What’s up, Boujee Bosses, we are back with more tips! Today is Mandela Day and seeing how Nelson Mandela is an iconic figure not just in the Black community, but worldwide, I felt it would be needed to bring light to this special day. First giving a little background information for those who don’t know, Nelson Mandela was an African activist who lead South Africa out of their nearly 50-year apartheid. Shortly following this, he also served as South Africa’s President for five years shortly. Mr. Mandela is not only an Activist and Political Leader, but a Philanthropist among other things. Mandela Day is an international holiday established by the United Nations in 2009 to honor this revolutionary. It was set on July 18th because that is Nelson Mandela’s birthday, and emphasizes 67 minutes, one minute for every year Mandela has served his country. Now that we’ve got our little cliff notes history lesson out of the way, let’s dive into some ways you can celebrate the holiday!
Set aside 67 minutes to Fight for Social Justice
As I previously mentioned, it is a custom to take 67 minutes on Mandela Day to fight for social justice. Whether that be a protest, a call to political offices, or even an awareness event hosted on social media, let your voice be heard!
Donate to a South African Nonprofit
Although our country is in a state of disarray, we must count our blessings, for there are other countries in far worse conditions. Seeing as Nelson Mandela was South African, I urge you to find a nonprofit in South Africa that resonates with you and donate whatever you can to assist their fight for survival.
Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen/Donate to a Food Bank
This is a scarce time, so I know this idea may not be the most convenient, but if you are willing and able to go out in this capacity, giving back to the less fortunate is always great. If the stable citizens are struggling, just imagine how the poor are doing. Even if you don’t make it out to a soup kitchen, you can donate food to local banks!
Clean Up Your Local Community
This should be a normal activity anyway, but on today make sure to take extra good care of your community. You don’t necessarily have to orchestrate a neighborhood cleanup, but pick up trash when you see it, don’t litter, reduce, reuse, recycle, lol. The way you treat your environment affects people all over the world, so be conscientious of that!
Study Mandela’s works through His Books and/or Documentaries
One of the best things you can attain in this world is knowledge. Researching Nelson Mandela’s works is an awesome option for all the bookworms and documentary addicts. There are countless books and even more documentaries to choose from. If you’re looking for a book to start with, I recommend Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela’s autobiography. For documentaries, I recommend starting with the 1996 project, Mandela.
I hope this list was helpful! Let me know how you plan to commemorate Mandela Day in the comments below and on our social media pages!
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