Kwanzaa principles were in full practice at The University of Islam located at Mosque Maryam in Chicago. The BRIJ FUND in partnership with The Black Mall and Bean Soup Times presented The Ujamaa Empowerment Expo.
The Ujamaa Empowerment Expo is an exercise in Black dollars working for and with each other. The concept of circulating the currency in our community is one that has been lost and needs to be implemented again. About thirty small business owners were present. Everything from clothing, beauty products and food was available.
TeQuila Sahaya Shabazz, founder/president of BRIJ Fund, had this to say: “The day celebrates cooperative economics and highlights all forms of capital necessary in order to build wealth in the Black community. We pay close attention to natural capital (land and food), human capital (education, health/fitness and spirituality), cultural capital (traditions, language, arts, fashion & information), social capital (networks), physical capital (technology), political capital and financial capital (money). Our community rarely connect all of these areas when discussing economics and it is our belief that there can be no financial growth without discussing how these other forms of capital play a major part in redeveloping our communities.”
