African Peoples Education And Defense Fund Inc

DEVELOP AND INSTITUTIONALIZE PROGRAMS TO DEFEND THE HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY, AND TO ADDRESS THE GRAVE DISPARITIES IN EDUCATION, HEALTH, HEALTHCARE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FACED BY AFRICAN PEOPLE.

COMMUNITY AND YOUTH PROGRAMS: APEDF OPERATES UHURU "FREEDOM" HOUSE COMMUNITY CENTERS AND PROGRAMS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND CULTURE IN ST. PETERSBURG, FL, ST LOUIS, MO, OAKLAND, CA AND PHILADELPHIA, PA TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND CONDITION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE AND TO BUILD UNITY, SELF-DETERMINATION, LEADERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN SOLVING COMMUNITY PROBLEMS. APEDF PROVIDES AN AFFORDABLE, LICENSED COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL KITCHEN IN ST PETERSBURG, FL WHERE OVER 15 CATERERS, FOOD VENDORS, COOKS AND ENTREPRENEURS OPERATE FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES AS SELF-SUSTAINING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. APEDF CONTINUED BLACK POWER BLUEPRINT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORK TO REVITALIZE ONE OF THE MOST IMPOVERISHED NEIGHBORHOODS IN NORTH ST. LOUIS BY ACQUIRING PROPERTIES AND RESTORING OR DEMOLISHING ABANDONED BUILDINGS TO CREATE COMMUNITY-GENERATED SELF-RELIANCE PROGRAMS, TRANSFORMING NORTH ST. LOUIS THROUGH RENOVATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND POLITICAL POWER BY AND FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY. IN 2023, APEDF SECURED, CLEARED, CONSOLIDATED AND FENCED FOUR PARCELS OF LAND FOR A FUTURE RETAIL AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN ST. LOUIS. THE ST. LOUIS BLACK POWER VANGUARDS COMMUNITY BASKETBALL COURT, BUILT ON A LOT CLEARED OF A CONDEMNED BUILDING, PROVIDES RECREATION, FITNESS AND YOUTH PROGRAMMING TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, TEAMWORK, SOCIAL SKILLS AND COMMUNITY COHESION. APEDF ACQUIRED AN ADDITIONAL FIVE PROPERTIES IN 2023, AND PROVIDED LOW COST HOUSING RENTALS IN ST. LOUIS TO THREE FAMILIES FACING INCREASING RENTAL PRICES AND FORECLOSURES. APEDF CONTINUED WORK TO BUILD THE UHURU JIKO BAKERY/CAFE IN ST. LOUIS WITH CREATION OF CONSTRUCTION PLANS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, FULL INTERIOR DEMOLITION AND CAPITALIZATION. APEDF HELD THE ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAYS OF SERVICE IN TWO CITIES IN JANUARY 2023 AND RECOGNIZED OVER 200 VOLUNTEERS AT THE NOVEMBER 2023 ANNUAL NATIONAL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION EVENT. 5TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN HAUNTED FESTIVAL HELD IN ST. LOUIS.

