Kwanzaa in San Francisco

The Village Project presents San Francisco’s 10th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration, with seven days of community events striving to unite and strengthen the family, community and nation, by highlighting each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa (the Nguzo Saba).

2015 San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration
December 26, 2015 through January 1, 2015
All Over San Francisco
FREE

There will be 15 free celebrations in 7 different neighborhoods with exciting and enriching cultural programs, intended to both entertain and engage the entire family.

A spiritual ceremony – pouring of libations and honoring of ancestors will start each program and will be followed by a feast, live entertainment and the lighting of one of the seven candles of the Kinara.

2015 Schedule

Saturday, Dec. 26th: Umoja (unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

• 12 Noon: Museum of the African Diaspora (free museum admission), 665 Mission Street at 3rd
  Tia Carroll will perform at the Museum of the African Diaspora, 665 Mission at 3rd Street. Tassiana Willis will reflect on being a youth in San Francisco. Drumming and lunch will finish off the celebration.
• 7 pm: African American Arts & Culture Complex, 762 Fulton Street at Webster
  MuZiek returns to kick-off Umoja at AAACC. Join us for some soul train tunes and enjoy a succulent feast. There will be spoken word by Ms. Joyce Lee, two times Oakland Grand Slam winner, along with Les Bantus Sissa Kongo performing African dance and drumming. The first candle of the kinara will be lit in celebration of Umoja (Unity).

Sunday, Dec. 27th: Kujichagulia (self-determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.

• 1 pm – San Francisco Public Library, Koret Theater, 100 Larkin Street
  Storyteller, Phavia Kujichagualia will headline the program at the San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkins, followed by Brother Clint and Malik performing the Kwanzaa ritual, festive lunch and the lighting of the 2nd candle of the kinara, Kujichagulia.
• 4 pm – Third Baptist Church, 1399 McAllister at Pierce
  2nd celebration of the day, featuring Vasteen Caldwell, singing gospel.

Monday, Dec. 28th: Ujima (collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and solve them together.

• 12 pm – City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Way, Rotunda
  Derick Brown, Deputy Director of MONS will host the annual City Hall celebration of the second principle, Ujima (collective work and responsibility). La Shon Walker will be keynote speaker and Liz Jackson, Success Center San Francisco, will MC. The program also includes youth performances by the Talent Allstars Dancers, the Village Kids Chorus and spoken word by Tassiana Willis from Youth Speaks.
• 2 pm -Western Addition Senior Center/WAFRC 1390 Turk at Fillmore
  The Blues Ryders will perform and The Village Kids Chorus will delight the seniors with song.
• 6 pm – Bayview Y, 1601 Lane at Revere
  The pouring of libations and honoring of ancestors. The third candle, representing Ujima will be lit, accompanied by drumming and followed by plenty of enticing food. Entertainment provided by Elizabeth Summers, spoken word and the Feline Finesse Youth Dancers.

Tuesday Dec 29th: Ujamaa (cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

• 1 pm – Hamilton Rec/MoMagic, 1900 Geary at Steiner
  Laney College, Dept. of Dance headlines this afternoon of dance, joined by the Village Dancers of Crossroads, the Talent Allstars Dancers, praise dancers, Pals’ Seahawks and much more. There will also be plenty of moving around the floor, with DJ Mr. ‘C’ spinning tunes for all to dance to.
• 5 pm – Minnie & Lovie Rec Center, 650 Capitol at Montana
  Soul Mechanix will be the show stopper at the second celebration of Ujamaa and light the fourth candle of the Kinara. Brotha Clint and Brotha Malik will pour librations and honor the ancestors, followed by a mouth-watering feast.

Wednesday, Dec. 30th: Nia (purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

• 1 pm – Boys & Girls Club, 344 Fulton at Gough
  The Boys & Girls Club is one of the newest partner and will showcase the community’s youth. They start the celebration of Nia and is located at 380 Fulton. They will light the fifth candle of this year’s Kwanzaa celebration.
• 4 pm – Glide Memorial, 330 Ellis
  Storyteller, Kirk Waller will be the keynote entertainment at Glide Memorial Church. First year aboard, Glide will also light a candle in celebration of purpose, Nia. Drumming by Lorraine Bowser will enhance Kirk’s presentation. After the pouring of libations and the entertainment, families and friends will break bread together at the customary feast
• 7 pm – Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness, 601 Cesar Chavez at 3rd St (near Pier 80)
  Raja Hayat will sing jazzy tunes after the ritual is complete at Rafiki Coalition for Heath and Wellness. Also on the program is spoken word artist, TaLea Monet. Sister Emily Wade Thompson will perform the Kwanzaa ritual. Come early because Rafiki was packed in 2014.

Thursday, Dec. 31st: 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.

• 12 Noon – Potrero Hill Recreation Center, 801 Arkansas Street at 22nd Street
  The Grandmothers Club from the Potrero Hill Family Resource Center will again host, serving some down home cooking as only grandmothers can cook. Spoken word and drumming are on the program. Be prepared to dance to some oldies but goodies tunes by DJ, Mr. “C”.
• 4 pm – Success Center, SF/King/Garvey Center, 1680 Eddy at Pierce
  Know Jazz will be the entertainment at 2nd celebration of the day, to be held at Marcus Garvey Community Center. The Success Center San Francisco will host Kummba and light the sixth candle of the kinara. This is their first year with us. Brotha Clint and Malik will perform the Kwanzaa ritual, followed by a wonderful feast. The Village Kids Chorus will also perform.

Friday, Jan. 1st: 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.

• 6 pm – Union of Black Episcopalians/St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church, 2097 Turk at Lyons
  Bernard Anderson & The Smooth Blues Band will close out the 2015-16 Kwanzaa celebration on the day of the final principle, Imani (faith), to be held at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church.
  The Union of Black Episcopalians will co-host this event where the last candle of the kinara will be lit.
  Dr. Dorothy Tsuruta , Chair of the Dept. of Africana Studies, SF State University , will again serve as MC for this event.