Kwanzaa Principles Today, Tomorrow and Everyday

12/29/21

Habari Gani! (What's the news)

Ujamaa (To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together)

This post was inspired by the Ujamaa principle of Kwanzaa. The picture above symbolizes my why. If you have known me for a while, you know that I've had lots of entrepreneurial pursuits - first there was PAWSE Body care, then Melanated Magic Tees and finally becoming an author of the Delicious and Nutritious Series. Each of these endeavors was inspired by my children. PAWSE is actually an acronym of my two oldest children's initials (my youngest wasn't born yet). Melanated Magic Tees was created because I wanted to see images that represented my children on merch which was something that was hard to find at the time. Last but not least, the Delicious and Nutritious children's book series was inspired by my daughter and created to teach children about nutrition, healthy eating & trying new foods while representing and affirming families of color.

What you might not know as an independently published author, I have to pay for all the upfront costs of creating my books. The illustrations, editing, promotion, packaging and most importantly printing of books. As I gear up to release the second title in my series, I've been looking for local printers as many authors print overseas as it's the most cost-effective route.

I was able to find a small local printer that is Black-owned (yay)! I received my estimate for my new book during Kwanzaa - when we're practicing the principle of Ujamaa (building and maintaining our own businesses). The cost to use this local printer is significantly more expensive than overseas options. It's partly due to the cost of goods, paper and supplies increasing and partly due to the fact that it's a small business that does not receive the breaks/discounts that large corporations do. Frankly, this isn't a smart business move, but my spirit says that I should support this business in an effort to support the collective and my community.

I try my best to live the principles of Kwanzaa every day. So today, in honor of Ujamaa, I'm asking you to support the collective too! Please consider pre-ordering or donating a signed copy or two of our new book (or more ) to offset my upfront cost. Please share this with the parents, educators, librarians or anyone in your network that may be interested in this heartwarming book.

The deets:

Grow. Eat. Repeat. : A Love Letter to Black-Eyed Peas drops in February 2022 - just in time for Black History Month. Authored by myself and my 10-year-old daughter shines a bright light on the beauty of Black culture and its rich traditions passed from generation to generation.

This delightful book follows Paige as she discovers the joys of her little garden. Her learning journey whisks her across continents, through history, and towards family. Watch what happens as she waits for her very own black-eyed peas to grow.

Pre-order this charming and informative book today by visiting: staceywoodson.com/books

Happy Kwanzaa,

Stacey