.TWO WAREHOUSE SALES IN JUNE
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Meet & Greet withChairman Omali Yeshitelaand APEDF PresidentOna Zené Yeshitela
Uhuru Furniture deeply appreciates YOU and everyone who came out to the powerful April 23rd Meet & Greet event with Uhuru Movement founder and leader Chairman Omali Yeshitela, African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) President Ona Zene’ Yeshitela and other Uhuru leaders and special guests!
The program opened with powerful drumming by Karen ‘Magic Fingaz’ Smith, spoken word and collective chanting led by Felicia Crisden as the entourage from St. Louis entered the building.
Uhuru Furniture is just one of over 50 institutions of African economic and political self-determination led by Chairman Omali and President Ona Zene’. These institutions are under attack from the FBI because we are building power in our own hands and transforming the disparities our community faces in every aspect of life - health, healthcare, food, employment, education, housing, mass imprisonment, culture, the future of our children, our human and democratic rights and so much more!
In an enthusiastically received presentation Chairman Omali Yeshitela spoke about the violent FBI raid on his home and 6 other Uhuru Movement homes and institutions on July 29, 2022 as well as recent economic sanctions on the APEDF programs. These programs which uplift thousands of people in our community are being attacked because their very existence and popularity with our community challenges the unjust status quo that profits off keeping us powerless and in poverty.
The program opened with powerful drumming by Karen ‘Magic Fingaz’ Smith, spoken word and collective chanting led by Felicia Crisden as the entourage from St. Louis entered the building.
Uhuru Furniture is just one of over 50 institutions of African economic and political self-determination led by Chairman Omali and President Ona Zene’. These institutions are under attack from the FBI because we are building power in our own hands and transforming the disparities our community faces in every aspect of life - health, healthcare, food, employment, education, housing, mass imprisonment, culture, the future of our children, our human and democratic rights and so much more!
In an enthusiastically received presentation Chairman Omali Yeshitela spoke about the violent FBI raid on his home and 6 other Uhuru Movement homes and institutions on July 29, 2022 as well as recent economic sanctions on the APEDF programs. These programs which uplift thousands of people in our community are being attacked because their very existence and popularity with our community challenges the unjust status quo that profits off keeping us powerless and in poverty.
President Ona Zene’ put forward the whole Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles staff, customers and volunteers who make this work happen every day. Dr. Aisha Fields, director of our sister nonprofit the All African People’s Development and Empowerment Project, Rage Grey, new leader of the One Africa! Farmers Market in St. Louis MO and Fofeet Alkebulan, leader of the Black Ankh Project all spoke about their work for African self-determination and power in our own hands. A lively discussion followed.
Your support for APEDF and Uhuru Furniture is more important now than ever! Thank you to everyone who participated and donated to support this critical work!
President Ona Zene’ put forward the whole Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles staff, customers and volunteers who make this work happen every day. Dr. Aisha Fields, director of our sister nonprofit the All African People’s Development and Empowerment Project, Rage Grey, new leader of the One Africa! Farmers Market in St. Louis MO and Fofeet Alkebulan, leader of the Black Ankh Project all spoke about their work for African self-determination and power in our own hands. A lively discussion followed.
Your support for APEDF and Uhuru Furniture is more important now than ever! Thank you to everyone who participated and donated to support this critical work!
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Thank you all for Making the Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market a big success!
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Regions Bank ExposéLong Standing Racist Policies, Fraud and Corruption
Regions Bank’s recent collusion with the FBI in attacking the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) and imposing sanctions on its programs serving the interests of the African working class is only the latest in a long line of racist actions, fraud and corruption scandals by Regions in recent years benefitting the parasitic banking executives.
Regions CEO John Turner’s salary is a staggering 8.5 million dollars a year and several other executives make well over 3 million dollars a year! See: Regions executive salaries.
Yet, Regions is headquartered in Birmingham, AL whose population is 69 percent African while only 18 percent of Regions employees are black. The city of Birmingham has 25.5 percent of its families living below the poverty line and a per capita income of only $26,000 a year.
Regions’ parasitic, blood-sucking executives actively gouged their everyday customers (not their big investors) with fraudulent illicit surprise overdraft fees for years even though the executives had been warned by their staff that these fees were illegal.
September 2022, The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) forced Regions to refund $141 million to customers and pay a $50 million fee for repeatedly defrauding their customers with overdraft fees–fees that were imposed even after customers were told they had sufficient funds prior to withdrawal.
This practice went on as far back as 2015 when Regions was first reprimanded and continued until at least 2021. See: CFPB orders Regions to pay $191 million.
The CFPB also found that Regions leadership knew about and could have discontinued its gouging of their customers years earlier, but they chose to wait while Regions pursued changes that would generate new fee revenue to make up for ending the illegal fees.
