Celebrating 17 years of Legacy. Growth. Community

Ujima is celebrating its 17 year birthday! Woohoo🌻 This is another milestone that we are so excited about. My team has worked hard, including our writers, to share their stories that we hope resonated with you throughout the past year. 

Thanks to Ujima’s Contributing Writers Jacqueline Johnson, Minister Sonya Hosey, Aubrie Edmond, and Christina “Satya” Gobert. These ladies take time out of their busy lives to give our readers stories that empower, inspire, and provide love for our community. IWe appreciate the  insight they bring to each story they share. I really am blessed and grateful to have them a part of Ujima.

To my team, Eliza Edwards, Chiquitta Harris, Mary Linnen, and Nikkia Scott thank you for taking my vision and mission to help me create a digital magazine that is a legacy of stories for our black community. It is very important to me that my work uplifts, shows our diversity as black people and inspires our younger generation. Storytelling is important. As I said before, it is my pledge to make sure our history, our lives, our community is not erased and forgotten. As a Black American woman, we all know the importance of our history, legacy and how black people have contributed more than our share to this country. Thanks to our ancestors for their sacrifice so we can live today in a time where we still have a voice and our freedom. But we have to continue our fight each day. 

To Madelyn Patterson, thank you for believing in Ujima and me. Thanks for partnering with us to bring more stories to the forefront through our collaboration on We Are Austin (CBS). We Are Austin has shared our stories and has connected to our community without hesitation. I am grateful for being a part of the partnership that helps all involved grow. Happy Birthday Ujima! 👏🏽🎂

Damita Miller-Shanklin

Editor-in-Chief