Building on The Work of Our Elders and Ancestors: Merging STEM and Kawaida to Elevate Blackness (...and everything else...)

This book begins as an ethical narrative on how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing) should be developed and applied based on teachings reflected in the social philosophy called Kawaida. Kawaida is a communitarian African philosophy created by Dr. Maulana Karenga that informed creation of the Pan African holiday, Kwanzaa, and the Nguzo Saba / Seven Principles.

The work involved began with a requested review of all existing Kawaida scholarship for the author to extract and develop a Kawaida perspective on STEM. This led to the principles, practices, criticisms, challenges, and goals shared here that reflect a Kawaida perspective on how STEM should be developed and applied. This includes a discussion of the intent to inspire and create an increasing number of "sedjemic" STEM professionals in the global Black community to reclaim our once prominent cultural focus as "responsible and responsive" masters of every STEM discipline.

The author explains how forty years' experience as a STEM professional, twenty years as a student of Kawaida, and more than a decade coordinating cultural study group activities in southern California led to his role in this project. As part of the background discussion, the author shares how previously held concerns about possible conflicts between Kawaida philosophy and final teachings from Min. Malcolm X were resolved in conversation with Min. Malcolm's primary associate, the former vice president of the Organization for Afro-American Unity (OAAU), Dr. Earl 5X grant.

The book concludes with an introduction of an expansive Kawaida STEM project that reflects the lessons in this text and all Seven Principles applied at a high level. This includes introduction of a new multi-function phone app titled "NGUZO SABA 365" and a major update to the kwanzaa.org website. This project is based on a variety of new initiatives designed to create an online community and promote daily practice of the Seven Principles as an active strategy to elevate Blackness, and everything else, because the world follow us when we're at our best.