“Regions Bank raked in tens of millions of dollars in surprise overdraft fees every year, even after its own staff warned that the bank’s practices were illegal,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra.
Regions did this despite the fact that in 2015 they hired John Boles, a 25-year FBI agent, to head up its “Fraud Prevention” department which obviously was complicit with the executives’ fraudulent actions.
In addition, Regions was a major lender and trustee for a 30 year loan to the private prison corporation CoreCivic for the building of two new private prisons in Alabama in Escambia and Elmore counties.
A press release from an organization fighting Regions’ funding of the Alabama private prisons stated that the state’s colonial “draconian minimum sentencing laws, which hopelessly incarcerate people for catastrophically long periods of time” were cited as a major cause of Alabama’s brutal prison conditions.
“Over 5,660 people are currently serving life sentences or life without parole, which encompass 26 percent of the overall Alabama Department of Corrections population. This makes immediate overcrowding of the prisons as soon as they are built inevitable…” the group stated. Alabama Student Activists hold protest at Regions bank
The Uhuru Movement is well aware of the brutal colonial conditions of the Alabama prisons and remembers the testimony of our late heroic comrade and African political prisoner Mafundi Lake who testified at the First Tribunal on Reparations to African People that he was kept for years in a freezing cold cell in lock down at the notorious Atmore-Holman prison in Alabama with no clothes or bedding and nothing but two pieces of toilet paper to put over his body.
Regions stated that they would sever their ties to the CoreCivic at the end of 2023 only after protests were held at their Birmingham headquarters in 2020. The bank generously gave their private prison customers three years notice for the end of their loan, but gave APEDF an immediate notice with no reason for the termination their loans
Alabama was one of the states that most profited from the brutal colonial convict leasing program that was used from 1846 and extending for 80 years until 1928. It was the last state to formally outlaw it. The revenues derived from convict leasing were substantial, accounting for about 10 percent of total state revenues during 1883, surging to nearly 73 percent of all the money coming into the state by 1898!
The convict leasing program captured thousands of African men, women, children and toddlers forcing them to be hired out to corporations and plantations where they were brutalized, beaten, starved and worked to death. Convict leasing was called “worse than slavery” and operated with the motto, “One dies, get another.”
This is the basis of the colonial prison system and the wealth of the banks in Alabama and the US today! AP article with photos of convict leasing. An article in the Washington Post shows that slave owners and their families in Alabama and the south actually got richer after the end of chattel slavery than during the time of enslavement due to convict leasing.
African people have been criminally exploited by the U.S. banking system since the theft of more than $66 million dollars deposited by more than 61,000 African people during the first nine years after the end of enslavement. The Freedmen’s Bank was officially closed on June 29, 1874 after the parasitic colonial white board members stole our money for their own enrichment and investments. No white person ever went to jail or paid a price for this theft –one more reason why $14.1 trillion in reparations are owed to African people in the US for stolen labor alone.
TAKE ACTION:
- Boycott Regions Bank! Bank-Run on Regions! Close your accounts.
- Call-in to your local Regions branch and state the demands during open hours.
- Go to your local Regions bank and state demands for CEO John Turner:
- Stop Regions’ racist sanctions on APEDF! Support Black economic development!
- Demonstrate at a Regions bank branch in your city and hand out this flier!
- Join and assist in legal action against Regions at HandsOffUhuru.org/volunteer
- Donate to the Hands Off Uhuru! Hands Off Africa! campaign at HandsOffUhuru.org/donate
Regions Bank’s recent collusion with the FBI in attacking the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) and imposing sanctions on its programs serving the interests of the African working class is only the latest in a long line of racist actions, fraud and corruption scandals by Regions in recent years benefitting the parasitic banking executives.
Regions CEO John Turner’s salary is a staggering 8.5 million dollars a year and several other executives make well over 3 million dollars a year! See: Regions executive salaries.
Yet, Regions is headquartered in Birmingham, AL whose population is 69 percent African while only 18 percent of Regions employees are black. The city of Birmingham has 25.5 percent of its families living below the poverty line and a per capita income of only $26,000 a year.
Regions’ parasitic, blood-sucking executives actively gouged their everyday customers (not their big investors) with fraudulent illicit surprise overdraft fees for years even though the executives had been warned by their staff that these fees were illegal.
September 2022, The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) forced Regions to refund $141 million to customers and pay a $50 million fee for repeatedly defrauding their customers with overdraft fees–fees that were imposed even after customers were told they had sufficient funds prior to withdrawal.
This practice went on as far back as 2015 when Regions was first reprimanded and continued until at least 2021. See: CFPB orders Regions to pay $191 million.
