I grew up and currently live in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country, and have a broad variety of friends from different cultures (even extremists like white male Republicans). In spite of this, I’ve never met someone who celebrates Kwanzaa. This made it easy to poke a little fun at Kwanzaa for years, in trivial ways like saying “Have a Dope Kwanzaa” as a December 26th greeting. Well, in spite of the fact that the holiday was made up in 1966 by a guy who changed his name from Ronald McKinley Everett to Maulana Karenga, I’ve decided I should lay off on the Kwanzaa jabs, which (as in so many instances in life) were based on ignorance. Check out what the seven days of Kwanzaa are devoted to: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics),  Nia (Purpose),  Kuumba (Creativity), and  Imani (Faith). I can’t really poke fun at any of those principles, can you? And any day that gives people a better understanding of each other can’t be a bad thing, can it? Have a Happy Kwanzaa!