LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Kwanzaa is here, and various local organizations and businesses have come together to make the holiday come alive.
The celebration of African-American culture is being showcased through cookies and they have already taught people what the holiday is all about.
Longtime artist, Sondra Strong is the person behind the cookie design.
"To see my artwork on an edible item is like really surreal at this point," Strong described.
"Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, reached out they said that, hey, we would love for you to create a piece to celebrate Kwanzaa. So that it would be a collaboration with Community Bakery and Arkansas Arts Council. And I decided to accept that challenge," She added.
Each cookie is meant to represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa: collective work, unity, self-determination, faith, cooperative economics, creativity, and purpose.
"Very good values to live by to work as a people to understand our purpose, our heritage, and how to carry that into the future to keep giving those principles and those values," she explained.
Strong also explained that the African American community isn't the only one who should celebrate.
"They are very much the values that anyone can live by," she said.
John Brandenberger at Community Bakery said the Kwanzaa cookie is one of several holiday-themed cookies they bake.
"This is something that is near and dear to us. And you know, we're just glad that we can do it. And it also showcases Sondra's beautiful art," Brandenberger said.
He also said the cookie has been teaching customers the meaning of Kwanzaa.
"It's also about making sure that everyone in our community feels welcome. feels heard. I mean, in our name, community bakery is not just our name. I mean, it is what we do we serve the entirety of the community," He explained.
"Everyone loves the colors. They love the representation. And it just is transcending not beyond just the African American community. But other people are embracing and learning and they're just really excited," Strong said.
Plans are in the works for a similar collaboration in February for Black History Month and some of those proceeds will go back into the community.