The CFPB also found that Regions leadership knew about and could have discontinued its gouging of their customers years earlier, but they chose to wait while Regions pursued changes that would generate new fee revenue to make up for ending the illegal fees.
“Regions Bank raked in tens of millions of dollars in surprise overdraft fees every year, even after its own staff warned that the bank’s practices were illegal,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra.
Regions did this despite the fact that in 2015 they hired John Boles, a 25-year FBI agent, to head up its “Fraud Prevention” department which obviously was complicit with the executives’ fraudulent actions.
In addition, Regions was a major lender and trustee for a 30 year loan to the private prison corporation CoreCivic for the building of two new private prisons in Alabama in Escambia and Elmore counties.
A press release from an organization fighting Regions’ funding of the Alabama private prisons stated that the state’s colonial “draconian minimum sentencing laws, which hopelessly incarcerate people for catastrophically long periods of time” were cited as a major cause of Alabama’s brutal prison conditions.
“Over 5,660 people are currently serving life sentences or life without parole, which encompass 26 percent of the overall Alabama Department of Corrections population. This makes immediate overcrowding of the prisons as soon as they are built inevitable…” the group stated. Alabama Student Activists hold protest at Regions bank
The Uhuru Movement is well aware of the brutal colonial conditions of the Alabama prisons and remembers the testimony of our late heroic comrade and African political prisoner Mafundi Lake who testified at the First Tribunal on Reparations to African People that he was kept for years in a freezing cold cell in lock down at the notorious Atmore-Holman prison in Alabama with no clothes or bedding and nothing but two pieces of toilet paper to put over his body.
Regions stated that they would sever their ties to the CoreCivic at the end of 2023 only after protests were held at their Birmingham headquarters in 2020. The bank generously gave their private prison customers three years notice for the end of their loan, but gave APEDF an immediate notice with no reason for the termination their loans
Alabama was one of the states that most profited from the brutal colonial convict leasing program that was used from 1846 and extending for 80 years until 1928. It was the last state to formally outlaw it. The revenues derived from convict leasing were substantial, accounting for about 10 percent of total state revenues during 1883, surging to nearly 73 percent of all the money coming into the state by 1898!
The convict leasing program captured thousands of African men, women, children and toddlers forcing them to be hired out to corporations and plantations where they were brutalized, beaten, starved and worked to death. Convict leasing was called “worse than slavery” and operated with the motto, “One dies, get another.”
This is the basis of the colonial prison system and the wealth of the banks in Alabama and the US today! AP article with photos of convict leasing. An article in the Washington Post shows that slave owners and their families in Alabama and the south actually got richer after the end of chattel slavery than during the time of enslavement due to convict leasing.
African people have been criminally exploited by the U.S. banking system since the theft of more than $66 million dollars deposited by more than 61,000 African people during the first nine years after the end of enslavement. The Freedmen’s Bank was officially closed on June 29, 1874 after the parasitic colonial white board members stole our money for their own enrichment and investments. No white person ever went to jail or paid a price for this theft –one more reason why $14.1 trillion in reparations are owed to African people in the US for stolen labor alone.
TAKE ACTION:
- Boycott Regions Bank! Bank-Run on Regions! Close your accounts.
- Call-in to your local Regions branch and state the demands during open hours.
- Go to your local Regions bank and state demands for CEO John Turner:
- Stop Regions’ racist sanctions on APEDF! Support Black economic development!
- Demonstrate at a Regions bank branch in your city and hand out this flier!
- Join and assist in legal action against Regions at HandsOffUhuru.org/volunteer
- Donate to the Hands Off Uhuru! Hands Off Africa! campaign at HandsOffUhuru.org/donate
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Children's Book Author and Entrepreneur,.png)
Felicia is donating 10% of the proceeds of her new book, "Chelsea Chanels" to the African People's Education and Defense Fund (APEDF).
CLICK THE LINKS:
To Felicia on Instagram
To find this book and her other works (or by searching)
To visit Felicia and buy her book at her store Fefe's Creations located at
Children's Book Author and Entrepreneur,
.png)
Felicia is donating 10% of the proceeds of her new book, "Chelsea Chanels" to the African People's Education and Defense Fund (APEDF).
CLICK THE LINKS:
To Felicia on Instagram
To find this book and her other works (or by searching)
To visit Felicia and buy her book at her store
Fefe's Creations located at
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African History Month Movie Night Thurs. Feb 23The African People’s Education Defense Fund and the African People’s Socialist Party Philadelphia Presents:
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At Uhuru Furniture • 832 N. Broad St. Phila PA 19130
From Garvey to the Uhuru Movement,
the struggle for African self-determination, and the US government and FBI attacks on the rights of the African community continues!!
Justice for Tyre Nichols!
Stop police brutality against the African community!
GET INVOLVED!
215-546-9616 ext #3 •
philly.volunteer@uhurufurniture.org
• apedfphilly@gmail.com
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2023 MLK Day Event & Volunteer Project
We deeply appreciate all of YOU who volunteered at Uhuru Furniture’s MLK Day 2023! Your work made this powerful event and volunteer project in support of black community economic self-determination a success!
This was our 26th annual MLK Day event and the store was packed! The program featured the true history and work of MLK, Malcolm X and the continuing struggle for African freedom. An essential part of this program was the summation by Chairman Omali Yeshitela of MLK and his work to transform the lives of African people. Chairman exposed that the FBI attacked and assassinated Dr. King for fighting for freedom for African people. This is the same reason that the FBI is attacking the Uhuru Movement today, undermining the African community’s right to economic self-determination including the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) programs and institutions for health, healthcare, economic development, education, food and human rights.
We deeply appreciate our mobilizing MC Dr. Michelle Strongfields, the powerful drum and spoken word performance by Karen Smith and Rahnda Rize, Tiffany Murphy, North Regional Rep for the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) and the One Africa! One Nation! Marketplace, the groups from Philly Urban Creators and the Temple Owlettes Dance Team as well as all the families, friends and individuals who participated!
15 teams of volunteers distributed over 4100 door hangers in neighborhoods around the city to inform our community about Uhuru Furniture, the APEDF programs and how everyone can shop, donate and volunteer at this black community owned self-reliance institution.
Back at the store we had pizza, prizes and awards. Many volunteers expressed how much they appreciated the program, donated to APEDF and signed up to volunteer again soon.
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We deeply appreciate all of YOU who volunteered at Uhuru Furniture’s MLK Day 2023! Your work made this powerful event and volunteer project in support of black community economic self-determination a success!
This was our 26th annual MLK Day event and the store was packed! The program featured the true history and work of MLK, Malcolm X and the continuing struggle for African freedom. An essential part of this program was the summation by Chairman Omali Yeshitela of MLK and his work to transform the lives of African people. Chairman exposed that the FBI attacked and assassinated Dr. King for fighting for freedom for African people. This is the same reason that the FBI is attacking the Uhuru Movement today, undermining the African community’s right to economic self-determination including the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) programs and institutions for health, healthcare, economic development, education, food and human rights.
We deeply appreciate our mobilizing MC Dr. Michelle Strongfields, the powerful drum and spoken word performance by Karen Smith and Rahnda Rize, Tiffany Murphy, North Regional Rep for the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) and the One Africa! One Nation! Marketplace, the groups from Philly Urban Creators and the Temple Owlettes Dance Team as well as all the families, friends and individuals who participated!
15 teams of volunteers distributed over 4100 door hangers in neighborhoods around the city to inform our community about Uhuru Furniture, the APEDF programs and how everyone can shop, donate and volunteer at this black community owned self-reliance institution.
Back at the store we had pizza, prizes and awards. Many volunteers expressed how much they appreciated the program, donated to APEDF and signed up to volunteer again soon.
Press Conference: Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles Phila. PA Jan 13, 2023
On Jan 13, 2023 UFC hosted a press conference to raise the importance of MLK’s struggle for the rights of black people and say “Hands Off Uhuru!” to expose the FBI’s attack on seven institutions and homes of leaders of the Uhuru Movement including Chairman Omali Yeshitela, founder and leader of the Uhuru Movement and APEDF.
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On Jan 13, 2023 UFC hosted a press conference to raise the importance of MLK’s struggle for the rights of black people and say “Hands Off Uhuru!” to expose the FBI’s attack on seven institutions and homes of leaders of the Uhuru Movement including Chairman Omali Yeshitela, founder and leader of the Uhuru Movement and APEDF.
Uhuru Furniture Night Market!
Nov. 26th 2022, 4pm-7:30pm
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An Evening with Chairman Omali Yeshitela
Sept. 17th 6:30pm!
Volunteer Meet-Up April 13th 6:30-7:30pm!%20(Flyer%20(5.5%20%C3%97%208.5%20in)).png)
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Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market!
Saturday April 30th 9-5pm
Dance Workshop 
Thursday April 21st 3-4pm
2022 MLK Day Event & Volunteer Project!
Build Project Black Ankh!Report from the IFCO Caravan to Cuba
Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market!
Saturday April 30th 9-5pm
Dance Workshop
Thursday April 21st 3-4pm
Build Project Black Ankh!
Report from the IFCO Caravan to Cuba
2021 MLK Day Event & Volunteer Project!
2021 MLK Day Event & Volunteer Project!
Uhuru Furniture in the Feb 2021 Issue of Philadelphia Weekly
Uhuru Furniture in Philadelphia Magazine!
