Uhuru Furniture Celebrates 20 Years In Support Of Social Justice For African Community

Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles is proudly celebrating its existence for twenty years on Grand Avenue in Oakland. The longevity of the institution is a testament 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, economic development and human rights.
Twenty years old and still young, Uhuru Furniture is thriving and raising funds for a growing number of campaigns and programs of the APEDF.
Exacerbated by the current economic crisis, the conditions in the African community are worsening, with healthcare almost non-existent, escalating unemployment and predatory subprime lenders causing record home foreclosures. We see a continuation of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, while police are militarized against African communities and protestors. The African People’s Education & Defense Fund launched The African Village Survival Initiative to build institutions and projects in which the African community can unite themselves throughout this country to solve the problems they are confronting. These programs are vitally important because they are the foundation of economic development for the whole African community.


The African Village Survival Initiative (AVSI)
African Village Survival Initiative, has already launched an impressive series of economic development projects in 2009. In several cities in the U.S. the AVSI organized networks of community and collective gardens, called “Uhuru ‘Freedom’ Gardens. Also AVSI rolled out permaculture training programs. At the same time, it has addressed the critical need for water and energy independence with a program for water and energy sustainability. Projects like rainwater catchment, well- installation, water purification, and models for green energy.
On the continent of Africa in Sierra Leone, our organizations helped local fisherman create sustainable fishing capabilities that can compete against large foreign commercial fishing interests that deplete the coastal waters. We created the “Clean Water for African People” campaign, constructing rainwater harvesting systems and cleaner, more plentiful water for residents who previously have been forced to rely on polluted streams, rivers and hand-dug wells.
AVSI is now launching its most ambitious project to date: Outfitting a commercial kitchen and professional recording studio in the Uhuru House in St. Petersburg, a working center of economic development.


The Recording Studio and Kitchen Mean Grassroots Economic Empowerment
For the African community in South St. Petersburg who face poverty and joblessness at alarming rates, these projects will provide vital economic development as community institutions. For other African communities in the U.S. and around the world, these projects will become model institutions that can be reproduced in every city.
The professional recording studio will cultivate the enormous cultural talent and creativity that has always existed in African communities. African artists will have an outlet to create, produce, and distribute their own creative works. Most importantly, the artists will control their own works, as opposed to the historical pattern where non-African business interests control the products of African creativity and reap the profits.
The commercial kitchen will be an engine of economic development in South St. Petersburg and a model to be replicated across the country. The kitchen will enhance the meeting and hospitality capabilities of the Uhuru House, known as the “Embassy to the African World.” This institution will open up opportunities for community-based businesses like caterers and food vendors, who in the past have been locked out because of limited access to affordable commercial-grade facilities.


Circulating the Benefits throughout the African Community
It’s hard to overstate the economic impact on local communities that will come from these institutions. Recent economic studies have shown that locally controlled enterprises keep far more money circulating in the community than outside corporations controlled by distant owners. If a dollar is spent at a locally controlled business, 73 cents circulates in the community, benefiting people there. If a dollar is spent in a non-local corporation, only 43 cents stays in the community.

Some other projects of the APEDF include Uhuru House community centers in Oakland, Philadelphia and St. Petersburg, Florida. They house the campaigns, programs and forums and are central to the strength of the community. Also very popular is the TyRon Lewis Community Gym the only nonprofit, African-owned gym of its kind providing everyone the opportunity to exercise in a friendly, supportive atmosphere on a sliding scale basis.
Uhuru Furniture’s Open House and Uhuru Holiday Pie Tasting on December 13th from 10am-6pm, is a great big thank you to all of the shoppers, donors and volunteers for their tremendous support over the last twenty years. Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles has been a fixture on Grand Avenue in Oakland, serving the Bay Area community with quality, affordable used, recycled and donated furniture and household items. Everything in the store is donated.
Uhuru Furniture is asking individuals, businesses to make a special tax-deductible donation of furniture, home decor items and antiques as a tribute to this historic accomplishment.
Please visit us at our websites:
http://www.apedf.org * http://www.aapdep.org * http://www.uhurufurniture.blogspot.com