December 30: Nia (Purpose)
- Ruby N Lewis
- Dec 30, 2025
- 3 min read
Day 5 – December 30
Nia (Purpose)
“To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.”
Why Nia Matters
Nia asks a question that is both ancient and urgent:
Why are you here—and who benefits from your existence?
Purpose is not just about personal success. In African traditions, purpose has always been collective. Our ancestors understood that individual gifts were meant to strengthen the whole village. A healer healed the people. A storyteller preserved memory. A farmer fed generations. A teacher shaped the future.
In a systemically biased society—one that often profits from division, trauma, and scarcity—purpose becomes resistance. When a people define their own mission, they reclaim power. When a community commits to building itself, it disrupts cycles designed to keep it struggling.
Nia reminds us that greatness was never lost.
It was interrupted.
And it can be restored—on purpose.
Purpose Is Not Accidental
Purpose is intentional work.
It looks like choosing community over competition.
It looks like pouring into the next generation.
It looks like asking, “How does what I do today help us tomorrow?”
On Nia, we honor the responsibility of our gifts. Not everyone’s purpose looks the same—but everyone has one. And when we align our talents with the needs of our people, we move from survival to legacy.
How PDDBM Lives Nia Every Day
At Please Don’t Die Black Men (PDDBM), purpose is not a slogan—it is the foundation of everything we do.
We believe that restoring traditional greatness starts with investing in youth, creativity, and economic opportunity.
PDDBM lives Nia by:
Creating free afterschool programs in fashion design, filmmaking, journalism, modeling, acting, and entrepreneurship—giving young people skills, confidence, and vision.
Centering purpose-driven creativity, where students don’t just learn art—they learn how their voices, stories, and designs impact the world.
Building cooperative economics, allowing youth to design, create, and sell products connected to their work—learning ownership, not just consumption.
Hosting cultural showcases like fashion shows, magazine publications, films, and community events that celebrate Black excellence, history, and innovation.
Providing safe, affirming spaces where youth are seen, valued, and encouraged to define themselves beyond stereotypes and limitations.
Our purpose is clear:
To help young people discover who they are, why they matter, and how their gifts can uplift entire communities.
That is Nia in action.
How to Spend the Day of Nia
Today is a day for reflection and movement.
Consider spending Nia by:
Reflecting on your personal gifts and asking how they serve your community
Supporting a Black-led nonprofit, business, or creative
Mentoring, encouraging, or speaking life into a young person
Sharing resources, skills, or time with intention
Making a plan for how your work in the coming year will align with purpose—not just profit
Purpose grows when it is practiced.
Call to Action: Choose Purpose With Us
If Nia speaks to your spirit, don’t let it end with reflection.
Take action:
Support PDDBM’s mission by shopping in our online store, enrolling in classes, or sharing our work
Partner with us as a community member, volunteer, or supporter
Commit to using your gifts intentionally in 2026—to build, restore, and uplift
Purpose is not passive.
It is a daily decision.
When we live on purpose, we don’t just build programs—we build futures.
We don’t just survive—we restore greatness.
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