December 28: Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility)
- Ruby N Lewis
- Dec 28, 2025
- 2 min read
Day 3 of Kwanzaa – Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility)
December 28
Ujima calls us to remember a truth that history has tried to bury but never erased: we survive because we work together.
Ujima means collective work and responsibility—the commitment to build and maintain our community together and to recognize that our problems are not individual failures, but shared responsibilities. It teaches us that none of us are meant to carry the weight alone.
In a world that constantly pushes individualism—handle it yourself, fix it on your own, struggle quietly—Ujima pushes back. It reminds us that Black communities have always thrived through cooperation: raising each other’s children, pooling resources, sharing skills, and stepping in when systems fail us.
Ujima asks us to look around and say:
“If one of us is hurting, all of us are affected.”
This principle is about accountability with compassion. It’s about showing up—not just when it’s convenient, but when it’s necessary. It’s about understanding that healing, justice, safety, and progress are collective efforts.
When we practice Ujima, we stop asking, “Why don’t they fix it?”And start asking, “How can we fix this—together?”
How PDDBM Lives Ujima Every Day
At Please Don’t Die Black Men (PDDBM), Ujima is not just a word we honor during Kwanzaa—it is the foundation of our work year-round.
We practice collective work and responsibility by:
Creating safe, structured spaces where Black youth are supported, mentored, and protected
Offering afterschool programs in fashion design, filmmaking, journalism, modeling, acting, and entrepreneurship—because education and opportunity should never be gatekept
Sharing responsibility for success, ensuring students don’t just learn skills, but are guided through real-world application, showcases, and community events
Building intergenerational support, where elders, mentors, creatives, and partners work together to uplift the next generation
Addressing community harm head-on, rather than ignoring it or leaving families to navigate systems alone
PDDBM exists because too many systems refuse responsibility for Black lives. We step in where others step back. That is Ujima in action.
How You Should Spend This Day (December 28)
Today is not about perfection—it’s about participation.
Here are meaningful ways to honor Ujima today:
Reach out to someone in your community and ask how you can help
Support a Black-owned business, nonprofit, or youth program
Have an honest conversation about a problem your community faces—and brainstorm solutions together
Offer your time, skills, or resources to someone who needs support
Reflect on how you can take responsibility beyond yourself—within your family, neighborhood, or city
Even small actions matter when they are done collectively.
Call to Action: Practice Ujima With Us
Ujima reminds us that community doesn’t build itself—people do.
If you believe in collective responsibility…
If you believe Black youth deserve protection, opportunity, and support…
If you believe real change happens when we work together…
Join us. Support us. Partner with us. Share our work.
Whether through volunteering, donations, mentorship, collaboration, or simply spreading the word—your involvement matters.
Because when we build together,
when we carry responsibility together,
when we refuse to leave anyone behind…
We don’t just survive.
We rise—together.
✨ Happy Kwanzaa. Happy Ujima.
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