Let’s Celebrate Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa!! Celebrate the Nguzo Saba 2025 with ACHA and Woodgreen.
Open House and Awards Day / Entrepreneur Day
Join us for the presentation of our year end awards.
Focus on “UJAMAA”
Children, youth, and adults creatively generate their Africentric businesses
Implementing the principle of UJAMAA
Focus on planning and strategizing as a way forward
Eco-Chic Tee-Up:
Tee-shirt repurposing workshop
As we approach Earth Day 2025. Join us for a creative and sustainable fashion experience! Our T-Shirt Repurposing Workshop is the perfect way to give new life to old tees while reducing waste and embracing eco-friendly style.
You'll learn hands-on techniques to up-cycle your Tee with flair! No sewing skills? No problem! This fun and interactive session is open to all skill levels. Join the fashion revolution to protect planet earth.
What you need: 1 or 2 of your damaged or throw away T-shirts. Your fun self and imagination
About your Facilitator: Pearl Xun
I am Pearl Xun, wife, mother, newly minted Grandma, and Founder of XUNOPIA. I am an advocate for a greener fashion industry and a sustainable Earth. I studied fashion design at Ryerson University (TMU) and opened my first Design studio in the 1990s. After a 25-year hiatus from the fashion industry, I started XUNOPIA in 2019. XUNOPIA allows me to express my creativity in support of my passion for fashion and offer eco-friendly fashion alternatives to reduce fashion carbon footprints.
ABOUT XUNOPIA
XUNOPIA is revolutionizing the eco-friendly fashion landscape by offering a personalized, upscale approach to sustainable clothing. In an era where thrifting, upcycling, and clothing swaps have become mainstream, XUNOPIA stands out by reimagining the transformation of throwaway garments into stylish, renewed pieces right from the comfort of the home.
We disrupt the traditional flow of clothing from user to reseller to landfill, extending the life of textiles. XUNOPIA is building a community of fashionistas who delight in the transformative textile journey and are actively engaged in reducing their fashion carbon footprint.
Sankofa to “Ujamaa” Programming / Black History Challenge
Black History Challenge
Learning African history is crucial because it helps to debunk misconceptions about Africa's past, reveal the continent's rich and complex civilizations, understand the roots of modern African cultures, contribute to a broader global historical perspective, and promote cultural appreciation and respect for African heritage, all while highlighting Africa's significant contributions to human civilization, including its role as the cradle of humanity.
The black history challenge is a fun activity where students work in groups to test what they know about their history.
Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.
Sankofa to Ujamaa Programming Annual General Meeting
This is an appeal to all our members, supporters, and community advocates who acknowledge the importance of passing on our history, culture, and heritage to future generations of Africans in the diaspora.
ACHA's AGM will be held on Saturday, 22 February. Your presence is necessary to ensure we continue to work on behalf of the children and families in our community. Members must be in good standing to vote.
“Take advantage of every opportunity; where there is none, make it for yourself.”“If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.”“Liberate the minds of men and ultimately you will liberate the bodies of men.”“The Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness.”“With confidence, you have won before you have started.”
Regular Programming
PRACTICING THE PRINCIPLE OF UJAMAA
SANKOFA~ A journey in applying and implementing the principle of UJAMAA to ourselves.
" ...Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” — Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, was an African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and social activist. She became known as the first female self-made millionaire in America through her successful line of beauty and haircare products tailored for Black women. After experiencing personal struggles and witnessing the challenges faced by her community, she developed a range of formulas that transformed the haircare industry. Walker established a vast network of sales agents, empowering women and promoting economic independence. Beyond her business achievements, she was dedicated to philanthropy, advocating for civil rights and educational opportunities for African Americans. Walker's legacy endures as a symbol of resilience and empowerment in the face of adversity.
