AKOMA Festival

BLACK Love DAY

Habari Gani:

Black Love Day was first created in 1993 by Sister Ayo Handy-Kendi as a way to fully express the wide range of love for ourselves and our people. In St. Louis, we celebrate the Akoma Festival as a three day holiday to further extend our love for each other.

As you celebrate this year, we hope that you feel love and joy and their power to connect us to each other and ourselves.

Please review the following for more information on Black Love Day and the Akoma Festival and ways to celebrate. Asante.

TEACH

BLACK LOVE DAY/AKOMA FESTIVAL INCLUDES FIVE BASIC ACTS OF LOVE TO BE SHOWN FOR THE CREATOR, SELF, FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND RACE.

FOR SOME, BLACK LOVE DAY/AKOMA FESTIVAL IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO VALENTINE'S DAY, WHICH DOES NOT COME OUT OF OUR AFRIKAN HISTORICAAL PERSPECTIVE, TRADITIONS, OR LEGACY.

AKOMA IS AN AKAN TERM WHICH TRANSLATES TO "HAVE A HEART". AKOMA IS BOTH A SAYING AND ADINRKA SYMBOL USED TO INDICATE LOVE AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER.