WorldBeat Cultural Center will host its 45th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration from Friday, December 26 through Monday, December 29, 2025, honoring four of the seven days of the African American holiday. All events are free and family-friendly, with doors opening nightly at 6:00 p.m. and programs beginning at 6:30 p.m. More information is available at www.worldbeatcenter.org.
Established by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday observed from December 26 to January 1 and rooted in African traditions. It centers on the Nguzo Saba, or Seven Principles: unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. For more than four decades, WorldBeat Cultural Center has served as a cornerstone for this celebration in San Diego, bringing together generations through ceremony, education, and artistic expression.
This year’s milestone observance will also inaugurate the Annual Kwanzaa Awards, a new tradition honoring individuals whose work embodies the values of the Nguzo Saba. Among the first honorees is Chuck Ambers, founder of African Museum Casa del Rey Moro, recognized for his lasting contributions to preserving and promoting African Diasporic history. Additional honorees including Maria Lane, Johnnierennee Nia Nelson, Dennis Newsome and Prince Habib will be acknowledged throughout the four-night celebration.
Each evening will include ceremonial candle lighting, libations, African drumming, poetry by Johnnierenee Nia Nelson, and Karamu, the traditional Karamu feast, alongside featured speakers and performers aligned with each night’s principle.
Friday, December 26 — Umoja (Unity)
The opening night highlights unity with a live harp performance by Mariea Antoinette, the WorldBeat Cultural Center African Drum and Dance Ensemble, and keynote speakers Starla Lewis and Dr. Derah.
Lewis, a Professor Emerita and seven-time Mesa College Teacher of the Year, has spent more than 40 years advancing empowerment through education, poetry, and life coaching. A San Diego Women’s Hall of Fame inductee, she was honored by the City Council in 2019 with Professor Starla Lewis Day.
Dr. Derah, a holistic health practitioner and founder of Total Health Products, brings more than 54 years of experience in natural health and healing. Together, they reflect the spirit of Umoja through education, wellness, and love.
Saturday, December 27 — Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
Saturday features a keynote address and book signing by Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and author of Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War. Her work documents Harriet Tubman’s leadership of the 1863 Combahee River Raid, which liberated 756 enslaved people, the largest slave rebellion in U.S. history. A live harp performance by Mariea Antoinette will also be featured.
Sunday, December 28 — Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
Sunday’s program welcomes keynote speakers Ayanna Gregory and Shugri Said Salh. Gregory—educator, artist, and daughter of activist Dick Gregory—uses music and storytelling to inspire healing and social responsibility. Salh, an award-winning author and cultural archivist, shares stories of resilience drawn from her memoir The Last Nomad and her work preserving Somali oral traditions.
Monday, December 29 — Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
The celebration concludes with the WorldBeat Cultural Center African Drum and Dance Ensemble and a performance by multi-disciplinary artist Tebe Zalango, whose fusion of hip-hop, spoken word, and violin emphasizes unity, shared growth, and collective empowerment.
As WorldBeat Cultural Center marks 45 years of Kwanzaa, the celebration continues to honor African heritage while inviting the wider community to reflect, reconnect, and celebrate shared values through culture, history, and collective care.