BLD history

Habari Gani, on this day of Ujamaa, as the Director of the African American Holiday Association (AAHA), I have prayed over this decision, and have thought best to POSTPONE THE first UJAMAA Virtual Conference on Using Holidays, Celebrations & Ritual for our Empowerment planned for Monday, December 29, 2025.

The conference is being rescheduled for Sunday, January 18 from 3-6 p.m. EST, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who believed in self-help and our culture.

To be authentic, I must take personal responsibility in not adding in the correct links for people to sign up for the conference on the webpages indicated. And due to our limited outreach to the presenters, we have not heard the responses that we had anticipated for a great presentation.

Here now is the link to sign up by registering for the new date of the conference, and please spread the word.
We must use the resources of our own holidays, celebrations and rituals in 2026 to create our own self-determination, as a people for wealth generation, as well as for healing, a goal, I believe Dr. King would believe in

Please attend:
REGISTRATIONS TO THE CONFERENCE IS FREE. DONATIONS ARE TRULY APPRECIATED

Hi there,

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Sunday, Jan 18, 2026 02:30 - 6 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HiWwM7XTSrWbTJJa-3xrow

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

For further information, please contact: Sekou Mama Ayo Handy-Kendi, 202-667-2577 or [email protected]

ALSO, IF YOU KNOW OF OTHERS WHO YOU BELIEVE SHOULD BE INVITED TO THIS CONFERENCE, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND SHARE THIS MESSAGE.

aND PREPARE FOR BLACK LOVE DAY, FEB. 13TH 5TH VIRTUAL RELATIONSHIP CONFERENCE & RITUAL OF RECONCILIATION

with Deepest Breath in the up-coming NU Year,

Sekou Mama Ayo Handy-Kendi,

GOALS OF THIS CONFERENCE.

You are invited to gather at the 1st UJAMAA VIRTUAL CONFERENCE on "HOW WE MUST CREATE "UJAMAA" WITH OUR HOLIDAYS, CELEBRATIONS & RITUALS". A gathering of holiday founders, organizers, event producers, creatives, service providers, historians, product developers, and spiritual, cultural leaders, etc., who will discuss the critical importance of and advocate for a collective response to using our holidays, celebrations & rituals for cooperative economic change, self-help and healing, using our own cultural commemorations.

The ultimate goal of the conference is to continue the creation of The Union of African Centered Holidays, Celebrations & Rituals, a private, cooperative membership. and trade union organization, with an administrative board to spear-head direction and galvanize advocacy for it's members for the public good and empowerment. The conference is the culmination of the 5 year plan envisioned by myself, as the founder director of the African American Holiday Association (AAHA). The new organization will be a sister organization to AAHA, and has collected some members already, I hope that it will be officially launched at this conference with its official name adopted and the membership structure approved.

Hosted by African American Holiday Association (AAHA), stewarded by Sekou Mama Ayo Handy-Kendi, founder of AAHA, Black Love Day, Feb. 13th, and the Black Love Movement Month .
Conference is FREE & Open to the Public, But MUST PRE-REGISTER FOR THE ZOOM Broadcast by Thursday, Jan 19, 2026, 5 p.m.. To pre-register.  http://www.AfricanAmericanHolidays.org or Call for info: 202-667-2577

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

We are calling on AAHA Members and Interested persons who want to make 20 to 30 minute presentations on this topic

Some presentations already suggested include:

Ayo Handy-Kendi - How Holidays Affect People of African Descent and Why We Must Empower Ourselves With Them Today

Adria Muhammad - Holidays for Black Folks - a Data--base and Initiative that Enables Us to Know Ourselves

Obi Holly (Oisanichiban), Professor Kez and Alicia Lyttle - How AI Changes the Game for Organizing and Telling Our Own Stories of Our Celebrations.

OTHER CONCEPTS THAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED;

What So Important about the history of our events;
Promote Before You Organize,
Harnessing's and Empowering Our Wealth Thru Our Culture;
Unity and Working Together - How Celebrations Creates the Bonds that Heal;
Product Development Using our Events; ,
Celebrate Despite Trumps's DEI Push-back,
Yes, we have a lot to talk about and how we must visualize the potential of our events and celebrations to empower the Diaspora.

PLEASE SEND IN YOUR TOPIC SUBMISSION BY jAN 5TH, CLOSE OF BUSINESS. Include a 250 word description and include a 4 line contact listing. We will confirm you Submission BY THAT WEEKEND.

REGISTER TO THE CONFERENCE IS FREE. DONATIONS ARE TRULY APPRECIATED

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Jan 18, 2026 02:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HiWwM7XTSrWbTJJa-3xrow

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

For further information, please contact: Sekou Mama Ayo Handy-Kendi, 202-667-2577 or [email protected]

ALSO, IF YOU KNOW OF OTHERS WHO YOU BELIEVE SHOULD BE INVITED TO THIS CONFERENCE, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND SHARE THIS MESSAGE.

WITH OUR DEEPEST BREATH, BLACK LOVE & POSITIVENERGY,

SEKOU MAMA AYO HANDY-KENDI

FOUNDER/DIRECTOR, AFRICAN AMERICAN HOLIDAY ASSOCIATION (AAHA)

FOUNDER, BLACK LOVE DAY, FEB. 13TH

CONVENOR: BLACK LOVE MOVEMENT MONTH AND THE UNION OF AFRICAN-CENTERED HOLIDAYS, CELEBRATIONS & RITUALS.

BREATHOLOGIST, COACH, HOST, SAGEING- BABY BOOMERS & THOSE WHO LOVE US SHOW, AUTHOR, SPEAKER, RITUALS FACILITATOR

BLACK LOVE DAY (BLD) HISTORY