Using the Principles of Kwanzaa to Build, Restore, and Celebrate our Cultural Creative Genius and Ingenuity
Youth Community Council
Youth Scorecard
SURVEY 1 of 10
Safety & Security
5th to 12th Grade Youth
Assesses whether youth feel safe, protected, and supported at home, at school, online, and in their communities.
Curiosity Pass!
Curiosity
Across Continents
King County
Public School Students
Summer Intensive is July 6th - 9th in Seattle, WA
Black 4 Charities connects King County public school students to immersive, hands-on cultural experiences exploring African heritage, arts, storytelling, and technology integration—strengthening belonging, creativity, and global curiosity.
Why We Do What We Do
Our Mission
BLACK 4 CHARITIES uses the Principles of Kwanzaa to Build, Restore, and Celebrate our Cultural Creative Genius and Ingenuity. We exist to create, produce, and provide education that fosters family connection, personal development, and community benefit. We have intentionally centered our work around historically marginalized people, including Black/African American youth and families.
Our Vision
BLACK 4 CHARITIES remains committed to centering historically marginalized people and communities in every story we share and in our programming. When we make room for everyone to share their stories, collective history, and creative cultural contributions, we experience the humanity of our community. We are utilizing all seven principles of Kwanzaa to connect with culture, heritage, and reason to celebrate:
- Umoja (Unity)
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
- Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility)
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
- Nia (Purpose)
- Kuumba (Creativity)
- Imani (Faith)
Strategic Priority
Education & Arts Integration
We collaborate with fellow community entities to provide culturally attuned educational environments and racially equitable platforms for artistic expression. From graphic illustration to poetry, music to sculpting, we promote holistic learning experiences that honor diverse cultural backgrounds.
Strategic Priority
Family Connection
We prioritize the African American family unit across all dimensions, from individual members to extended family and fictive kin networks. This involves fostering intimate focus groups for needs assessment and ensuring equitable and sustainable resource distribution. Through initiatives like internships and inclusive creative opportunities developed in partnership with local organizations and schools, we aim to strengthen familial bonds and uplift our communities.
Our Current Programs
Using the Principles of Kwanzaa to Build, Restore, and Celebrate our Cultural Creative Genius and Ingenuity
Kinara Park Kids® is our sister organization.
Kwanzaa Anthology
Experiencing The Seven Principles
Literary & Visual
We showcase diverse artistic expressions that reflect the essence of Kwanzaa and welcome submissions from artists of all ages, backgrounds, and mediums, including visual art (paintings, drawings, digital art, photography), poetry, prose, short stories, short plays, essays, illustrations, comics, and multimedia art.
Kwanzaa Awards
Acknowledgement & Celebration
Celebrating individuals and organizations who embody the seven 7 principles of Kwanzaa! Finalists are announced during the week of Kwanzaa (Dec 26-Jan 1). Award recipients are announced during a LIVE event following Kwanzaa.
Kujichagulia Experience
Finding Your Own Voice
We take the participants through exercises, including music, arts, spoken word, poetry, writing, etc., that help them define themselves, name themselves, create for themselves, and speak for themselves. We invite stand-out artists to collaborate beyond the workshop series and incorporate their final piece(s) into a community celebration.
Ujima Solution Incubator
Solving Our Problems Together
Participants determine the most pressing issues in their local, regional, national, or global community. They then engage in a solution-finding exercise to develop a formal plan, proposal, or recommendation for further action. We engage all ages, and no solution is off-limits!
Nia Project
Access & Exposure to Industries
We provide full access to an industry beyond reach for many African-American and BIPOC youth. We guide and facilitate the workshop participants toward connecting with how they fit into the world, either directly or indirectly, through this work. Our current partners are in Culinary Science (an $805 billion industry worldwide), Film & Video Production (a $283 billion industry worldwide), Fine Arts (a $67.8 billion industry worldwide), and Mental Health (a $383 billion industry worldwide).
Kuumba Effect
Beautification & Invention
We support community members of all ages as they engage with their local, regional, and global worlds in ways that leave them more beautiful and beneficial than they inherited. We encourage formal and informal processes that improve our world, one community project, innovation, and invention at a time.
iMANI iMMERSION
Our Community. Our Stories.
We create a shared space for intergenerational storytelling, incorporating Arts Education, Social Connection & Belonging, Media, Journalism & Storytelling, and Mental Health & Healing.
