Hundreds Gather at Pre-Kwanzaa Event

Enjoying dance performances, free food and book giveaways, several hundred children and adults gathered Sunday for an all-day, pre-Kwanzaa celebration at the Lake View Terrace Recreation Center.

Kwanzaa, a cultural celebration whose Swahili name means “first fruits of the harvest,” was established 33 years ago by Maulana Karenga, chairman of the black studies department of Cal State Long Beach, in the wake of the Watts riots. Since its founding, the annual weeklong celebration, which officially begins Dec. 26, has grown to be observed by nearly 30 million people worldwide.

“Our purpose is to promote Kwanzaa among homes, schools, churches and businesses in the community, so people can understand better the rich African American culture and heritage,” said Ted Minor, coordinator of the event, which was sponsored by the city of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks as well as various community groups.

Reading was the special theme for this year’s celebration. “The need to teach young boys and girls to read is a critically important requirement for survival, economic or academic,” Minor said.

Sunday morning, hundreds of children’s books were given away, courtesy of Scholastic Books Inc., as families munched on free breakfasts from McDonald’s.

“It’s nice,” said Lourdes Ceballos of Arleta, whose two children, 10-year-old Ismael and 6-year-old Stephanie, received free books. “It’s good because you enjoy and share with each other.”

Keeping with the theme, Minor asked all parents or caregivers who attended the event to pledge to read at least 20 minutes a day, five days a week to their child. He also honored Norman and Adelyne Levine, a retired couple from Van Nuys, for their volunteer work at a Pacoima after-school reading program.

In the afternoon, families sat together to watch children’s dance performances.

Louis Coleman III of San Fernando, holding his 3-year-old son, Louis IV, sat entranced while watching his 5-year-old daughter, Tene, step side-by-side and wave her arms to gospel music onstage with seven other girls wearing white robes.

“I want him to know everything about his history,” Coleman said of his boy.

It’s important for all children to celebrate Kwanzaa, Coleman said, “so they can know their heritage, so they don’t get lost.”