COLUMBIA – Columbia Parks and Recreation hosted a Kwanzaa celebration on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Armory Sports Center.
The celebration featured a Black-owned business expo, Kunama Mtendaji Entertainment, and a holiday feast.
Kwanzaa is a traditional African American celebration of life that begins every year on December 26 and lasts until January 1. It has been celebrated in the U.S. since 1966.
Columbia Parks and Rec invited 12 different Black-owned businesses to the event as well as local performer Kunama Mtendaji.
One of the business owners tells a customer about their candle business.
Columbia Parks and Recreation specialist Jay Bradley said they added the expo this year to honor one of Kwanzaa’s seven principles: economic cooperation.
“Parks and Recreation has been doing the Kwanzaa celebration since the early 1990s,” Bradley said, “but this year we added the Black-owned business expo.”
Many types of businesses were at the event, including candle-makers, clinical social workers and cosmetologists.
One social worker in attendance said employing people of color is a priority.
“We hire clinicians of color to meet the needs of our Black and Brown community,” Christine Woods said.
Woods said her business, Crowned Counseling, has a purpose to expand mental health resources and shed light on mental health issues among the Black community.
“We know that there is a rising need for Black mental health clinicians and a rising need for therapy, so we’re here to serve that need,” she said.
Another business owner, Maronica Kitchen, runs a consulting agency called Ronnie-Beyond, where she provides help in filling out Medicaid information, food stamps, employment, and more.
“Sometimes people don’t have the resources that they need because they don’t understand how to navigate the system and they get frustrated by it,” Kitchen said. “I just say to those people, ‘let’s get together and get you what you need,’ and then at the same time, I’m teaching them how to do things for themselves.”
Another business owner, Brittany Hilderbrand, owns Writer’s Block, a small shop that helps people improve their writing and reading skills.
She said she was very thankful to have been invited to the event to advertise her work.
“I am excited to offer writing services to people that need them,” Hilderbrand said. “It is a very critical skill that you need in every profession.”
The Kwanzaa celebration wrapped up with a live music performance and a free holiday feast.
For those unable to attend the event, Kwanzaa celebration bags are available for purchase. These bags include instructions and supplies needed to hold your own traditional Kwanzaa celebration. Bags may be purchased for $5 each at the Armory Sports Center.
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