Families and communities across metro Atlanta are coming together to celebrate Kwanzaa, a weeklong observance honoring African heritage, culture, and values.

Each night of Kwanzaa centers on a different principle. The first night focuses on Umoja, the Swahili word for unity — a value many say feels especially meaningful right now.

For Atlanta artist and poet Kenneth “Zakee” Zakee, Kwanzaa is more than a holiday. He says it transformed his life.

Zakee welcomed CBS News Atlanta inside his studio, where African and African American artwork lines the walls. As he lit the kinara — the candleholder central to Kwanzaa — he explained the deeper meaning behind the tradition.

“Kwanzaa means first fruits of the harvest,” Zakee said. “So we have to have some produce on the table to represent the first fruit, to represent harvest.”

Zakee says his connection to Kwanzaa began during a time of deep grief, after losing his mother. A friend invited him to a Kwanzaa celebration for emotional support — an experience he says gave him community when he needed it most.

“It was just so much love,” Zakee said. “It was like a seven-day Black history experience.”

Created in the 1960s to reconnect Black Americans with African heritage, Kwanzaa’s values, customs, and greetings are expressed in Swahili. Zakee even gave CBS News Atlanta a quick lesson in how to greet others on the first night.

“Habari gani?” he asked — meaning, What’s the news?

“Umoja,” came the response.

That sense of shared meaning was also on display as vendors and artists set up for Kwanzaa events at ArtsXchange.

Patricia Jackson of Studio P Designs, a former educator, says teaching students about Kwanzaa was always important to her.

“We really made an effort to expose our students to all of the other celebrations, especially Kwanzaa and what it stands for,” Jackson said.

For Zakee, passing the tradition on to younger generations is essential. He hopes Kwanzaa helps young people feel grounded, affirmed, and connected.

“A sense of belonging,” he said. “A sense of being part of something bigger than themselves — and recognizing the strength of their people.”

Zakee believes those values don’t just strengthen communities — they make the world a better place.