FORT MYERS, Fla. — Kwanzaa celebrates African-American culture, and our local businesses help celebrate it in Fort Myers.
Your Fort Myers community correspondent, Miyoshi Price spoke with a woman who hopes her shop will unify the community. She says all of the holidays should be discussed so people in the community are aware and can understand how diverse it is in Fort Myers. She does this by providing symbolic floral arrangements.
Kwanzaa kicks off with cheers and affirmations of pride in African-American culture, starting December 26 until the 1st of the New Year to celebrate the holiday.
Kwanzaa is a holiday born from riots in California to restore African heritage and culture.
Owner, Veronica Shoemaker Florist:" It is a time of reflection, a time of celebration, where we look back at our cultural values," says Mattie Shoemaker-Young, the second-generation owner of Veronica Shoemaker Florist, located at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Veronica Shoemaker.
The Florist says that about two years ago, community members called repeatedly to get a floral arrangement that signified Kwanzaa.
She designed the arrangement to represent the seven-day celebration's highlighted colors: Black, red, and green.
Within the seven-day celebration, seven principles are highlighted.
Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), & Imani (faith).
Shoemaker-Young takes those principles to stress the importance of businesses in the community.
"We create a tax base for our community that goes back into funding some of the various activities, events, as well as the infrastructure," says Shoemaker-Young.
The floral shop has been in the community for 50 years. "We've been determined to stay here, we have persevered, and we're supported by the community," says Shoemaker-Young. "Our customers come from all over."
During the celebration, you light one of the seven candles on the Kinara daily. The colors mean something, too. Kwanzaa is a celebration of African-American culture, and our local businesses are celebrating it right here in Fort Myers.
The candles are lit according to the numbering of the Principles: Umoja (1); Kujichagulia (2); Ujima (3); Ujamaa (4); Nia (5); Kuumba (6); and Imani (7).
They are lit, beginning with the black candle (Umoja). Then, they are lit alternately left and right, lighting from inward to outward. Thus, after the black candle, the red candle closest to it, Kujichagulia (2) is lit. Next, the green candle Ujima (3) is lit near the black. The sequence is followed by alternating red and green lighting until the last candle, the green candle, Imani (7), is lit.
The black is centered and lit first to stress the people's priority. The red candle is lit next to show the importance of struggle. The green represents the "Good future" forged in righteous and relentless struggle. Thus, first the people (black), then the struggle (red), and then the future (green) that emerges from the struggle.
The Quality Life Center started the annual Kwanzaa with dancing and embracing African culture.
Shoemaker says it should be celebrated by everyone, not just her people.
"It's not just for Africans," says Shoemaker-Young. "It's a celebration where we come together as a community to look back at all that our African Americans have done here in the community,."
Shoemaker says everyone, not just her people, should celebrate it.
She stressed her connection to day 1 of the celebration, Umoja, unity.
