This is the second article in our five-part Black History Month 2025 blog series, which focuses on “Power and Pride: Standing Firm in Power.” In this piece, we explore how Kujichagulia, the Swahili term for “self-determination”, serves as the critical framework for Black communities to stand firm in the face of systemic challenges while simultaneously building collective resilience.
Why Kujichagulia Matters Now: A bridge for all Black communities
Kwanzaa’s second principle, Kujichagulia, isn’t just about tradition. It’s the blueprint for communities to stand firm in power when systems try to silence them.
It’s the lived reality for countless Black communities across the UK, particularly African Caribbean communities who have historically navigated complex challenges related to housing discrimination, economic exclusion, and cultural identity. Unlike traditional approaches to community empowerment that often emphasise uniformity or external solutions, Kujichagulia offers a nuanced understanding of power that acknowledges diversity while fostering shared strength. This approach is vital because it challenges the false narrative that Black communities are monolithic, instead celebrating the rich tapestry of experiences that exist within our communities.
In a world where power often flows from above, Kujichagulia, the Swahili term for “to be self-determined”, offers a radical alternative. It’s not about isolation or self-sufficiency in isolation, but about building collective agency from within. For Black communities in the UK, including African Caribbean communities, Black African communities, and all Black ethnic groups, this principle isn’t abstract philosophy. It’s the lived reality of resilience, cultural stewardship, and the quiet defiance that keeps communities standing firm against systemic erasure. And it’s precisely this self-determined power that makes Kwanzaa’s Kujichagulia the most relevant guide for all Black communities navigating the modern world.
The key insight is that Kujichagulia works best when we acknowledge differences while building shared strength. For example, African Caribbean communities have historically faced unique challenges related to the Windrush generation, while other Black communities have distinct migration histories. True self-determination requires respecting these differences while building collective power, something TCR’s work demonstrates through community-driven justice initiatives.
How Kujichagulia creates tangible Power (not just words)
Kujichagulia isn’t about theory, it’s about action that transforms communities. In the UK, we see this through:
- Community-led solutions: When Black communities co-design initiatives for housing, health, or economic opportunities, they create solutions that reflect their specific needs.
- Cultural preservation as resistance: Kwanzaa itself, with its emphasis on family, heritage, and unity, becomes a tool for cultural continuity despite historical fragmentation.
- Policy advocacy: When communities determine their own priorities, they influence policy in ways that address systemic barriers.
This isn’t about uniformity. As TCR’s campaign shows, “Black History Month is for ALL black communities”, and Kujichagulia helps us celebrate that diversity while building shared power.
Why this resonates with Black History Month’s “Standing Firm in Power” theme
Black History Month’s focus on “Standing Firm in Power” is a call to action, and Kujichagulia is the perfect lens for understanding how communities stand firm. Unlike abstract declarations of “power,” Kujichagulia shows how communities build power that lasts.
For UK policymakers, Kujichagulia reveals that effective solutions emerge when communities lead, not when systems dictate. This aligns with TCR’s mission to “improve the lives of individuals and communities facing economic and environmental injustice” Black History M…n plan.txt. For changemakers, it means shifting from “helping” to enabling, empowering communities to design their own pathways to self-determination.
TCR’s Role: Practitioners of Kujichagulia in action
At The Community Revolution, we don’t just talk about self-determination, we build it. Our work with Black communities across the UK is grounded in Kujichagulia:
- Co-designing solutions: Partnering with community elders and youth to create initiatives that address housing, health, and cultural preservation as acts of self-determination.
- Amplifying voices: Ensuring community narratives shape policy discussions, not just as beneficiaries, but as decision-makers.
- Fostering intergenerational resilience: Teaching youth how to lead with Kujichagulia, turning cultural traditions into tools for community power.
This approach directly supports TCR’s five-part blog series on Black History Month 2025, which focuses on “Power and Pride: Standing Firm in Power”.
Your turn: Stand Firm in your Community
Kujichagulia isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up, even when it’s hard, to build self-determined power. That’s why we invite you:
Share your story of self-determination in your community. What did it take to stand firm?
Use the hashtag #KujichaguliaPower to join our conversation. Whether you’re a policymaker, researcher, or community member, your story matters.
Because when we stand firm together, we don’t just survive the systems that try to silence us.
We build power that shapes the future, one self-determined step at a time.
