1 post tagged “ujima”

Collective work and responsibility means looking out for each other. We don't do that, what's the point?

What it means to Eric V. Copage:

[...] It means listening to one another. It means being part of the brainstorming for a solution. If a black friend is looking for a job, it means going through our Rolodex for business contacts. If a black friend has a health problem, it means recommending a trusted doctor, or a book that might offer a remedy, without being asked. We are only droplets in the ocean of life, only vapor in the sky, but through our collective actions our community will be renewed. On this third day of Kwanzaa, Ujima, I pledge to give the gifts of nourishment and support by suggesting a solution--without being asked--when I notice someone in our community who has a problem. [...]

And to Africa Adoption Blog:

[...] I saw this principle in action in Rwanda this past June. Once every 4 weeks, the entire nation takes a Saturday to do community good. This could be cleaning the sidewalks, picking up trash, fixing a communal building, painting or something that benefits the entire community. We asked what happened if a family only wanted to clean in front of their own home, for example, and were told that while no one would physically force them to participate, it would definitely be frowned upon. What a remarkable concept! Can you imagine the force for good we would have here in the United States if every family participated in a community-building project every single month? Wow. I love it! [...]

And I liked finding Graphictruth today:

[...] Any time any group of people wants to get together and collectively improve themselves, to earn respect from others and (often much harder) improve their own self-respect, I'm all for people "gettin' above themselves." It's generally not all that hard, either, considering the sort of folks that set that bar. [...]