The activities of Kwanzaa are informed by ancient African views and values that reaffirm and reinforce family, community and culture. These views and values are demonstrated by the in-gathering of the people, special reverence for the Creator and Creation, commemoration of the past, recommitment to our highest ideals, and celebration of the good.

Communities throughout the African diaspora will come together to highlight the importance of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles. 

The Nguzo Saba is the foundation and stands at the heart of Kwanzaa. It is the moral glue.

December 26 – Umoja (Unity)
To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and the race.

December 27 – Kujichagulia (Self-determination)
To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.

 December 28 – Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
To build and maintain our community together and to make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and to solve them together.

December 29 – Ujamaa – (Cooperative Economics)
To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

December 30 – Nia (Purpose)
To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to  restore our people to their traditional greatness.                                         

 December 31 – Kuumba (Creativity)
To do always as much as we can, in the way that we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

January 1 – Imani (Faith)
To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.  

PDA is committed to building communities and strengthening cultural morays. We create power from the ground up to find progressive solutions that benefit everyone.

Harambee!
(Let’s all pull together)