Friday, September 27, 2024
A show of unity
USPS dedicates its new Kwanzaa stamp
The Postal Service dedicated its new Kwanzaa stamp Sept. 25 during a ceremony in Pittsburgh, where speakers praised the annual Pan-African holiday’s emphasis on diversity and unity.
“The issuance of this Kwanzaa stamp is a powerful symbol of the enduring principles of the holiday,” said Roderick Sallay, the USPS director of legislative policy and strategy development, who spoke during the event.
“It recognizes Kwanzaa’s ability to inspire and unite people through its emphasis on community, self-determination and collective responsibility. By placing these values on a stamp, we affirm their universal relevance and their potential to enrich our daily lives,” he said.
The ceremony, held in partnership with the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, took place at the Heinz History Center.
Other speakers included William M. Dulaney, the association’s president; Ekua Holmes, the stamp artist; Jourdan Hicks, a community educator; and Sala Udin, a community organizer.
Performers included vocalist Anyah Nancy and the Balafon West African Dance Ensemble.
“By its issuance of a holiday stamp that honors Pan-African family and culture, USPS affirms its belief that diversity is America’s strength, and thereby invites all Americans to celebrate with us in late December,” Dulaney said.
Kwanzaa, observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, celebrates family, community and culture. It stems from ancient and modern first-harvest festivals and incorporates traditions from across the African continent.
The holiday was first observed in 1966 and continues to honor seven founding principles, rooted in Swahili — unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba) and faith (imani).
Holmes created the stamp image after being inspired by a live performance of dancers she witnessed at a Kwanzaa event in Roxbury, MA. The image shows three young performers — a male drummer and two female dancers.
The composition highlights the colors of the Pan-African flag — black, red and green — with West African designs on the floor, background and the drummer’s pants.
The stamp — the Postal Service’s 10th Kwanzaa release since 1997 — is available in panes of 20 at Post Offices and usps.com.
People
Kind words, friendly smiles
A Post Office receives praise, two supervisors are honored and more
Employees at the Liberty, IN, Post Office have discovered little things mean a lot.
A customer recently used Google’s review feature to praise the selection of greeting cards at the office, a fixture in the town of about 2,000 residents near the state’s border with Ohio.
“I love going to the Post Office here in Liberty. I’m old-fashioned and love sending cards to friends and family. They have beautiful cards to choose from,” the customer wrote.
The comments were highlighted through the USPS Heatmap, an application that geographically displays feedback left on the organization’s official social media accounts and from online review websites.
The Heatmap helps the organization focus on strengthening customer service, one of the tenets of the Delivering for America plan.
“Liberty is a small-town office, and we pride ourselves to be attentive to all our customers no matter what their needs may be,” Postmaster Jacquetta Hahn-Weisz said.
“Some of our customers are here three or four times a week and they just want to hear a kind word or share a friendly smile,” she said.
Honoring two patriots
Two acting customer services supervisors in Ashland, KY, were recently recognized for their support of employees who serve in the military.
Joseph Bailey and Tyler Harton each received the Patriot Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense agency.
Austin Terry, a letter carrier and member of the Marine Corps Reserve, nominated Bailey and Harton for the honor.
“As a military veteran myself, I know what these young men and women sacrifice serving our country,” Bailey said. “Ty and I try and facilitate anything that makes it easier on them to do so.”
Community ties
Add Covina, CA, to the list of communities holding “date meets ZIP” events this year.
On Sept. 17, the date aligned with Covina’s 91724 ZIP Code. To mark the occasion, the local Post Office offered a special pictorial cancellation.
“We’re excited and honored to host this rare event,” Covina Postmaster Ernie Rivera said. “It recognizes the unique ties between USPS and our community.”
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News Quiz
Let there be lights
How much do you know about Hanukkah?
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end.
1. Fill in the blank: Hanukkah, the subject of a new stamp, begins this year at sundown on (blank).
a) Monday, Nov. 25
b) Saturday, Nov. 30
c) Wednesday, Dec. 18
d) Wednesday, Dec. 25
2. Approximately how many USPS employees identify as having Hispanic ancestry?
a) 1.3 percent
b) 3.5 percent
c) 13.5 percent
d) 31.5 percent
3. True or false: USPS employees and contractors with ACE computers should help protect the organization’s network by always locking their computers before stepping away.
a) True
b) False
4. Where does Michelle Kuenn, the letter carrier who delivered 100 birthday cards to a customer to help mark his 100th birthday, work?
a) Carlisle, AR
b) Ekalaka, MT
c) Grafton, WI
d) Stillwater, OK
5. When did Simon Storey, who will soon retire as USPS human resources vice president, begin his current position?
a) 1989
b) 2017
c) 2020
d) None of the above
Answers: 1) d. 2) c. 3) a. 4) c. 5) c.
October 4, 2024
Datebook
EAP orientation
The USPS Employee Assistance Program will hold its next online orientation on Friday, Oct. 4, from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Eastern.
The orientations, held on the first Friday of each month, offer information on how Postal Service employees and their families can use the program.
Employees must register in advance on the EAP website.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks.