ABOUT US
AAHA: Co-Creators of New Holidays and Traditions
AAHA has added to the culture, by its founder, Ayo Handy-Kendi, being the visionary for new holiday ('wholyday') alternatives: Black Love Day-Feb. 13th (started in 1993), Ancestor Honor Day-May 30th, Unity in Diversity Day-May 1st (both started in 1995), and the Ritual of Reconciliation, a new tradition.
AAHA also helped in the establishing of the Martin Luther King Holiday, working in close conjunction with King Holiday Organizers, and received a certificate for such service. AAHA also worked with the Million Man, Million Woman, and Million Children's marches, providing public relations, outreach, and organizing engagement.
In all, AAHA provided similar assistance to over 30 or more marches, demonstrations, and special events during the 1970s through the 1990s.
Due to its community educational outreach, AAHA has further advanced the community awareness of Kwanzaa, Juneteenth, D.C. Emancipation Day, Harriet Tubman Day, Women’s History Month, Native American History Month, Grandmother’s Day, World AIDS Day, World Asthma Day/Month, International Breath Day, World Breathing Day, Malcolm X Day, Nelson Mandela Day, and alternatives to Thanksgiving and the 4th of July (4th of U-Lie).
AAHA has a long history in using holidays, celebrations and rituals for social change
AAHA has added to the culture, by its founder, Ayo Handy-Kendi, being the visionary for new holiday ('wholyday') alternatives: Black Love Day-Feb. 13th (started in 1993), Ancestor Honor Day-May 30th, Unity in Diversity Day-May 1st (both started in 1995), and the Ritual of Reconciliation, a new tradition.
AAHA also helped in the establishing of the Martin Luther King Holiday, working in close conjunction with King Holiday Organizers, and received a certificate for such service. AAHA also worked with the Million Man, Million Woman, and Million Children's marches, providing public relations, outreach, and organizing engagement.
In all, AAHA provided similar assistance to over 30 or more marches, demonstrations, and special events during the 1970s through the 1990s.
Due to its community educational outreach, AAHA has further advanced the community awareness of Kwanzaa, Juneteenth, D.C. Emancipation Day, Harriet Tubman Day, Women’s History Month, Native American History Month, Grandmother’s Day, World AIDS Day, World Asthma Day/Month, International Breath Day, World Breathing Day, Malcolm X Day, Nelson Mandela Day, and alternatives to Thanksgiving and the 4th of July (4th of U-Lie).
AAHA has a long history in using holidays, celebrations and rituals for social change
- Steward of Black Love Day, Feb. 13th, since 1993;
- Served the D.C. Metropolitan area with the African American Holiday Expo from 1982 to 2005 with a cultural marketplace of 1,000's of merchants, vendors, businesses, and youth entrepreneurs;
- Provided educational consultation of its cultural model of self-empowerment, resulteing in cultural marketplaces in D.C., Maryland, New York, Richmond, Saint Louis;
- Developed a training model for YouthPreneurs, to learn and earn, resulting in 2,000 + youth in self-help activities and cottage businesses development during the Christmas/Kwanzaa season as an alternative to crime and violence;
- Provided public relations campaigns for millions of people, around the concept of "avoiding holiday syndrome", thereby supporting healthy, self-care coping alternatives;
- Have provided technical assistance to over 30 + marches, demonstrations, & cultural programs
PROVIDING SERVICES IN:
- Education/Cultural Enrichment/Ceremonial Services;
- Cultural storytelling, workshops, lectures, and ritual commemorations;
- Cultural competency education for groups and individuals;
- Social change and community empowerment;
- Public educational outreach campaigns on cultural holidays and holiday stress management;
- Anti-violence and crime prevention through youth entrepreneur training, cultural enrichment;
- Unity/ healing technical assistance/consultation & facilitation of holidays, celebrations & rituals for the African Diaspora;
- Ritual of Reconciliation, Black Love Relationship Ceremony, Kwanzaa Candle Lighting Ceremony, Libations, African Wedding or Burial rites, Holiday displays/decorations, Family Reunions, Black History Programs, Emancipation Day Programs, Cultural Marches/Demonstrations;
- Membership Benefits for special event, cultural holidays, celebrations, and ritual providers
NEW!
Technical Assistance (TA) on Cultural Organizing, Organizational Development, Special Events, or Public Relations provided at an affordable, sliding-fee rate, to groups and individuals.