Karen Smith's "60 is the new 40" Birthday Party
"Stop Poisoning Our Students & Teachers!" Press Conference
Click the image above to learn more
'Black is back': A new grassroots effort aims to revitalize north St. Louis
Be like Aminata! Support APEDF, shop at and donate to Uhuru Furniture!
2020 Uhuru MLK Day
Vanguard 2019 International Speaking Tour
Click through for more photos
5th Annual Uhuru Book Fair
25th Anniversary Buy Black Power Mitandao Chama Networking Party
25th Anniversary Victory Banquet
25th Anniversary Community Block Party
2019 Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market
Click through for more photos
2019 Uhuru MLK Day
Click image above for more photos
2018 Uhuru Book Fair & Flea Market
2018 Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market
CLICK HERE to see photos from
the Reparations Tour - Philly
2018 Uhuru MLK Day
Uhuru Furniture in The Philadelphia Inquirer!
2017 Staff & Volunteer Appreciation Dinner Party
2017 Uhuru Book Fair & Flea Market Photos
Under imperialist domination, nothing comes out
of Africa peacefully
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| "We have always said that nothing leaves Africa peacefully. In the last 600 years, there has been no genuine trade or cooperation between Africa and the rest of the world, particularly with Europe. There is a human life cost for every extraction of our labor and natural resources by parasitic capitalist companies in Africa and throughout African communities around the world, which is not recognized in the price of merchandise in the capitalist market..." Read more... |
Click image above for more photos
#BlackGirlsWrapWednesday: A campaign against anti-African school dress code policies spreads like wildfire!
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"ST.PETERSBURG, FL––About two weeks ago, African students were threatened by school administration at Gibbs High School as an attack was placed on African culture. My friend Jelani was walking through the school halls at when a school administrator and a resource (police) officer stopped her and ordered that she removed her African headwrap. Puzzled, Jelani asked why, to which they responded that her African headwrap was a violation of the school dress code..." Read More... |
All-day festival in West Philly!
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| "PHILADELPHIA––The Uhuru Book Fair & Flea Market (UBFFM) is an education and economic development project of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF), supporting programs for education, health, sustainable economic development, and self-determination by and for the African community..." Read More... |
Chairman Omali Yeshitela saluted for
ripping down anti-African mural from
St. Petersburg City Hall 50 years ago!
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| "ST. PETERSBURG, FL––Chairman Omali Yeshitela of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) will be honored in an evening reception where he will tell the story of the 1966 protest that culminated in his tearing down of the anti-African mural which had hung in St. Petersburg’s City Hall since the 1940s... " Read More... |
African students speak out against anti-African school dress code
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| "ST. PETERSBURG, FL––Yesterday morning, young African women gathered at the front of Gibbs High School to conduct a press conference to discuss an incident that had happened a few days prior. Gibbs High School Senior Jelani Masozi was forced by a school administrator, accompanied by a resource officer, to remove her head wrap on Thursday, August 25th, 2016..." Read More... |
Louisiana flooding highlights the need for Africans to be self-determined
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"LOUISIANA––Africans were reminded yet again that self-determined responses to natural disasters are necessary after heavy rainfall on August 11, 2016 caused flooding which left the black community at the mercy of our oppressors."
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Zenzele Consignment open for business in Huntsville, AL!
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"HUNTSVILLE, AL––After almost two years of fundraising and planning, and with tremendous support from dedicated AAPDEP members and supporters, the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) and the wider Uhuru Movement, Zenzele Consignment opened for its first official day of business on Saturday, August 13, 2016! "
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Best of the East Bay!!
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| Congratulations Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles - Oakland on winning "Best Furniture Store" 7th Year in a Row - Best of the East Bay!! Click here to read more... |
Black Power Radio celebrates Black August
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| This August, Black Power 96 is hosting a month-long fundraising campaign, “Black August,” to highlight the theme of African Resistance, from the Haitian Revolution to the rebellions in Ferguson. Click Here to Read More... |
Police Brutality – numbers don’t lie.
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| "97% of cases in 2015 did NOT result in any officer(s) involved being charged with a crime." Click here to read more... |
Funding failures
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"Pennsylvania gets low marks on equity and adequacy in school spending. A new formula may help, but only slightly. Charters and districts are left elbowing each other"
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Muhammad Ali: A man of the times!
