Sunday marks the start of Kwanzaa and one woman is turning to education to celebrate the special tradition.It's a seven-day, non-religious holiday observed in the United States. Kwanzaa is meant to honor African Americans' ancestral roots."It’s so important to convey this tradition because it’s ancient. It’s not new, it’s old, and it brings us together," Doris Fields, who celebrates Kwanzaa, said. The tradition often involves symbolic items like a candle holder (Kinara), unity cup (Kikombe cha Umoja), placemat (Mkeka), crops (Mazao), corn (Muhindi) and gifts (Zawadi).Fields has celebrated the holiday for over 35 years, from paying homage to ancestors to sharing hopes for the new year."Usually there are people in their 90s , and they have so much wisdom," Fields said. "They have so much to offer to us."While Fields' annual events may look smaller due to the coronavirus pandemic, she said she doesn't stop the opportunity to teach.On Sunday, her home was a haven for a small group of friends, eager to learn more about the tradition."There were people here who had not had Kwanzaa with us before, so it's very nice to be able to share our thoughts," Fields said.The holiday involves seven principles, represented by candles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. "I’ve been celebrating Kwanzaa with my family. probably for the last like 10 or 15 years," Markella Clinton, who also celebrates Kwanzaa, said. "It’s something I look forward to every year. It’s a great family excuse. It’s a great community motivator as well because you don’t just have to be family to be able to come and enjoy."According to UCHealth, a not-for-profit health care system, Kwanzaa is the fastest-growing holiday in the world.As popularity increases, Clinton said it's important to ask important questions."Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to look for information," Clinton said. "Educate yourself, because it’s not a religious holiday. It’s about community engagement and having faith in yourself and having faith in your community." The celebration lasts until Jan. 1.

Christmas might be over, but Kwanzaa is just getting started.Today marks the start of Kwanzaa, also spelled Kwanza (with one 'a' at the end). It's a seven-day non-religious holiday observed in the U.S., meant to honor African Americans' ancestral roots. The celebration lasts until Jan. 1.The name comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits."Created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a Black nationalist and professor of Pan-African studies at California State University at Long Beach, Kwanzaa became popular in the 1980s and 1990s in tandem with the Black Power movement — making up the trio of winter holidays along with Hanukkah and Christmas.The holiday is defined by Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles. Each day of the festival is dedicated to a specific principle, marked by lighting a new candle on the kinara, a seven-branched candelabra.Even though Kwanzaa isn't as widely celebrated as it used to be, its seven principles still hold true for some. Here's a look at what those principles are, and what they mean.UmojaUmoja means unity in Swahili.Karenga defines this on his Kwanzaa website as: "To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race."KujichaguliaOr self-determination. This principle refers to defining, naming, creating and speaking for oneself.UjimaTranslated as "collective work and responsibility," ujima refers to uplifting your community."To build and maintain our community together and make our brother's and sister's problems our problems and to solve them together," Karenga writes.UjamaaCooperative economics. Similar to ujima, this principle refers to uplifting your community economically. "To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together," he writes.NiaNia means purpose.Karenga expands on this principle with, "To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness."KuumbaMeaning "creativity," Karenga defines this principle as "To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it."ImaniThe final principle translates to "faith."Karenga defines this as faith in community, writing, "To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle."