Festivals in the City of Angels: Kwanzaa in Leimert Park Village

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The UCLA’s Department of African American Studies, in partnership with We Love Leimert and the Fowler Museum hosted “Festivals in the City of Angels: Kwanzaa in Leimert Park Village” on Thursday, December 17th, 2020.

Check out the program recording here:

Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday, created in 1966, following the Watts Rebellion, to bring the Black community together. Today, it is celebrated annually around the world, most notably on the West Coast in Leimert Park Village, the vibrant heart of Black culture in Los Angeles. The Fowler has partnered with We Love Leimert for a program honoring Kwanzaa and its seven principles and symbols rooted in the sacred teachings of Asante and Zulu harvest celebrations. We’ll hear from cultural bearers and figures from the Leimert Park Village community who are organizing for Black liberation and self-determination. The program will culminate with a dance class led by Kamilah Marsh and Keti Ciofassa, giving participants an opportunity to embody the principles of Kwanzaa.