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| "By the time 1964 rolls around with 22-year old Muhammad Ali’s stunning victory against the previously considered “unbeatable” Sonny Liston, the peoples of the entire colonized world––from Harlem to Congo to Vietnam–– were engaging white imperialism in open revolutionary struggle for control over our own lives and resources." Click here to read the full article. |
Chairman Omali Yeshitela visits
Uhuru Furniture
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| Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles was honored to welcome Uhuru Movement founder & leader Chairman Omali Yeshitela to the store! |
Uhuru Furniture Welcomes Jamal, grandson of Mumia Abu Jamal!
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| Jamal (center) is pictured with staff members Jesus (left) and Ali (right). The Uhuru Furniture team works every day to build for African freedom and self-determination! |
Chairman Omali: The wolf and the
double-edged blade
Uhuru Furniture Providing Couches and Community in North Philly
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| "Empress spent much of her time in the store looking for storage pieces for the massive amount of yarn she uses. She said that she strongly support the idea of donating and then giving back to the community..." Click here to read more... |
2016 Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market Video
Photos from the 2016 Uhuru Health Festival!
Luxury housing takes over Black landmarks in Philly
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| "The recently disclosed sale of the historic, 110-year-old First African Baptist Church at 16th and Christian streets, which once housed the country’s oldest African-American congregation, is another example of what’s being lost amid the white-hot real estate market in the section called Graduate Hospital..." Click here to read more... |
The SNAP Gap: Benefits Aren't Enough To Keep Many Recipients Fed
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| "Nearly one-third of households on SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, still have to visit a food pantry to keep themselves fed, according to USDA data..." Click here for the full article |
Flint water "crisis" is a crime of genocide
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| The African people of Flint began suffering from headaches, psychological problems, skin lesions, legionnaire’s disease and death due to the poisonous water they have been drinking. Click here for the full article Among the 10 largest cities, Philly has highest deep-poverty rate Click here for full article. |
Studies Confirm the Dehumanization of Black Children and the ‘Preschool-to-Prison Pipeline’
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| A number of recent studies and reports paint a damning picture of how American society dehumanizes blacks starting from early childhood. Click here for the full article. |
THANK YOU for a FANTASTIC MLK DAY!
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| Our 2016 MLK Day Event & Volunteer Project was a HUGE success! We reached almost 5600 people with our outreach service project. CLICK HERE to see more pictures from the day! THANK YOU to everyone who participated for your support of the African People's Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) and the All African People's Development and Empowerment Project (AAPDEP)! |
AAPDEP Organizing Philly Garden Collective
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"In June of this year the All African Peoples Development and Empowerment project organized a garden collective in Philadelphia. The garden collective is a group of about 8-10 different families that have agreed to work cooperatively to grow food, teach and learn from each other, and pool resources both material and human... Click here for the full article |
Thank You from the 2015 Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market!
The African People's Education and Defense Fund (APEDF), Uhuru Flea Markets, Uhuru Furniture and all of our health partners are proud to have sponsored the 2015 Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market! We want to send a huge THANK YOU to the many people who made the day possible, including the donors, staff, volunteers, health partners, vendors, workshop leaders, and everyone else who came out to participate in and contribute to our best event in 2015! It was a gorgeous day, perfect for the Health Festival in the park. The community participation was incredible, and fifteen organizations provided free health resources and screenings for hundreds of participants to take advantage of all day. The flea market vendors all had very successful days, too!
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We especially appreciate the dynamic leadership of John Thomas, the director of APEDF's All People's TyRon Lewis Community Gym in St. Petersburg, FL. He traveled to Philadelphia to bring us his Movement Matters workshop, and he also MC'd the Health Festival's program alongside Philadelphia's own National APEDF Representative Tiffany Murphy.
Another thank you goes out to the outstanding program participants who got the crowd of young and old alike jumping and moving, including Soul Line Dance with Gloria Kingcade; Yoga with Pamela Paraison; Capoiera Nao Compreendo with Ron Wood; Yoga & Chi-Kung with Gabrielle Burke; Zumba with Michelle Mercer; Jazz by Weez the Peeples; World Fusion by Coco Sol; and many other speakers and performers. Special guest Ramona Africa also gave a powerful speech about the upcoming 30th anniversary of the MOVE bombing on May 13th, 2015, and how the government is refusing to give proper medical care to Mumia Abu Jamal.
The festival not only brought much-needed health resources to the community, it outdid its goal of involving people from all walks of life in APEDF’s mission to end the disparities faced by the African community, and to build programs for health and economic development in the hands of the African community. The day was definitely a community effort! There was so much positive feedback from participants throughout the day about their love of APEDF’s African self-determination programs, Uhuru Flea Markets, health programs, Uhuru Furniture, and the Uhuru Movement as a whole.
Everyone is invited to the next community meeting, which will be on Wed. April 29th from 6:30-8pm, at Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles (832 N. Broad St). Give us a call us at 215-546-1485 for more information!
