District Celebrates Black Love

There were no roses, gigantic stuffed animals or box chocolates on any of the tables on the first floor of the Emergence Community Arts Collective on Sunday, Feb. 13. Instead, there was a collection of candles, oils and other assortments that represented love.

On a table covered by a silk purple tablecloth sat a plant to represent the earth, water for healing, salt to bind the wounds, honey for the sweetness of love and nutmeg for the bitter. African paintings, portraits and instruments hung off the walls and captured the attention of those walking around the ECAC.

"Cast away your pain, release your hurt into the hands of God" played lightly in the background as Ayo Handy-Kendi, founder of Black Love Day centered herself with tolerance and love in preparation for this year's Black Love Day ritual.

"The ritual isn't a celebration of the love that should have been demonstrated today, but an opportunity to seek forgiveness and share the love with others if you yet to do so," Handy-Kendi said. The ritual began with prayer in homage to our ancestors.

"Black people have been hurt by oppression and transfer their internalized anger to those who look like them, resorting in black on black crime, black self-hatred and prejudice, family

and community dysfunction," Handy-Kendi said.

But the public apology wasn't about the problems of this nation; it was about the power of self-love in order to love others.

Jewel Elliot of the Living Well Institute challenged the audience to "peel off the challenge of life and love more through freedom." Elliot went on to explain that every thought is guaranteed to become a 100 percent true, but although you may be thinking positive thoughts, negative thoughts are blocking them from coming to existence.

Black Love Day is more than just an alternative to Valentine's Day; it is an opportunity for everyone to focus healing relationships, to increase peace and to stop violence.

Created in 1993, BLD is a 24-hour demonstration of love showing, at best, five Tenets of love – towards the Creator, for self, for the family, for the black community and for the black race.

In honor of the Tucson shootings, the 18th Black Love Day theme is "Tolerance Thru Unconditional Love." The theme was reflected in a national "Moment of Silence for Tolerance" for 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Feb. 13.

This year, Handy-Kendi requested that everyone "Breathe into our heart, unconditional love for those who do not look or act like us. Breathe out a release of outdated thoughts, feelings and emotions of fear and intolerance. Accept with grace that the Creator made us all different for a reason. Resonate in this Divine principle. Vow to practice tolerance of our uniqueness through agape love – the love of all humanity as brotherly/sisterly love. Organize prayer circles, peace vigils, love feasts, talk fasts and in-gatherings to elevate tolerance through unconditional love because love overcomes hatred and bequeaths more love."

Although Monique King, a 24-year-old from Friendship Heights, Md., wasn't in attendance for the ritual she still celebrated BLD.

"My phone will be turned off, Lauryn Hill will be playing from my speakers and I'll be cooking myself [dinner]. This isn't just a day that should be celebrated on Feb. 13, but every day. It's a chance for us to love ourselves and others," she said.