Harambee Prayer Breakfast
History
Harambee literally means "all pull together" in Swahili. It is one of the six principles of Kwanza and symbolizes a call to unity, collective work, and struggle.
Harambee signifies determination; Harambee signifies togetherness; Harambee signifies love; Harambee signifies the importance of knowing yourself.
“Harambee is a term that originated in Kenya. It is the Swahili word that signifies a community pulling together and working together. It is a tradition of community self-help events. These events may range from informal affairs lasting a few hours in which invitations were given to all who were interested to several days of community help. These events have long been important parts of East Africa to build and maintain communities. Today, we stand boldly in a land that marks a major change! We as a people look forward to hope, confidence, self-love, and faith.
The Los Angeles Section started the Harambee Breakfast 31 years ago, when Joan Jackson, Bertha Carter, Judith Jackson, and Pamela Wall went to a Harambee Prayer Breakfast at our NCNW National Convention. Dr. Dorothy Height stated, “When African people finished working together in the fields gathering crops, they would shout ”Harambee!”. She also noted, instead of clapping for someone, people would also say “Harambee” to symbolize an agreement to what they were saying. So when they came home from the convention, they decided the Los Angeles Section should have their own Harambee Prayer Breakfast to start off the New Year.
The Los Angeles Section of NCNW is striving to strengthen this organization by creating affiliations with other groups to work with youth, and collegiate students to make our organization even greater. Under the astute leadership of Dr. Dorothy Height, Harambee was conceived in the knowledge of international building (especially among Black women) and why we must pull together. She knew that only out of our efforts and toils can we work together and help to build a better community, state and nation. She recognized and accepted the concepts of Harambee for many years and encouraged us to get involved.
Repeat after me - Harambee for togetherness! Harambee for Love! Harambee for change!
“Harambee is a term that originated in Kenya. It is the Swahili word that signifies a community pulling together and working together. It is a tradition of community self-help events. These events may range from informal affairs lasting a few hours in which invitations were given to all who were interested to several days of community help. These events have long been important parts of East Africa to build and maintain communities. Today, we stand boldly in a land that marks a major change! We as a people look forward to hope, confidence, self-love, and faith.
The Los Angeles Section started the Harambee Breakfast 31 years ago, when Joan Jackson, Bertha Carter, Judith Jackson, and Pamela Wall went to a Harambee Prayer Breakfast at our NCNW National Convention. Dr. Dorothy Height stated, “When African people finished working together in the fields gathering crops, they would shout ”Harambee!”. She also noted, instead of clapping for someone, people would also say “Harambee” to symbolize an agreement to what they were saying. So when they came home from the convention, they decided the Los Angeles Section should have their own Harambee Prayer Breakfast to start off the New Year.
The Los Angeles Section of NCNW is striving to strengthen this organization by creating affiliations with other groups to work with youth, and collegiate students to make our organization even greater. Under the astute leadership of Dr. Dorothy Height, Harambee was conceived in the knowledge of international building (especially among Black women) and why we must pull together. She knew that only out of our efforts and toils can we work together and help to build a better community, state and nation. She recognized and accepted the concepts of Harambee for many years and encouraged us to get involved.
Repeat after me - Harambee for togetherness! Harambee for Love! Harambee for change!
