Hidden in a sea of tinsel, holly, and gold coins stands a proud Kwanzaa cup.

This Tuesday marks the first day of Kwanzaa, and the occasion of the second annual Kwanzaa Crawl. While a bar crawl is not the most traditional way to inspire interest in a holiday, Kwanzaa Crawl is more than a reason to look fly and get drunk with your friends.


It embodies each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa including unity, cooperative economics, and self-determination. “There is something about thousands of black people dressing as black as they want to be, and just being positive,” says comedian, entrepreneur, and Kwanzaa Crawl founder, Kerry Corrdett.


This year's crawl expands to Harlem and includes the participation of 25 Black-owned bars. A portion of the proceeds will go to social justice organizations Barbershop Books and the BLK Projek. The event is also supported by NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, New York State Senator Jesse Hamilton, and City Council Member Robert Cornegy, Jr., uniting the community with the elected officials that represent them.


With the spending power of black consumers and Kwanzaa’s emphasis on supporting black culture, this crawl serves as an opportunity to educate people on Kwanzaa’s principles and make Kwanzaa cool again. Dressed in whatever makes them feel unapologetically black, Kwanzaa Crawlers are teamed up and set on their curated crawl hopping from bar to bar glowing with black joy, so don't be surprised if you hear a few old school Biggie lines sung into the night.


If you’ll be in or near New York City on December 26 looking for a woke, dope, jolly good time, head over to the website to grab a ticket before they sell out (It’ll make for a great last-minute Kwanzaa present).


[Feature Image Courtesy Instagram] 

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