Ujima Told Me To Tell You We Gon Be Aight

Ujima: to build and maintain our community together and make our community’s problems our problems and to solve them together

According to the official Kwanzaa website (That’s the actual name of the site), “Ujima, as principle and practice, also means that we accept the fact that we are collectively responsible for our failures and setbacks as well as our victories and achievements. And this holds true not only on the national level, but also on the level of family and organization or smaller units.”

Here’s a short list of folk often forgotten in the Ujima discussion of taking on our family and community’s problems as if they were our own because we know they technically, actually, really are our problems too.

The Great Migration

Beside the slave trade, black peoples’ largest migration in this country took place between 1910-1970. Before that, more than 90% of black folk lived in the South. Then we started heading to the North, Midwest, and out West.

In the time it took to get a job, save some money, and find a place, you usually stayed with a family member who had already left the South. They housed and fed you (and ya kids, if you brought em). That ain’t easy to do, not on ya wallet or your patience, but we understood the importance of sharing the burden.

Grandmama aka Mama

I’m talking about the grandmamas who raised their grandchildren til they mama got on her feet after moving cross country. Or because the parents became victims of the War on Drugs—as addicts or inmates. Or they passed early. Or they joined the military. Whatever the case, she could’ve said no, but she rolled up her sleeves and said WE gon be aight.

Teachers We Can’t Forget

You gon learn that lesson, by any means necessary. Maybe they were sweet, maybe they were strict, but you know they cared. And they went beyond the curriculum and taught life lessons. Teachers spend almost as much time with chi’ren as their parents. And whatever kids go through at home, them needs/emotions follow them right to class. We know who really care about us, whether we in pre-k or college. Those who care is who we’ll never forget. I have elders in their 90s who still remember that one teacher’s name.

Neighborhood Daycare Ladies

She fed them babies grits, greens, and gravy; made sure they head was covered in the cold; potty trained em; prayed over em; charged bout half of what the other daycares charged; didn’t call DFACS if you was running late; and made payment arrangements when life got to life’ing. Her daycare worked out for everybody involved: She made money, Mama saved money, and the chi’ren knew they was loved.

(Shoutout to Ms. Mae who kept me as a child, and Ms. Tamara and Ms. Janice who kept my babies.)

CNAs

They take care of ya elders when you can’t. Keep ’em clean, fed, safe, and heard. The job don’t pay much, it hurts ya back and feet, it’s always under-staffed, but they step in and do what they gotta do. Include children caring for their aging parents and other caregivers too.