Nya Akoma! Since it is the morning of the 31st annual Black Love Day and in addition to the article posted over the weekend about this special holiday, I felt it important to issue a few reminders in preparation for today. Planning out your actions will ensure you make the most of the celebrations and that you have the most impact on those around you.
Wear something Purple and Black. Purple is for spiritual growth and royalty; black is for the color of the people and freedom from evil (Psalms 7 or 12). You’ll surely be seeing a lot of blush pink and red hearts for the next few days, and if you stand out from that in your deep, rich colors and have total confidence, I’m willing to bet you’ll have at least one person question your color choice. By drawing the attention to yourself in this way, you’ll have an opportunity to share Black Love Day with others and tell them what it personally means to you.
Avoid Purchasing the Typical Valentine’s Day Items. I know, this one is hard. Everywhere you look there will be heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and little sugary candies. Sparkly trinkets and frivolous cards. But don’t fall into the propaganda. That day of romance is often one of depression, isolation, and despair. It serves as a too-real reminder of how alone someone is and is sometimes even a nudge toward acts of suicide or violent, heated arguments between couples when romantic hopes and dreams don’t come to fruition. Every penny we spend in support of this is encouraging a mental health crisis. That’s why this year’s Black Love Day theme is focusing on self-care to improve the family unit. Consider buying healing products or food, inspirational and spiritual gifts, or hand-crafted gifts that are made from the heart. Which goes along with number three…
Spend some time thinking about how you will demonstrate the five tenets of Black Love Day during the coming 24 hours. There are many ways to show love and most of them are so simple with just a little awareness. Consider your black community members, purchase locally from black merchants, business owners, or vendors. Help an elderly black neighbor or child in your neighborhood. Small acts of generosity and kindness can go a long way. If you’re white, show your black friends and family that they have your support through introspection and humility today.
Display the Akoma. The Akoma is an ancient African Adinkra symbol of love, patience, goodwill, faithfulness, and endurance. This open, heart-shaped symbol was re-named and co-opted as a “Valentine,” leading to the tradition of heart-shaped candy boxes and gifts during Valentine’s Day. Let’s turn it back into the symbol of love it was meant to be.
Greet everyone with Nya Akoma (N yah Ah comah) on this day. It means get or have a heart, be patient. On Feb. 13th, remember to lead from the heart. For the next 24 hours practice being more kind, loving, caring, self-aware, compassionate, tolerant, peaceful, and patient. Demonstrate unconditional love for others. Feel how wonderful and transformative one day of the highest love can be, feel the energy in the atmosphere, soak it in, and then replicate that behavior and feeling from now on. Make every day Black Love Day.
Gather together. Attend your local AAHA Black Love Day Ceremony. If you don’t have one, consider thinking about starting your own. You can contact the AAHA at (202) 667-2577 or by visiting their website for their assistance doing this. You can also get together in person in your community for a small celebration of one another. Have some refreshments, laughs, and talk about your mental health. And if you can’t do this either, join one of the many livestream celebrations available online today. I attached the link for the AAHA formal ritual or celebration in the previous article, but you can also find it on their website @ africanamericanholidays.org
Watch this video on spreading Black Love. This video can be viewed on YouTube or at this link, and gives helpful advice on some of the many ways you can spread Black Love today and every day.
References
African American Holiday Association. https://www.africanamericanholidays.org/
About the Author:
Tia is an investigative journalist here at BLACK. She holds degrees in Political Science and Applied Economics from SNHU and she is a first-year law student at Purdue Global Law School, pursuing her J.D. She also has a certification in Human Rights from Wassmuth Center for Human Rights in Boise Idaho and she recently interned for the Office of Budget and Entitlement Policy at Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. Tia is a RESULTS 2024 Organizing and Advocacy Fellow and Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator. She lives with her husband and three children in Hurricane, West Virginia.
In her free time, she enjoys contemporary art, fashion, home décor, reading, and family. Tia is passionate about protecting American consumers and corporations and is a strong proponent for open markets, human rights, and equality for all. Her current focus is slavery reparations, entitlement program solvency, and budget appropriations process reform. While Tia is not black, she supports the fight for equality and stands with BLM. She believes that unearned privilege creates a duty to act against racial inequality and injustices.
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