ACHA Cook-off - Pumpkin Challenge
"Words are sweet but they cannot take the place of food" African Proverb
ACHA continues its focus on the principle of UJAMAA by connecting it to our health and wellness and with some much-needed levity. Join us in the spirit of KUUMBA (creativity), and bring along your favorite pumpkin dish for a show and share. We’ll be digging (pun intended) into the many health benefits of this affordable nutritional staple.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
‘The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.’ – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy is often remembered primarily for his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech and his advocacy for nonviolent protest during the Civil Rights Movement. However, his vision extended well beyond these elements. His opposition to the Vietnam War exemplified his broader commitment to global justice and peace, challenging the injustices of militarism that disproportionately affected people of color both in the U.S. and abroad. King's activism in his later years, particularly through the Poor People's Campaign, highlighted his profound understanding of the interconnectedness of racial and economic justice. This initiative was revolutionary in its effort to unify a diverse coalition of impoverished Americans to collectively fight for equitable economic opportunities and living conditions. Moreover, King's exploration of economic models and his critiques of capitalism and materialism reflect his deep-rooted belief in a more equitable economic system. His engagement with these ideas shows a nuanced understanding of the structural barriers to equality, advocating for a society where wealth and resources are shared more justly. One fascinating aspect of his journey was his evolving relationship with Malcolm X. Despite their differing views, the planned meeting between King and Malcolm X suggested a potential for a powerful alliance that could have further united various factions within the civil rights movement. Understanding these dimensions of Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy enriches our appreciation of his comprehensive approach to social justice. It's crucial to recognize the depth of his commitment not only to racial equality but to addressing the root causes of inequality and envisioning a world of true peace and justice.
Kwanzaa Celebration
We stress culture because it gives identity, purpose and direction. It tells us who we are, what we must do, and how we can do it.
Preparation for Kwanzaa
Maulana Karenga
We stress culture because it gives identity, purpose and direction. It tells us who we are, what we must do, and how we can do it.
The [Kwanzaa] holiday, then will of necessity, be engaged as an ancient and living cultural tradition which reflects the best of African thought and practice in its reaffirmation of the dignity of the human person in community and culture, the well-being of family and community, the integrity of the environment and our kinship with it, and the rich resource and meaning of a people's culture.
We're getting ready for our KWANZAA celebration on December 7, 2024. This preparation includes finalizing the event details, practicing for presentations, and planning creative activities. It's not too late to join in. This is a great opportunity to engage in a community event that promotes shared awareness
UNDERSTANDING THE PRINCIPLE OF “UJAMAA”
UNDERSTANDING THE PRINCIPLE OF “UJAMAA”
In this session we look at our past entrepreneurial accomplishments as a means of empowering ourselves to create better outcomes for future generations.
"A race that is solely dependent upon another for its economic existence sooner or later dies. Being satisfied to drink the dregs from the cup of human progress will not demonstrate our fitness as a people to exist alongside of others, but when of our own initiative we strike out to build industries, governments, and ultimately empires, then and only then will we as a race prove to our creator and to man in general that we are fit to survive and capable of shaping our own destiny.”
The Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey- Leader, Black Nationalist, Entrepreneur, Publisher, Orator
Orientation Day
2024 -2025 Theme: SANKOFA JOURNEY TO “UJAMAA” (Coorperative Economics)
The gift to our children that lasts a lifetime!
Join us as we embark on this exciting cultural heritage journey together! Each Africentric session consists of its own bi-weekly theme, so that your child has something new to anticipate with each coming week.
If you have children that fall into the age groups of 5-12 and 12 -18, it’s well worth taking a look at our hands-on activities, which are designed to keep your child engaged, while creating a safe space for parents and elders in the community to connect and share our history and common issues affecting African Canadian families.
CELEBRATING 55 YEARS IN THE COMMUNITY
ACHA in the Park
Saturday September 14, 1.00 - 5.30pm
Thompson Memorial Park, Area D.
1005 Brimley Rd, Scarborough, ON M1P 4C6
All are welcome to this family friendly event.
Music, Drumming, Games, Performances, Children activities, Refreshments and so much more.
ACHA Year End Award Ceremony and Appreciation Day
"Education is useless if you cannot relate it to your immediate environment." Dr. Amos Wilson
ACHA YOUTH RECITING THE AFRICAN PLEDGE:
We will remember the humanity, glory and sufferings of our ancestors,
and honour the struggles of our elders.
We will strive to bring new value and life to our people.
We will have peace and harmony among us.
We will be loving, sharing and creative.
We will work study and listen so we may learn, learn so we may teach.
We will cultivate self reliance.
We will struggle to resurrect and unite our homeland.
We will have discipline, patience, devotion and courage.
We will live as models to provide new direction for our people.
We will be free and self determined.
WE ARE AFRICAN PEOPLE WE WILL WIN!
End of year celebration with games and awards. Bring your favourite dish to share with everyone
Bring your business to share with us as we introduce the upcoming ACHA year focus of UJAMAA using our Sankofa lens and our "Conversations with our ACHA Elders" video series.
We return to John Buchan School in September 2024