The District Chronicles

Issue date: 2/12/07 Section: Cover

Handy-Kendi's philosophy of Black Love came in handy three years after she founded the holiday when life dealt her two back-to-back blows. In 1996, her 17-year- old son was beaten to death.

"When he was killed, I had to exercise all of my Black love to achieve forgiveness," Kendi said. Then six months later, her father died of brain cancer. "I had to go through a whole lot of healing behind both of their deaths and in that process, Black love sustained me."

Last month, Thomas's grandson, 21, was shot in the leg from a stray bullet. "It's Kendi's mission, as a peace advocate, to force violent acts, such as these, out of the Black community," a philosophical Thomas said.

The colors associated with Black Love Day, purple and Black, are representations of what is needed to stop violence in Black communities. The color purple was chosen for its spirituality. "Black is the synthesis of all the colors," said Kendi. It is also used "to reframe the color Black as a positive color."

The holiday falls on the 13th, not by coincidence, but because of its significance. "Looking at the numerology, understanding that the 13th is a spiritual number of transformation, it is a time for change," said Kendi. "When you look on the back of the dollar bill, you see all of these images of the number 13, from the 13 arrows that the eagle holds, to the 13 stars in the emblem."

The first Black Love Day, in 1993, was in the form of a health fair with conversations centered on the healing power of love. Black Love Day in 2007 will be focused on health as well, but with a twist.

"This year's theme is healing racism impacting families," said Kendi. "It was sparked through listening to all of the fall out behind this Virginia legislature seeming confusion around the apology for slavery."

Kendi said, "A great reason why there is such a disparity in health is because of racism. We are so stressed out about all of the little subtle racial innuendoes Black people deal with at the job, out on the street, in store, just in our daily lives."

A relationship ceremony will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. this year at St. Steven's Church, 1525 Newton Street, NW. Admission is free. "Black Love Day is something universal to bring our people together," Handy-Kendi declared.

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