HISTORY
of The African American Holiday Association (AAHA)
The
Event that Started a Mission:
Since 1982, community organizer/wholistic
practitioner, Ayo Handy Kendi, realized
that there needed to be a cultural and
spiritual alternative to the overly-commercialized Christmas holiday season,
while encouraging the African American community to use this high retail
shopping season as a vehicle for self-help and empowerment. Beginning with 25
vendors in 1982, she organized the first "Family Afternoon Bazaar in Washington,
D.C.'s downtown Lansburg Center. This event grew in two years to be the
Christmas Kwanzaa Bazaar and has continued as the African American Holiday Expo.
The Expo has grown steadily over the years, outgrowing several venues, offering
an opportunity for an estimated 2,000 merchants, artists, healers and businesses
who've offered quality African-centered, merchandise, crafts, health and
business services. The African American Holiday Expo, has brought together a
combined estimated audience of 75,000 people over the years, and has been
recognized as the oldest, east coast celebration of Christmas and Kwanzaa,
spawning any number of replicas in the Washington, D.C Metropolitan area and
around the Nation.
The
Beginning of an Organization:
As
the special event grew, it spawned an organization - the African American
Holiday Association (AAHA). AAHA was incorporated in 1989, by Handy-Kendi, as an
outgrowth of public interest shown in holiday related, quality of life issues
and the potential for organizing for social justice using holidays, celebrations
and rituals. In 1989, the mission of the event was expanded as a non-profit,
501(c ) (3) membership organization that perpetuates and preserves culture
through traditional and non-traditional holidays, celebrations and rituals. The Expo became the annual fundraiser for the non-profit organization.
