Youngstown & Mahoning Valley - The day after Christmas begins the Kwanzaa celebration, which is celebrated right here in the Mahoning Valley.

New Bethel Baptist Church has been hosting Kwanzaa events for over 40 years. This year is their first year back in full swing since the pandemic.

"Our first night of Kwanzaa is Umoja, which means unity," said Lynnette Kimako Miller, Founder, and Director of Harambee Youth Group.

"Tonight is about celebrating our history," said Pastor Ken Simon. "We remember our ancestors through a libation ceremony as well as talk about the seven principles of Kwanzaa."

Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration that runs until the New Year. Each day of Kwanzaa honors one of the seven principles of African American heritage, including unity, creativity, faith, and responsibility. They are principles organizers say we can all live by.

At New Bethel, they welcomed dozens of youth Kwanzaa dancers and drummers to perform for the crowd. 

"We want them to embrace those principles and live by those principles, and if we do that, we'll be better people and a better nation," Miller said

Pastor Simon said it's essential to include future generations in these Kwanzaa celebrations.

"It connects them with our history," Simon explained. "It connects them with our culture, and then it empowers our young people to create their own destiny."

"We teach our children about their heritage, their history, and their culture," Miller added. "We teach them pride. We teach them the principles, ask them to embrace them, and encourage them to live by them."

The public celebrations around the Valley are just getting started. Another Kwanzaa celebration will be hosted this Thursday at Progressive Baptist Church in Warren at 5 p.m.