Current Structure

Today, TARPIE is led by co-directors, Shujaa Baker and Akhir Rashad. Shujaa is a longtime design engineer and Akhir is a machinist and independent programmer, and video game developer. They work with a team of six talented women and men from a variety of professions. The group still meets weekly to develop their active projects and to coordinate periodic cultural events and activities in the Inland Empire, the greater Los Angeles area, and online.

The original Long Beach Study Group still meets every week on Wednesday 6-8pm at the African American Cultural Center Long Beach, 4321 Atlantic Ave. They can also be found on YouTube.

Dedication

We give continued thanks to the Long Beach Study Group, Shades of Afrika (Long Beach), KRST Unity Center (Los Angeles), and The African American Museum of Beginnings (Pomona) for being partners in this work.

We also pay continuous tribute to the memory of James Thomas and Kwesi Osafo for their scholarship, committed work, their love for Black people, and their faith in us again becoming the best possible version of ourselves. May the good they helped create last forever…

We have three projects being developed currently. Our first objective is to promote the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa as a “Black job” or a daily code of conduct for Black communities everywhere – every single day – not just during Kwanzaa.

1. Our first objective is to promote the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa as a “Black job” or a daily code of conduct for Black communities everywhere – every single day – not just during Kwanzaa.
2. Our second objective is to encourage Black people to fully reconnect with our long history and tradition as S.T.E.M. innovators, to not only reclaim our status as masters of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – but to also fully develop ourselves as masters of manufacturing, too, so we can produce everything we need and then some.
3. Our third objective is to reintroduce Kwanzaa to a new generation of children (and adults) by expanding understanding of the holiday’s origin and original intent, along with introducing some of the people who assisted in creating the holiday – including the elder woman who inspired creation of this Pan African holiday as a 10-year-old girl in December 1965.

“Kwanzaa For Kids” – Our third project builds on our objective to reintroduce Kwanzaa to a new generation of children (and adults) through the eyes and perspective of two elders who were among the seven children who participated in the first Kwanzaa celebration. This includes Terri Bandele (Kinamo Damu) and her brother Sam Carr, Jr. (Karama Damu) who participated in the first Kwanzaa celebration with their sister, Tanya Carr (Baraka Damu) and their father, Sam Carr, Sr. (Ngao Damu) who performed cultural rituals and led the most significant functions at the celebration.

Terri Bandele inspired creation of Kwanzaa as a ten-year-old girl while listening to her father (Ngao Damu) and Dr. Karenga as they discussed plans for not celebrating Christmas that year. At the time, she was known as Kinamo Damu, and she was concerned about missing out on the fun she previously enjoyed during the holidays.

To express her concern and represent her interests while being aligned with the adult conversation she witnessed, young Kinamo asked – “How do Africans celebrate?” The adults soon responded to her question with a research effort that led to creation of the holiday which first celebrated in Los Angeles the next year, in December 1966.

Our intent is to recapture the original inspiration by introducing a series of static and interactive Kwanzaa themed tutorials, arts and crafts, games, and S.T.E.M. tutorials for children to enjoy as they learn about the holiday, the Seven Principles, and S.T.E.M.

See https://kwanzaa.org/kwanzaa-for-kids/ and https://nguzosaba365.org/bebuilder-2608/ for examples – with more to come…