanzaa is the time when we can go inward and look at who we are, and what kind of work that we love to do and how we interact with others…for me, the purpose has changed every decade.
“Maybe some folks can have a purpose for the last 80-some odd years [but] I don’t think so. I think your interest changes [based] on people, places and things that you come in contact with.”
This year’s LGBT Kwanzaa is held at the SAGE Center Harlem, a retirement community near Strivers Row for LGBTQ+ elders. It’s a homecoming for Rashid, a Harlemite, and an opportunity for a return in-person connection after remote pandemic celebrations; the option to attend virtually is still available for those who prefer. Admission is free and the event runs from 2-5:30 p.m., although Rashid asks for an advanced RSVP so she knows how much food to bring.
Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member who writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.
I M so very proud of u and the wonderful work u have done. U r a blessing to so many
Adupe pupo, Iya Imani! Thank you so much to you (and your new goddaughter, Ms. Lau- nice!) for your continued community involvement and success!