MEDIA AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES: APEDF OPERATES A LOW POWER NONCOMMERCIAL FM COMMUNITY RADIO STATION REACHING OVER 100,000 ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA RESIDENTS WHERE 70% OF AFRICAN FAMILIES LIVE BELOW POVERTY LEVEL. THE STATION IS ALSO ACCESSIBLE BY CELL PHONE APP AND INTERNET. PROGRAMMING EMPOWERS THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY WITH THEIR OWN VOICE FOR NEWS, INFORMATION AND CULTURE. PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION AND WEATHER EMERGENCY INFORMATION ARE CRITICAL ROLES OF THE STATION IN THIS LOCATION. WITH 90% OF ALL MEDIA CONTROLLED BY A HANDFUL OF LARGE CORPORATIONS, APEDF PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE AIRWAVES FOR UNSIGNED LOCAL TALENT AND AFRICAN ARTISTS ALL OVER THE WORLD TO PROMOTE SHARING OF AFRICAN CULTURE. APEDF ALSO PROVIDES FREE BROADCAST AND JOURNALISM TRAINING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STUDENTS WHO THEN PRODUCE LIVE PROGRAMMING. APEDF PROMOTES LOCAL BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES ON AIR TO BUILD ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND INVOLVEMENT FOR THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY. APEDF HELD THE 10TH ANNUAL BOOK FAIR IN SEPTEMBER 2023 AT THE PHILADELPHIA MARKETPLACE PROMOTING BLACK AUTHORS, INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS AND BOOKSELLERS; FEATURED EDUCATION RESOURCE PROVIDERS, POETRY READINGS, SPOKEN WORD, STORYTELLING AND LITERACY ACTIVITIES.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS: APEDF OPERATES TWO COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MARKETPLACES IN ST. LOUIS AND PHILADELPHIA, GENERATING COMMUNITY COMMERCE AND ADDRESSING FOOD APARTHEID AND INSECURITY. THE MARKETS PROVIDE LOW COST VENDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVER 120 ENTREPRENEURS IN PHILADELPHIA AND 67 URBAN FARMERS AND ENTREPRENEURS IN ST. LOUIS IN 2023, CIRCULATING FUNDS WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS ON GARDENING, COOKING AND NUTRITION ARE OFFERED. TO FURTHER DEVELOP OUR AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE WORKFORCE PROGRAM UNDER THE BANNER "OUR LABOR, OUR FUTURE," SIX APEDF LEADERS PARTICIPATED IN LECTURES, WORKSHOPS AND NETWORKING EVENTS AT THE NATIONAL REENTRY WORKFORCE COLLABORATIVE ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER 2023. APEDF MET WITH OVER 15 NATIONAL AGENCIES TO DEVELOP WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT APEDF PROGRAMS FOR JOB AND LIFE SKILLS TRAINING TO REVERSE THE NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE PRISON SYSTEM AND CREATE PROSPERITY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND OUR COMMUNITY. APEDF TRAINED 17 INTERNS AT THE OAKLAND, CA UHURU FURNITURE & COLLECTIBLES STORE IN 2023 AND BECAME A WORKSITE FOR SEVERAL AGENCIES TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING TO JUSTICE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS. CREATED AND IMPLEMENTED TRAINING CERTIFICATION PLANS FOR OPERATIONS, SAFETY, PROMOTIONS, LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL MEDIA, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OTHER SKILLS, WITH EVALUATION AND RECOGNITION ACTIVITIES. APEDF MAINTAINS A 4PLEX APARTMENT BUILDING IN ST. LOUIS FOR WORKFORCE PROGRAM HOUSING. APEDF OPERATED UHURU FURNITURE & COLLECTIBLES AND UHURU ON THE MOVE SELF-SUSTAINING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY IN OAKLAND, CA AND PHILADELPHIA, PA COLLECTING AND SELLING USED FURNITURE AND HOUSEWARES AND OFFERING RESIDENTIAL MOVING SERVICES, MAKING THESE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE TO ALL. PROVIDED SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR OVER 25 EMPLOYEES, MANY FORMERLY INCARCERATED. UHURU FURNITURE WAS HONORED IN OCTOBER 2023 BY THE PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL WITH A RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION FOR 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS TRAINING AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY, INCLUDING LOCAL ARTISTS HAND PAINTING AND SEWING AFRICAN DESIGNS ON FURNITURE AND HOUSEHOLD DECOR.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS: WITH USDA FUNDING SUPPORT AND ACCEPTING SNAP BENEFITS, APEDF OPERATED A MONTHLY FARMERS MARKET FROM MAY TO OCTOBER 2023 IN AN AREA WHERE THE POPULATION IS 92% BLACK WITH 30% EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY AND POVERTY. APEDF PARTNERED WITH OVER A DOZEN BLACK FARMERS AND GROWERS WHO SOLD LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE AND OTHER FRESH FOODS AT THE MARKETS AND CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS ON GARDENING AND HEALTHY EATING. IN 2023 THE APEDF ST LOUIS GARY BROOKS COMMUNITY GARDEN DISTRIBUTED OVER 1,000 POUNDS OF FRESH PRODUCE TO THE COMMUNITY, CULTIVATED BY SCORES OF VOLUNTEER GARDENERS THROUGHOUT THE GROWING SEASON. TOGETHER THE APEDF FARMERS MARKET AND COMMUNITY GARDEN INCREASE ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD TO COMBAT FOOD APARTHEID AND TO BUILD POWER FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY TO FEED OURSELVES. APEDF CONTINUED WORK TO BUILD THE UHURU WA KULEA "FREEDOM TO NURTURE" AFRICAN WOMEN'S HEALTH CENTER IN ST. LOUIS, AND WAS AWARDED A GRANT TO PRODUCE AFRICAN MATERNAL AND BABY PRODUCTS TO BENEFIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HEALTH CENTER. APEDF HELD ITS 15TH ANNUAL HEALTH FAIR IN PHILADELPHIA REACHING HUNDREDS WITH INFORMATION ON NUTRITION, EXERCISE, HEALTH CARE MODALITIES AND FITNESS WORKSHOPS. THE APEDF BLACK POWER VANGUARDS COMMUNITY BASKETBALL COURT IN ST. LOUIS COMBATS HIGHER RATES OF BLACK YOUTH AND ADULT OBESITY, DIABETES, CANCER AND OTHER HEALTH INDICATORS.