As part of a seven-venue celebration of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, the Village Project and various community
organizations are holding a celebration and ceremony at the African American Art and Culture Complex on Wednesday, Dec. 30.

The celebration will center on Nia, or “purpose,” the fifth of Kwanzaa’s sevens principles, or Nguzo Saba. The overarching theme is community with a focus on youth and posterity: Nia functions as an inspiration for self-determination, and is meant to foster a sense of community. The Village Project, a Fillmore District-based organization, provides education and cultural enrichment services to youth and their families.

According to the event’s Web site, Kwanzaa “celebrates collective hard work to nourish and provide for the community, and to educate children about their traditional greatness and the role they play in creating a bright future for humanity.”

A reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by a traditional, instructive Kwanzaa celebration from 7 to 9 p.m. Attendance is free.

The African American Art and Culture Complex is at 762 Fulton St. in San Francisco.

Gianmaria Franchini is a freelance writer and journalist who specializes in culture and arts. His writing has appeared in GT Weekly, SF360.org and NOVO magazine. He has contributed research and writing for stories on public health in Alameda County, underground farmer's markets, and public art for the SF Public Press. He has a degree in Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he edited the Arts desk for City on a Hill Press. He lives in Oakland.