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Indybay Feature

Black working class institution survives for 20 years in spite of economic downturn

by Jeanine Griswa (uhurumarketing_oak [at] apedf.org)
It is with great pride that Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles is announcing their 20th Birthday Celebration on Sept. 27th 5-8pm at the Humanist Hall 390 – 27th St in Oakland. Twenty years is testimony to the tenacity and vision of the African working class leadership of the African People’s Education & Defense Fund in building this self-reliance institution to fund its community programs for health, education and human rights. Uhuru Furniture has been a fixture on Grand Avenue in Oakland, serving the Bay Area with quality, recycled furniture.
It is with great pride that Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles is announcing their 20th Birthday this year. Joel Hamburger. Manager of Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles states “twenty years is testimony to the tenacity and vision of the African working class leadership of the African People’s Education & Defense Fund in building this self-reliance institution to fund its community programs for health, education and human rights.” Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles has been a fixture on Grand Avenue in Oakland, serving the Bay Area community with quality, affordable used and recycled furniture and household items that have been donated by individuals and businesses.

Uhuru Furniture is asking individuals, businesses and estate liquidators to make a special tax-deductible donation of furniture, home decor items and antiques as a tribute to this historic accomplishment and to attend the 20th Birthday Celebration as well.
African Village Survival Initiative
Exacerbated by the current economic crisis, the conditions in the African community are worsening, with healthcare almost non-existent and unemployment escalating. One of the central campaigns of APEDF is the African Village Survival Initiative (AVSI), building institutions and projects that are about the African community uniting Africans from throughout this country and the world to come together to solve the problems that are confronting them. These programs are vitally important because they are the foundation of economic development for the whole African community.
The African Village Survival Initiative includes collective survival programs such as a network of community gardens, solar paneling and rainwater purification that can be found throughout this country including Oakland, CA. AVSI also includes economic development institutions such as a commercial kitchen and recording studio that create real local sustainable community commerce, currently in St. Petersburg, Florida. These institutions are prototypes with which African communities all over the country and world can replicate to solve these life and death problems.
Health is essential to life
Health is essential to life. Yet in the U.S., the world's richest country, African people suffer and die from an epidemic of curable diseases. This can in part be attributed to the lack of quality health services available, difficulty in obtaining healthy food, environmental pollution, and the lack of genuine economic development in our communities resulting in the serious ongoing stress of poverty. This has led to an actual decline in life expectancy for African men in particular -- unprecedented in modern times.
The statistics are stark. The National Center for Health reports that Africans suffer from higher rates of killer diseases than the white population. Diabetes is 132% higher. Stroke is 82% higher. Heart disease is 38% higher. Kidney disease is 176% higher. The cancer rate in the African community is 50% higher for black men and 35% higher for black women but the death rate from cancer is disproportionately higher still. Obesity is epidemic. Infant mortality rates long accepted as a measure of health of the entire community are 33% higher in the African community and in some areas much higher than that. The infant mortality rate for Africans in the U.S. is higher than in some of the poorest countries in the world.
The APEDF has a track record of addressing the needs of the African community.
The APEDF Wellness Program empowers the African community to improve individual and collective health, and combats diseases affecting the African community in disproportionate numbers.
Free monthly health education seminars are held in the APEDF Wellness Center. APEDF holds free annual health fairs in several cities with free health screenings and information, healthy food samples and recipes, and weight lifting exhibitions.
The All People's TyRon Lewis Community Gym is a popular, valuable asset to the community in St. Petersburg, Florida. The only nonprofit, African-owned gym of its kind, it provides everyone the opportunity to exercise in a friendly, supportive atmosphere, available on a sliding scale basis.
The free-to-play Uhuru Basketball Program with four teams in St. Petersburg, Florida has consistently won league and citywide championships. It teaches African children more than basketball; it teaches them about true African history, respect for African people, and about their responsibility to lead in their community
African self-reliance institution thanks its many supporters with its history making 20th Birthday Celebration
Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles is throwing a 20th Birthday Celebration on Sunday September 27th from 5-8pm at the Humanist Hall 390 – 27th St in Oakland.
It is a big THANK YOU to all of its shoppers, donors and volunteers for their tremendous support over the last 20 years.
The celebration will include very special guest Ironiff Ifoma, the national President who will be presenting a tribute to the many powerful programs of the African People’s Education & Defense Fund over the last 20 years
It will also include food, live music and special recognitions for our volunteers, donors and shoppers.
It is free to attend and is wheelchair accessible. For more Information contact:
Jeanine Griswa 510-676-5041
Joel Hamburger 510-763-3342
uhurumarketing_oak [at] apedf.org
Please visit us at our websites:
http://www.apedf.org * http://www.aapdep.org * http://www.uhurufurniture.blogspot.com
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

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