December 30, 2013

Marcus Garvey: Purpose (Nia)

Kwanzaa

The symbol at the top of the page shows the Kwanzaa symbol of Nia (Purpose): "To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness."

From the time Marcus was born, his parents knew Marcus was destined for great things. Marcus was named after the emperor, Marcus Aurelius, and his middle name, Mosiah, was a version of Moses. Marcus believed that his life and everyone’s life had a purpose. The word “purpose” is repeated 131 times in The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey:

“Our race has been without a will; without a purpose of its own, for all this length of time. Because of that we have developed few men who are able to understand the strenuousness of the age in which we live.”

“How many of us can reach out to that higher life; that higher purpose; that creative world that says to you, you are a man, a sovereign, a lord—lord of the creation?”

“No race or people can well survive without an aim or purpose. We must know beforehand the progress of our existence. Our racial program of today is a united, emancipated and improved people.”

“LIFE is that existence that is given to man to live for a purpose, to live to his own satisfaction and pleasure, providing he forgets not the God who created him and who expects a spiritual obedience and observation of the moral laws that He has inspired.”

"The purpose of life is to live fully."

Writing Exercises

What is your purpose? How do you plan to "live fully"?

Write a paragraph about how you plan to develop your skills to develop yourself and community."

What are your plans for your life? Where do you see yourself in ten years? Write a paragraph about your plans.


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exonerate Marcus Garvey


The Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey is petitioning Senator Bill Nelson, Representative Frederica Wilson, and the Congress of the United States of America for the exoneration of Marcus Garvey:

http://www.causes.com/actions/1722148-urge-congress-to-exonerate-civil-rights-leader-marcus-garvey


Thank you for your support.

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