A World Marked by Love

Ubuntu is a traditional African philosophy that means I am human through others humanity, or a person is a person through other people. It is the sense of well-being, belonging, togetherness, considerations, kindness, and caring about each other. Ubuntu is the idea that people can look at each other as people or with a sense of neutrality. Ubuntu enhances and transforms the basic human ability to communicate with one another. Nelson Mandela former President of South Africa also known to people as the personification of Ubuntu believes that Ubuntu has various aspects. Mandela believes that Ubuntu is the universal truth, a way of life, and it underpins the concept of an open society. We all use this philosophy in one way or another without even realizing it. This school year I joined The Exponential Learning Academy (TELA program) at Southwestern College, which focuses on the African American experience and university transfer. In this program we are required to choose a brother or sister that we could support and depend on. The whole brother/sister idea is a practice of Ubuntu because we build that sense of togetherness, kindness, belongingness, and we show that care about one another by doing that. The simple idea of inviting/welcoming people into your group, putting your heads together to talk about various topics, offering notes/supplies, respecting one another, and being open with each is huge factor that plays apart in how a TELA student practices Ubuntu in an everyday class meeting. There are numerous practical ways we can embody Ubuntu today, in some ways we already do. Simply greeting someone, getting rid of greed and selfishness, being generous, and living with compassion are a few practical ways we can embody Ubuntu today, which in some ways we already do. We are all connected to and affected by each other. Ubuntu is a way of creating a world marked by love.