In December, community members came together to celebrate Ujima day at People’s Solidarity Hub. The day was a collaborative effort between PSH staff and local Black historians, cultural organizers, and healers. Most of the organizers were brought together by James, who organized the first Black Healers Market back in 2023 at PSH.
As a capstone to 2024, the event operated at an intersection of goals that included healing, intergenerational connection, and political grounding.
Synchronizing through Sound
Zia, of Yoga Monarch and Zen with Zia, offered her Sound Bath services for Ujima Day. The sound bath (which Zia continues to host every 2nd Sunday at PSH) helped attendees find a serene space within themselves from which they could more intentionally connect with others throughout the event.
Leading with Light: A History and Honoring
Next, local historian Tyanna and sovereign food justice organizer, Shy, connected the theme of “Ujima” or “collective work and responsibility” to the current political moment. The facilitators also led participants to name, in reverence, our local and non-local movement ancestors. Tyanna and Shy reminded participants that we can study the legacies of these ancestors to find inspiration and wisdom during challenging political times.
A Slow Walk Through Our Growing Network
An 8ft timeline was featured across the back wall. It stretched from May 2022 to December 2024 and was adorned with several dozen mini versions of the flyers from previous events at the Hub.
PSH staff member Jae invited attendees to walk the timeline to visualize the breadth and reach of our political community. It both humbled and inspired people to know how many folks were working, just on our small campus, to create radical spaces for dreaming, healing, and change-making.
Honoring the Lineage of Spiritual Transformation
After the timeline walkthrough, attendees gathered in a circle outside. For nearly half the attendees, it was their first time at People’s Solidarity Hub. Jae took a few minutes to orient everyone to the PSH campus. Pointing out the white building, teal building, and the plot of land that would hold the soon-to-come outdoor pavilion space, she explained that all three pieces operated under the umbrella of the People’s Solidarity Hub campus. Jae then asked attendees to join her in a land acknowledgement through song and movement.
Afterwards, local historian and community organizer James led attendees in a reflection practice that utilized writing prompts and a bowl of fire. Attendees then discussed how they wanted to mobilize the community in the new year.
Community Talk
The final event of the day was a vibrant discussion facilitated by local cultural organizer, Taylor Mary. Attendees, ranging from teenagers to elders, discussed generational differences around values, communication styles, and self esteem. The room was buzzing with laughter and affirmations as decades of cultural gaps were closed by the skillful facilitators’ questions. Taylor Mary led the conversation as a part of her larger strategy to build more intergenerational spaces and spaces for movement elder wisdom.
“At a time when people are feeling displaced and under prepared, it felt important to remind folks about our belonging in the community and the wealth of resources that we have in each other. It also felt important to begin building a bridge between generations using language as we rediscovered each others’ wisdom and worthiness.”
-Taylor Mary, Ujima Day facilitator
Final Thoughts
Ujima Day was an outstanding collaborative effort. The PSH looks forward to seeing how the spirit of “collective work and responsibility” continues to move the activities happening on the campus this year.
