Recently, in an unscientific poll of readers of TheRoot.com, the question was asked, "Who actually celebrates Kwanzaa?"

According to the survey, "Kwanzaa, a holiday created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, black nationalist and current chair of Africana studies at California State University, Long Beach, seems to resonate most with the baby boomer generation and may be past its prime... In fact, almost half -- 41 percent -- of all respondents born between 1946 and 1964 celebrate Kwanzaa, while those born in or before 1945 and in or after 1982 are least likely to celebrate the holiday."

As a baby boomer, my response is that timeless principles are never past their prime.  We invite you to consider with us the the principles of Nguzo Saba over the next seven days.  These principles represent values that can strengthen our lives, our families, and our communities, whether you celebrate Kwanzaa or not.  If you are a baby boomer or a member of the  millennial generation, consider these principles as you prepare for 2012 and the years to come.

THE FIRST DAY OF KWANZAA

UMOJA
Umoja (ooh-MOE-jah) means Unity, and it is the principle for the first day of Kwanzaa. Our families and communities need unity in order for them to be productive and to survive. On this day, we pledge to strive for -- and to maintain -- unity in the family, in the community, in the nation that we have helped to build, and with our PEOPLE.