​The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, an African American celebration which was first celebrated in 1966-67 over the days of December 26 to January 1, Include:
 
·  Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
·  ·  Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
·  ·  Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
·  ·  Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
·  ·  Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
·  ·  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.
·  ·  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.
·  ·  I first started celebrating this Holiday Season with my dearest friends back in 1992 and have continued to do intermittently with friends and loved ones from all walks of life, gender, identity, ethnicity, age, and faiths. I feel truly blessed to have been introduced to this celebration that honors the present, past and future with such truth, humility, boldness and love! 
 
Happy Kwanzaa to you and your loved ones!

​My Pastor has given me a delightful piece of advice that I would like to share.  I need to do this as we celebrate Jesus Christ's birthday, the Winter Solstice, and the coming of the New Year.  But most of all, I need to share this advice after the Republican Party has just approved a tax bill that is expected to harm millions of Americans and a President Trump that just announced $4 billion dollars in new missile purchases to keep America safe as he re-enlivens our Country as am international war monger.
 
Be the person that your dog believes you to be!
 
Well, my dog (FooFoo Strawberry) thinks that I am kind; that I will always keep him fed, clean and walked. My dog thinks that I will protect him from dangers and reward his loyalty. My dog thinks that I am valuable.
 
So to fellow critically thinking, conscientious and socially committed people, I say.
 
"Be kind and let your kindness not be confused for defeatist acceptance.  Kindness stands up for human dignity and demand justice for our country and humanity everywhere! So, let's stand up and not give up!
 
As we keep our family and friends fed and cared for, let's give what we can to the stranger in need and welcome them to our table.  Every small gesture is actually a huge gift to the universe and mankind!
 
As we protect our loved ones from harm, let's join the ground swelling community movements here in the Bay Area that values all human life!
 
And, let's reward ourselves and others twith kind words, encouragement and let’s take a rest from being grumpy!"
 
That's what my FooFoo Strawberry expects from me.
 
What does your dog expect from you?
 
Let's work together in making ourselves "the us" our dogs most expect. See you at ULC! 
 
PEACE Out!