Sinclair is celebrating Black Love Day this week, on Tuesday Feb. 13 6 – 8 p.m. Psychology professor, Taylor Curtis will serve as the events keynote speaker before a scheduled kuumba inspired talent show takes the stage. On that same day, Professor Steven Kniffley Jr., Psy.D of Wright State University will take center stage at a seperate event, Out of K.O.S. (Knowledge of Self).
The Black Love Day/Kuumba Night event is hosted by Sinclair’s African Studies Department, and will be held at the stage area in the bottom floor of Building 8. The talent competition is open to creative minds who want to put their dance, poetry, music or other live art form on display. Light refreshments will be made available during this event.
“Not a lot of people know about it [Black Love Day],” said Taylor Curtis. “But it’s an awesome time to bring people together to celebrate love and black history, and move towards a better future.”
Black Love Day is a 25 year old holiday created by African American Holiday Association (AAHA). The holiday was made as an alternative to the commercialized day of love, Valentines Day by community organizer, Ayo Handy Kendi. Black Love Day is meant to encourage self-love within black communities and families, and heal relationships in the spirit of ending violence.
Ayo Handy Kendi brings a holistic approach to healing the wounds of racism and inequality. Kendi works to bring love back to communities through meditation, self-care, music and poetry. It’s fitting that the day be celebrated with Kuumba, which is the Swahili word for creativity and the theme of the sixth day of Kwanzaa.
The Out of K.O.S. event will be held in building 12, room 116 at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 13, and is hosted by the Sinclair Diversity Office.
Guest speaker, Steven Kniffley Jr., Psy.D will speak of knowledge that can be found in his 2014 book, “Knowledge of Self: Understanding the Mind of the Black Male.” Kniffley’s book can be found at Barnes & Noble or on Amazon.com.
Attendees are encouraged to begin the evening at Out of K.O.S. then float between the two events to get the most out of the experience. For more information about Black Love Day, visit www.africanamericanholidays.org.
Will Drewing
Reporter