If you'd still like to know more about the 2015 Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market, you can read this article from The Philadelphia Tribune to get a peek into the minds of our two MC's - Tiffany Murphy and John Thomas - and see why the Health Festival is such an important part of the Philadelphia community.
Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles Supports The Resistance of the African Community of Ferguson!
Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles stands in support of the protesters in Ferguson, MO, New York and throughout the U.S. who have been unrelenting in their demand for social justice for the black community. The recent police murders of Michael Brown in Ferguson whose body was left in the hot sun for 4 and half hours, Eric Garner killed by a police chokehold for selling loose cigarettes, and 12 year old Tamir Rice who was playing with a toy gun in a playground, are not at all unusual. Every 26 hours a, black person is killed in by police in this country.
Despite protests and even a court settlement with the ACLU and the Univ. of PA the City of Philadelphia’s policy of Stop and Frisk targeted 215,000 mostly young African and Puerto Rican men in 2012. 50% of all stops were made without even “reasonable suspicion."
Police in Phila. have a long history of misconduct, brutality and even murder which mostly goes unpunished. A 2003 report by the Police Integrity and Accountability Office stated that almost 50% of officers warranted formal disciplinary action. Instead of acting on these findings, the then Mayor Street and Police commissioner denounced the report and soon after the office was closed.
Federal prosecutors never indicted the Phila. police narcotics unit that was filmed robbing bodegas in North Philly and caught falsifying search warrants as exposed by a 2009 Daily News investigation. Entire communities are devastated by this relationship, mourn the loss of children, fathers, and loved ones who are then slandered in the media to justify the theft of their property, lengthy prison sentences and deaths.
Lack of economic development that serves the community, poor quality housing, unavailability of health care, lack of healthy food and an underfunded anti-African education system are all imposed on the black community through the constant presence of a hostile heavily armed police force. High rates of poverty, imprisonment and unemployment force African people into an underground economy which is targeted by police using the drug war and so called “broken windows” policing. The daily lives of the community become a crime.
Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles is an economic development institution of the non-profit African People's Education and Defense Fund (APEDF), APEDF’s mission is to create a genuine solution to these conditions, to defend the civil and human rights of the black community and to end the disparities faced by the black community in health, education and economic development.
When you shop, donate or volunteer at Uhuru Furniture you are contributing to a future of African self-determination positively impacting on public policy and community life. APEDF projects include economic development that benefits the community such as Uhuru Furniture, Uhuru Jiko (Freedom Kitchen), Uhuru African Marketplaces, community gardens, health programs for children and adults including the Uhuru Health Festival and the All People’s Tyron Lewis Community Gym. This is a growing program that invites everyone to participate!
Health, education and economic development in the hands of the black community, not police containment! Justice for Michael Brown and all victims of the police!
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Event & Volunteer Project - 2015
Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles held a really successful event and volunteer project with over forty dedicated volunteers who came out to participate on Monday, January 19, 2015.
Uhuru Furniture - an economic development project of the African People's Education & Defense Fund, (APEDF) - commemorated Dr. King's birthday with a program starting with a vigorous exercise session led by health practitioner Ronn Ross where everyone got their energy flowing with an "Exercise in a Chair" workout.
The program continued with a video presentation showing the Black Liberation Movement from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's, to Malcolm X and the Black Power Movement of the 1960s, and concluding with Uhuru Movement leader Chairman Omali Yeshitela speaking today about the continuing struggle for justice for the black community. The Uhuru Movement is leading the resistance in Ferguson, and organized the January 3rd & 4th Black Community Grand Jury, which determined that officer Darren Wilson should be tried for the first degree murder of Mike Brown.
This was followed by a video and discussion showing how the African People's Education and Defense Fund is continuing the work started in the 1950's to empower the black community and build African self-determination programs and institutions, putting health, education and economic development into the hands of the community.
Once the event concluded, teams of volunteers went out into the neighborhoods surrounding the store distributing door-hangers, leaflets, and postcards promoting Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles. Because of their hard work on that cold January day we were able to give out over 5,000 pieces of literature to bring resources to APEDF programs!
Everyone came back to Uhuru Furniture and enjoyed a well-deserved pizza lunch!
THANK YOU TO ALL THE WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN MAKING MLK DAY 2015 SUCH A SUCCESS!
Thanks to Our Volunteers for Making 2014 MLK Day Great
Your participation in Uhuru Furniture's MLK Day Event & Volunteer Project was a phenomenal contribution to the work of the African People's Education and Defense Fund - apedf.org - We truly enjoyed spending the day working with you and getting to know you.
Together we brought Uhuru Furniture and the APEDF mission to the forefront of the minds of thousands of people on Martin Luther King Day. The forward effect of your work on this day is valuable and immeasurable as people learn about us, become part of our community and bring in others.
