- For Immediate Release Media Contact: Adrian Williams
- November 24, 2012 Media Phone: (415) 424-2980
7th Annual San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration
Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation
December 26, 2012 through January 1, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Village Project and the Bayview Y present San Francisco’s 7th Annual Kwanzaa, featuring a special celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. This year’s event will again highlight the seven principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba), with 14 free events taking place over seven days throughout San Francisco. Each celebration begins with a spiritual ceremony, followed by a feast, live entertainment, and a lighting of one of the seven candles of the Kinara. The many performers will include rhythm & blues bands such as the Soul Mechanix and Bernard Anderson & the Old School Band.
The seven-day celebration opens at San Francisco City Hall at noon on Wednesday, December 26th, with a keynote address from Dr. Amos C. Brown, Pastor of Third Baptist Church, and a special recognition of Tempie Priestly, Executive Director of Renaissance Parents of Success, for her service to youth, families and the community of Bayview/Hunters Point. Other highlights of this year’s Kwanzaa celebration include “A Celebration of our Elders” at Westbay Conference Center, 7:00 p.m. on December 26th; “A Celebration of Dance”, featuring The Village Dancers of Crossroads and the Laney College Dance Department at Hamilton Rec Center, 2:00 p.m. on Dec. 27th ; “A Celebration of The Emancipation Proclamation” at 2:00 p.m. on Jan 1st at The Bayview Opera House/Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre; and “A Night of Gospel” at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church at 6 pm, featuring Emmit Powell & the Gospel Elite and Kevan Peabody leading the First Friendship Institutional Church’s Praise Team..
- Website: www.kwanzaasanfrancisco.com; www.thevillageprojectsf.org
- ALL EVENTS ARE FREE & OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY
- Full Calendar of Kwanzaa Events, December 26, 2012 through January 1, 2013
UMOJA (unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race Wednesday, Dec. 26th: 12 Noon - City Hall Rotunda, 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Way (A Pre-Celebration of The Emancipation Proclamation); Keynote speakers: Dr. Amos C. Brown, Pastor of Third Baptist Church & Ms. Gina Fromm, District Vice President, YMCA of San Francisco; 7 pm - West Bay Conference Center, 1290 Fillmore @ Eddy, Performance by Bernard Anderson & the Old School Band
KUJICHAGULIA (self-determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves
Thursday, Dec. 27th: 2 pm - Hamilton Recreation Center (A Celebration of Dance), 1900 Geary @ Steiner; performances by Dept. of Dance – Laney College, The Village Dancers of Crossroads, & The San Francisco Sea Hawks; 7 pm - OMI FRC/Minnie & Lovie Rec, 650 Capitol Ave @ Montana, performance by the Jah Summit Reggae Band
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
Friday, Dec. 28th: 1 pm - WAFRC/Western Addition Senior Center (Queen Adah), 1390 Turk @ Fillmore (An Inter-Generational Moment), performance by Jay’e & Friends; 5:30 pm - Bayview Y/Bayview Library, 1601 Lane Street
UJAMAA (cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together
Sat, Dec 29th: 1 pm - MoMagic @ Ella Hill Hutch, 1050 McAllister @ Webster (Young Entrepreneurs in Action); 4 pm - Potrero Hill Family Resource Center @ Potrero Hill Recreation Center, 801 Arkansas Street @ 22nd Street
NIA (purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness
Sunday, Dec. 30th: 1 pm - Third Baptist, 1399 McAllister Street @ Pierce, featuring the Tolson Family Dancers; 6 pm - African American Arts & Culture Complex, 762 Fulton @ Webster
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
Monday, Dec. 31st: 2 pm - The Jazz Heritage Center/Yoshi’s, 1330 Fillmore, performance by Soul Mechanix; 6 pm – Augusta Collins Blues Band @ Marcus Book Store, 1712 Fillmore @ Post
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
Tuesday, Jan. 1st: 2 pm – Bayview Opera House Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre, 4705 Third Street @ Oakdale (Celebration of The Emancipation Proclamation); 6 pm - Union of Black Episcopalians/St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church, ( A Night of Gospel), 2097 Turk @ Lyons; performances by Emmit Powell & The Gospel Elite, along with Kevan Peabody & the First Friendship Institutional Church’s Praise Team.
- About Kwanzaa
- Created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966, Kwanzaa is celebrated annually by more than 30 million people worldwide, over seven days from December 26 to January 1. The values of Kwanzaa, Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles), are critical tools for addressing the issues facing the African-American community.
- Ceremonies will be led by Brotha’ Clint, Kwanza Morton and Malik Seneferu. There will be a candle lighting & pouring of libation ceremony, live entertainment & a feast at each event. For more information visit:
www.thevillageprojectsf.org; www.kwanzaasanfrancisco.com
Community Partners
- The Bayview Y, Mayor’s Office of Economics & Workforce Development MOEWD), Union of Black Episcopalians, Episcopal Charities, St. Mary’s of the Virgin Episcopal Church, Renaissance Parents of Success, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services (MONS), West Bay Conference Center, The Bayview Opera House – The Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre, Western Addition Family Resource Center, Urban Solutions, African American Arts & Culture Center, OMI Family Resource Center, Potrero Hill Family Resource Center, Potrero Hill Rec Center, Marcus Book Store, African American Holistic Wellness Program, Black Film Festival, Planet Fillmore Communications, Minnie & Lovie Rec Center, Bayview Public Library, The Jazz Heritage Center, Yoshi’s, Hamilton Rec Center, St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church, Western Addition Senior Center, The Fillmore Center, Jamie’s Graphics, Third Baptist Church, The St. Coltrane African Orthodox Church, S.N.I.G, The New Fellowship Institutional Church,
- The Magic Zone, St. Augustine Episcopal Church, Africana Studies Dept. @ San Francisco State, Department of Dance - Laney College, Meadow Livingston School, Gussies Chicken and Waffles, Teri’s Boutique, Charlie’s Pharmacy, The Village Dancers of Crossroads, Dance Kaiso, Malik Seneferu, Brotha’ Clint, Kwanza Morton, Carl Barnes, Glenda Smith @ Greasy Spoon Catering, Delaine Irvin, Santi Hucklaby, Cheap Pete’s Framing, The Village Project Advisory Board; funded in part by the Dept. of Public Health
- About the Village Project
- Adrian Williams is the founder of The Village Project, a youth service organization focusing on education and cultural enrichment for youth and their families in the Western Addition. She has revived the celebration of Kwanzaa throughout San Francisco, by connecting traditionally African American communities for this celebration.
About the Bayview Y
The YMCA has long been at the forefront of providing quality, free or low-cost programming for youth and families. Their programs are run by caring, experienced staff with a focus on youth development principles: safety, relationship building, skill building, community involvement, and meaningful youth participation. The Bayview Hunters Point Y has been the co-sponsor for the San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration for the past four years.
- Donations:
- Help us to continue this important community celebration. Please send donations to:
- The Village Project
- 2097 Turk Street
- San Francisco, CA 94115
- 415-424-2980
- www.thevillageprojectsf.org
- http://www.youtube.com/user/fillmovillageproject,
