“Kawaida is self-consciously a cultural and communitarian philosophy and practice, focusing on culture and community as the twin pillars of its intellectual and practical focus, framework and foundation. Its fundamental thrust is to inspire, inform and sustain cultural revolution and national or communal liberation and new paradigms of being human in the world.

Culture is central, then, to both Kawaida and community. We are, above all, a cultural community, a cultural nation. And the struggle for liberation is first and foremost a struggle to free ourselves culturally in the fullest sense. By culture we mean the totality of thought and practice by which a people creates itself, celebrates, sustains and develops itself and introduces itself to history and humanity. This occurs in at least seven basic areas: spirituality and ethics (religion); history; social organization; economic organization; political organization; creative production (art, music, literature, dance); and ethos–the collective psychology shaped by activities in the other six areas.”

-Dr. Maulana Karenga