Inside the Eastdale Village Community United Methodist Church on Tunnel Boulevard, Charlotte S. Williams wears African attire for Kwanza. Williams’ top is known as a Dashiki. Her choker is called an Ankh, which means life. And, her hairstyle is Afrocentric.More Info
What: Kwanzaa celebrationWhen: 7 p.m. todayWhere: Eastdale Village Community United Methodist Church, 1403 Tunnel Blvd.
The Seven Principles of Nguzo Saba<
1. Unity – Umoja – To arrive for and maintain unity in the family community, nation and race.2. Kujichagulia – Self-Determination – To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.3. Ujima – Collective Work and Responsibility – To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together.4. Ujamaa – Cooperative Economics – To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.5. Nia – Purpose – To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore people to their traditional greatness6. 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.7. Imani – Faith – To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.Source: http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/NguzoSaba.shtml
Because of Joyce Knox, a quartet sang in celebration of the NAACP’s 75th anniversary, young people led a Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration and several local congregations have had a church pianist.
The 61-year-old mother and grandmother serves organizations and churches with little fanfare, but the community sees her contribution and wants to say thank you, Kwanzaa celebration organizer Charlotte Williams said.
Knox, a local seamstress and pianist of more than 50 years, will receive “The Least of These” award, the highest recognition to be given at the 19th annual city-wide Kwanzaa celebration today.
The celebration starts at 7 p.m. at Eastdale Village Community United Methodist Church, where Williams is senior pastor.
“I like to give people their flowers while they are living,” Williams said.
The 50th anniversary of the continental African and African-American holiday started Monday and ends New Year’s Day.
Kwanzaa celebrates family, community and culture, according to the official Kwanzaa website.
Williams presents “The Least of These” award in memory of the Rev. John Loyd Edwards and her father, Pastor Stanley Reuben Williams, both longtime pastors and community servants.
Williams also will recognize community leaders who exemplify each of the seven principals of Kwanzaa.
She plans to name which of the seven principals of Kwanzaa they represent at the event.
Residents receiving awards for exemplifying Kwanzaa principals include Mahogany Williams, a College Hill Courts resident who has overcome challenges of growing up without a father or mother in her home to help others as a certified nursing assistant. Her mother died when she was a young girl and some people said she wouldn’t make it, but “she has shown the ability to overcome adversity,” Williams said.
She also will recognize Ash-Lee Henderson for being selfless in bringing issues to the forefront of the community and “helping us recognize you can’t turn a blind eye to injustice.”
Williams will recognize Yvette Cooper, a former public housing resident who worked herself off of government assistance and housing assistance and wants to share with others how she broke her cycle of poverty.
She’ll honor local Nation of Islam leader Kevin Muhammad for “speaking out on issues other people would be afraid to speak out on, and he doesn’t allow ostracism to silence him,” said Williams.
And she’ll celebrate Mahmood Abdullah for his love toward the community. Abdullah, owner of the Southside Market Corner Store, tries to demonstrate the spirit of entrepreneurship to residents. He is generous with his resources and has helped bring several speakers to Chattanooga, she said.
“He’s a giver,” Williams said. “A lot of people make it and they turn a blind eye, but if he can help you, he will.”
The men of Eastdale are the next recipients. The group includes Wiley Render, Wayne Hubbard and Dannie Williams. The pastor will acknowledge them for their faithful presence and commitment to helping her carry out her ministry.
“I’m younger than they are and I’m female, but they have not allowed that to be a barrier for them. Truth is truth no matter where it comes from,” Williams said.
The last recipient she named was Timetha Songbird Delaney.
“She has also had a checkered past, but she’s risen above that,” Williams said. “She’s gone through the process of learning to love yourself, and she uses her voice as her gift to give back to the community.”
Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6431.