Reflections & Guidance

Kuumba Academy Celebrates Its Class of 2026

August 11, 2026 No Comments

On June 28, 2026, thirteen fellows crossed the stage at Johnson C. Smith University’s New Science Building in Charlotte, North Carolina as the third graduating cohort of Kuumba Academy. The room was full before the ceremony even began, with vendor tables lining the space so guests could meet the very fellows they came to celebrate. Dr.Tyler Bunzy represented Johnson C. Smith University’s ongoing support of the program, and RevLettie Unmuted was there to witness it firsthand. Kuumba Academy takes its name from the Kwanzaa principle of Creativity, and everything about the day reflected that root. Founder Jermaine Nakia Lee built the program on a

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Two Doors. One Navigator

June 18, 2026 No Comments

My father transitioned when I was eighteen years old. One month before his transition, he looked at me and said: “It’s all in your hands now.” I have been living those words for over forty years. Not because they were a burden. Because they were a commissioning. There is a difference and learning to feel that difference has been the whole work of my life. Over a year ago, my mother stepped into the ancestral realm. And after she return to the place of her ancestors, her words found me: “Go soar.” Two commissionings. Two generations of permission. I intend to honor both. You

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