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 PROGRAMS: APEDF OPERATES UHURU 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-RELIANCE, LEADERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN SOLVING COMMUNITY PROBLEMS. APEDF HELD OUR ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY OF SERVICE IN PERSON IN THREE CITIES IN JANUARY 2021. TO ADDRESS THE GRAVE DISPARITIES IN HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE FACED BY AFRICAN WOMEN, APEDF DEVELOPED ARCHITECTURAL PLANS TO BUILD THE UHURU WAKULEA "FREEDOM TO NURTURE" AFRICAN WOMEN'S HEALTH CENTER IN ST. LOUIS, AND HELD ITS 14TH ANNUAL HEALTH FAIR IN PHILADELPHIA REACHING HUNDREDS WITH INFORMATION ON NUTRITION, EXERCISE, HEALTH CARE MODALITIES AND FITNESS WORKSHOPS. APEDF CONTINUED TO PROVIDE AN AFFORDABLE, LICENSED COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL KITCHEN IN ST PETERSBURG, FL WHERE OVER 20 CATERERS, FOOD VENDORS, COOKS AND ENTREPRENEURS WERE ABLE TO CREATE OR OPERATE FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES AND SELF-SUSTAINING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. APEDF PURCHASED ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES IN NORTH ST LOUIS IN 2021 AS PART OF THE BLACK POWER BLUEPRINT PROGRAM TO RESTORE OR DEMOLISH ABANDONED, DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS AND CREATE COMMUNITY-GENERATED SELF-RELIANCE PROGRAMS. APEDF CONTINUED TO PROVIDE LOW COST HOUSING RENTALS IN ST PETERSBURG AND ST LOUIS TO TEN INDIVIDUALS FACING INCREASING RENTAL PRICES AND FORECLOSURES, EXACERBATED BY THE COVID CRISIS.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS: APEDF OPERATES SELF-SUSTAINING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY IN OAKLAND, CA AND PHILADELPHIA, PA COLLECTING AND SELLING USED FURNITURE AND HOUSEWARES, MAKING THEM ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE TO ALL. PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SKILLS TRAINING AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVER 100 PEOPLE IN THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY. APEDF ALSO PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT FOR 5-10 LOCAL OAKLAND AND PHILADELPHIA ARTISTS TO CREATE FURNITURE AND HOUSEHOLD DECOR WITH HAND PAINTED AND UPHOLSTERED AFRICAN DESIGNS. APEDF HELD SIX MONTHLY APEDF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MARKETPLACES IN PHILADELPHIA IN 2021, FOR THE 12TH YEAR. WITH USDA FUNDING SUPPORT, APEDF BEGAN A MONTHLY FARMERS MARKET IN ST LOUIS FROM APRIL TO OCTOBER 2021. THESE MARKETPLACES PROVIDE LOW COST VENDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVER 120 VENDORS IN PHILADELPHIA AND 20 VENDORS IN ST. LOUIS. THEY GENERATE COMMUNITY COMMERCE AND ADDRESS FOOD APARTHEID AND INSECURITY IN THE ST LOUIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THE NEAREST SUPERMARKET IS OVER 3.5 MILES AWAY. FAMILY AND CULTURAL EVENTS SUCH AS A HALLOWEEN HAUNTED FESTIVAL WERE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THESE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MARKETPLACES. PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SKILLS TRAINING AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVER 50 PEOPLE IN PHILADELPHIA AND ST. LOUIS.

MEDIA AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES: APEDF OPERATES A LOW POWER NONCOMMERCIAL FM COMMUNITY RADIO STATION REACHING OVER 100,000 ST PETERSBURG 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. THROUGHOUT THE COVID19 CRISIS, THE STATION HAS PROVIDED NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM AFRICAN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO PREVENT SPREAD OF THE VIRUS, TO CARE FOR THE INFECTED, AND TO DISCUSS THE IMPACT ON THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY ALONG WITH STRATEGIES TO TAKE CHARGE OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. 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 ALSO PROMOTES LOCAL BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES ON AIR TO BUILDING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND INVOLVEMENT FOR THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY. APEDF HELD THE 8TH ANNUAL BOOK FAIR AT THE PHILADELPHIA MARKETPLACE PROMOTING BLACK AUTHORS, INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS AND BOOKSELLERS; FEATURED EDUCATION RESOURCE PROVIDERS, POETRY READINGS, SPOKEN WORD, STORY TELLING AND LITERACY ACTIVITIES.