AFRICAN PEOPLES EDUCATION AND DEFEN

COMMUNITY AND HOUSING PROGRAMS: APEDF OPERATES UHURU FREEDOM HOUSE COMMUNITY CENTERS ALONG WITH PROGRAMS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CULTURAL FULFILLMENT IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS OF ST. PETERSBURG, FL, ST. LOUIS, MO, OAKLAND, CA AND PHILADELPHIA, PA. OUR WORK IMPROVES THE LIVES AND CONDITIONS OF BLACK PEOPLE BY BUILDING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES THAT ENGAGE IN GRASS-ROOTS DECISION MAKING, PROMOTE COMMUNITY-BASED LEADERSHIP AND ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN COLLECTIVE SOLUTIONS. APEDFS PROGRAMMING IS A TEMPLATE FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION AND BUILDS THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LEAD APEDF INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS. ALL OUR PROGRAMS ARE INTENDED TO BE REPLICATED NATIONWIDE. IN 2024, APEDFS KEYSTONE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ANTI-GENTRIFICATION PROGRAM, THE BLACK POWER BLUEPRINT OF ST. LOUIS, CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION IN ONE OF THE MOST IMPOVERISHED NEIGHBORHOODS OF ST. LOUIS THROUGH PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND RESTORATION AND/OR DEMOLITION OF ABANDONED BUILDINGS THAT WILL HOUSE COMMUNITY-GENERATED SELF-RELIANCE PROGRAMS. ST. LOUIS RANKS 8TH IN THE NATION FOR RACIAL DISPARITIES IN POVERTY; APEDFS PROGRAMS ARE LOCATED IN A 98% BLACK COMMUNITY WHERE 60% OF RESIDENTS LIVE AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE AND ONE THIRD LIVE IN DEEP POVERTY. THE BLACK POWER BLUEPRINT HAS BUILT A SERIES OF INTERCONNECTED COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS AND SPACES THAT EMPOWER LOCAL RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE LIVING ON THE NORTHSIDE INSTEAD OF BEING FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOMES DUE TO ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES. ACCORDING TO THE 2020 CENSUS, NEARLY 30,000 BLACK PEOPLE LEFT ST. LOUIS FROM 2010-2020. OUR WORK IS HELPING TO REVERSE THIS TREND; THE BLACK POWER BLUEPRINTS ECONOMIC IMPACT HAS INSPIRED AND ENABLED PREVIOUS RESIDENTS TO MOVE BACK TO THE HISTORICALLY BLACK NORTHSIDE. IN 2024, THE APEDFS BLACK POWER BLUEPRINT CONTINUED OUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED DEVELOPMENT BY RENOVATING FOUR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT WILL BE TURNED INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING RENTALS FOR NORTHSIDE RESIDENTS OF ST. LOUIS. THIS WILL ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THE CITY HAS AN ESTIMATED 25,000 VACANT HOMES, AND APPROXIMATELY ONE IN EVERY THREE HOMES IN NORTH ST. LOUIS IS ABANDONED DUE TO DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING POLICIES, SUBURBAN FLIGHT AND INDUSTRIAL COLLAPSE. OUR ST. LOUIS BLACK POWER VANGUARDS COMMUNITY BASKETBALL COURT, PREVIOUSLY THE SITE OF A CONDEMNED BUILDING, CONTINUES TO PROVIDE RECREATION, FITNESS AND YOUTH PROGRAMMING TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, TEAMWORK, SOCIAL SKILLS AND COMMUNITY COHESION FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS. WE HELD OUR 5TH ANNUAL ST. LOUIS CHILDRENS HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL IN 2024 TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY TIES AND PROVIDE A SAFE CELEBRATION SPACE FOR CHILDREN. IN ST. PETERSBURG, FL, APEDF PROVIDES AN AFFORDABLE, LICENSED COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL KITCHEN WHERE MORE THAN 15 CATERERS, FOOD VENDORS, COOKS AND ENTREPRENEURS OPERATE FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES AS SELF-SUSTAINING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. APEDFS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ENGAGED OVER 200 VOLUNTEERS IN OVER 50 COMMUNITY WORKDAYS. OUR VOLUNTEERS ASSISTED WITH GARDENING, GRANT WRITING, FOOD SERVICE, EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, PROGRAM PROMOTIONS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, RESEARCH AND LOGISTICS. APEDFS VOLUNTEER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS PROVIDED TEN PARTICIPANTS ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, LEADERSHIP AND SOFT SKILL BUILDING. IN DECEMBER, 2024 APEDF RECOGNIZED ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS AT OUR ANNUAL HEART & SOUL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION EVENT, WITH PARTICIPATION FROM VOLUNTEERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: APEDF CONTINUES TO OPERATE COMMUNITY-BASED MARKETPLACES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE 5TH SEASON IN ST. LOUIS, AND FOR THE 18TH SEASON IN PHILADELPHIA. THESE MARKETPLACES GENERATE COMMUNITY COMMERCE AND ADDRESS FOOD APARTHEID AND FOOD INSECURITY. IN 2024, THE MARKETS PROVIDED LOW COST VENDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVER 120 ENTREPRENEURS IN PHILADELPHIA AND 45 URBAN FARMERS AND ENTREPRENEURS IN ST. LOUIS, RECIRCULATING MONEY AND SOCIAL CAPITAL WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, FITNESS CLASSES, CHILDRENS ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS ON GARDENING, COOKING AND NUTRITION ARE OFFERED. APEDF CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF OUR AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE WORKFORCE PROGRAM UNDER THE BANNER OUR LABOR, OUR FUTURE, TO REVERSE THE NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE PRISON SYSTEM AND PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING TO JUSTICE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. MISSOURIS PRISONS AND JAILS RELEASE APPROXIMATELY 100,000 BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBERS ANNUALLY. MANY OF THEM RETURN TO NORTH ST. LOUIS, A COMMUNITY THAT LACKS ADEQUATE REENTRY INFRASTRUCTURE. APEDF PURCHASED A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN 2024 THAT WILL BE THE FUTURE HOME OF UHURU (FREEDOM) BAKERY AND CAFE. THE CAFE WILL BE PART OF THE APEDFS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT TEACHES CULINARY ARTS TO JUSTICE-IMPACTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WILL UTILIZE FRESH PRODUCE GROWN IN THE BLACK POWER BLUEPRINTS COMMUNITY GARDENS. FUNDING WAS OBTAINED TO PURCHASE THE BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL PLANS WERE SUBMITTED FOR PERMITTING TO RENOVATE THE PROPERTY. THIS SMALLER CAFE WILL BE A FORERUNNER FOR A LARGER UHURU CAFE RESTAURANT AND FOOD PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION FACILITY WHERE RE-ENTRY AND JOB SKILLS TRAINING WILL TAKE PLACE ON AN EVEN LARGER SCALE IN THE FUTURE. IN 2024, APEDF HELD OVER 10 NETWORKING MEETINGS WITH ORGANIZATIONS FOR JUSTICE-IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND WORKFORCE EMPLOYERS. APEDF ATTENDED THREE REENTRY AND SECOND CHANCE ACT CONFERENCES WITH WORKSHOPS AND NETWORKING EVENTS. APEDF RECEIVED A CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT FROM THE LATINO COALITION FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAM MODEL, SECURE FUNDING RESOURCES AND RECEIVE A REENTRY SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION FROM THE NATIONAL REENTRY WORKFORCE COLLABORATIVE. APEDF MAINTAINS AN APARTMENT BUILDING IN ST. LOUIS THAT WILL HOUSE WORKFORCE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. IN 2024, APEDF PURCHASED A PROPERTY FOR RENOVATION IN ST. LOUIS TO BECOME A RETAIL OUTLET AND E-COMMERCE DISTRIBUTION CENTER FOR AFRICAN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND LOCAL ARTISTS WILL CREATE AND DISTRIBUTE FURNITURE, HOUSEHOLD DECOR AND ACCESSORIES HAND PAINTED AND UPHOLSTERED WITH AFRICAN DESIGNS. APEDF CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR BLACK COMMUNITY BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH OUTREACH INITIATIVES. WE PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL FORUMS, TOWN HALLS AND PUBLIC EVENTS TO FORWARD BLACK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN PUBLIC POLICY. WE CONNECT WITH OUR SUPPORTERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY SENDING MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTERS, POSTING WEEKLY SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND CONTINUING TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE NEED TO REBUILD INTERGENERATIONAL BLACK WEALTH AND PROSPERITY.