Developed by Uhuru Furniture and Collectibles in Center City, the ongoing sale campaign started before the turn of 2009. The message behind this sale points a finger at corporate America as the culprit for widespread disparities, specifically within the African-American community.
Manager Ruby Gittelsohn claims the government stimulus packages have only provided the banks with funds, which may never find their way to the surrounding community.
“[Banks] don’t create value, they steal value,” she said. “The resources shouldn’t go to the richest.”
“Uhuru Furniture is giving back to the people by making furniture affordable.”
Profits from the store go to the African People’s Education and Defense fund, which promotes sustainable economic development in African communities both locally and abroad.
Kristy Schneider, a Temple alumna, works at Uhuru.
In September 2006, she founded the Temple chapter of the Uhuru movement on campus, but membership never reached more than 10 people.
Despite the minor fallback, Schneider maintains a passionate outlook on her role as an activist and ally for African communities.
“I felt like I knew that I needed to work on issues that related to Africa and African people.”
Uhuru employee Lisa Burges sees the ongoing sale as ways to “give back to people who have supported us.”
The Uhuru movement is based across the country, working on setting up self-determined economic development projects like licensed community kitchens, recording studios and community gardens. These institutions strive to provide spaces for those underprivileged by the current system and allow them to create their own jobs.
Burges claimed that while other businesses were tanking with the failing economy, business Uhuru showed a considerable increase in 2008.
- March 31, 2009 by Sarah Sanders
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