KWANZAA SERIES

Written by Alberta Paden

The final principle of Kwanzaa is Imani, or faith; a faith that calls us to believe in ourselves, our families, and our community. It urges us to trust in our collective strength, even when circumstances feel uncertain.

Admittedly, I was not familiar with the principles of Kwanzaa until I began to look more closely at them. As I learned more about Imani, I saw how deeply it aligns with my Christian faith, which teaches me to trust God even when I cannot see the outcome.

Imani reminds us that our worth is not determined by a title or a paycheck but rather in who we are and whose we are. When one of us experiences loss, the community feels it. And when one of us rises, the community rises.

This past year, I lost my job. And I was not alone. Many Black women in our community have faced sudden transitions and setbacks. These moments can shake confidence and make us question our value. Rather than allowing that loss to silence me, I leaned into my love of writing. In doing so, I realized something powerful: resilience spreads. When we pursue our passions, we inspire others. When we rebuild, we model strength.

Empowerment in the Black community does not always begin with grand movements. It often begins in living rooms, at kitchen tables, in supporting Black-owned businesses, mentoring our youth, and speaking life into one another.

Imani is not passive belief but active faith. As James 2:26 reminds us, “faith without works is dead.” And Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Community empowerment begins with believing in what we cannot yet see and working toward it anyway. When we anchor ourselves in faith (faith in God, faith in our gifts, and faith in one another), we build a foundation that cannot easily be shaken.

Imani reminds us that belief is powerful. And when that belief is shared, it becomes transformational.