We would like to give a special thanks to D’vine Diamonds & Palumbo High School for helping make this year’s MLK day a success.
We look forward to seeing you again in the future and being in touch about how you can continue to be a part of the APEDF in Philadelphia!
Philadelphia is Closing 23 Schools While Building A $400 Million Prison
"Education privatization advocates and prison industry profiteers share the same target demographic: poor communities of color (makes the “school-to-prison-pipeline” a lot more literal)." Click here for the full article
Uhuru Furniture Open House
Created with flickr slideshow.
On saturday March 22nd Uhuru Furniture & Collectible celebrated the relocation to our new beautiful building at 832 N Broad St after 20 years in center city! Many old and new friends come out to enjoy the program. Ronn Ross led a dynamic exercice in a chair workout. Sayeed and Rasheed Bey presented African Drumming & Poetry. International people's democratic Uhuru Movement President Waleeah Brooks gave the keynote presentation and the program ended with a wonderful jazz performance by Weez the peeples. Delicious food was donated by Trios Pizza, Ry Brew, Aliya Ola's, and gift certificates was donated by monk's Cafe & Era Ethiopian restaurant. Thanks to everyone who participated & made it a success!
New Location First Day!
African Style at Uhuru Furniture Holiday Party & Sale
Mary Pottier - Uhuru Furniture Volunteer of the Quarter, Summer 2013
Mary has volunteered over 180 hours at UFC doing sales and customer service, and much more. Mary always brings a stance of enthusiasm for Uhuru Furniture and the Mission of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund. Mary is positive, friendly, out going and communicates in a great way with the many customers, staff and volunteers that she works with on the busy weekends she often volunteers.
Mary is always willing to work hard, and to do what ever has to be done! Go into the basement and organize stuff—done already!, cleaning and organizing–no problem making phone calls to shoppers—she’s there. Mary is responsible, capable and has many skills that she brings to the work in support of APEDF. If a problem occurs as can happen in a fast paced environment, she takes responsibility to help find a solution.
Mary promotes the store to her friends and family. She volunteers her time and generates support for the African People’s Education and Defense Fund and self-determination for the African community. It is a pleasure working with Mary and we look forward to continuing this positive relationship in our new location!
Lyrically Fit Concert by our Tina and her band O-20 - Benefit for Uhuru Furniture Relocation Fund
On Sep. 27th Fri, our Tina and her band O-20 held a concert "Lyrically Fit" at Trocadero to help us raise money for Uhuru Furniture Relocation Fund.
Thank you all for coming to this event and support our relocation project!
Special thanks to Tina and her band O-20 for the excellent performance and the contribution to UFC!
Uhuru Furniture Volunteer BBQ Party
Yoga Movement Party
Thank you all for joining us at Yoga Movement Party last saturday and helping us to raise money for Uhuru Furniture Relocation Fund!
Special thanks to Erik for giving us such a wonderful yoga class and Dhyana Yoga Seva Center for supporting this project!
Uhuru Open House
Uhuru Furniture 25th Anniversary in Oakland – “A Celebration of You.”
Guests attending the Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles 25th Anniversary Celebration in Oakland, California on July 13th were treated to something special. We celebrated the longevity of Uhuru Furniture, which, along with The Burning Spear newspaper and the Uhuru House, is among the oldest institutions of the Uhuru Movement.
The spirit of the evening was best stated by Chairman Omali Yeshitela in his keynote presentation: “I want to thank all of you who’ve worked so hard with Uhuru Furniture over the years and been a part of this movement to make it what it is. I want to thank all of you who have donated to Uhuru Furniture and who’ve purchased your goods there. I know you didn’t have to do that. You didn’t have to have this relationship that you have with Uhuru Furniture.”
The evening was a celebration of a community that has supported this African self-reliance institution over twenty-five years, during economic ups and downs and even during political attacks that attempted to silence the independent voice of African workers demanding freedom.
All kinds of community people and store supporters were involved in building the event and carrying out the work of the evening. Attendees were given a beautiful souvenir brochure filled with endorsements and ads expressing support from the surrounding community. The brochure’s design, production and printing were all donated. The beautiful room décor was donated by a professional stager and longtime store shopper. Inspirational volunteers coordinated video and a silent auction, helped with logistics, food and more.
Princess Williams, African People’s Education and Defense Fund Program Director from the St. Petersburg, Florida was an outstanding emcee. She also gave a powerful performance of her “Freedom Song”. Maitho Adebuwale was also a great emcee and really promoted Uhuru Radio, The Burning Spear and the 6th Party Congress coming up in December 2013.
In the early moments of the evening, the announcement was made that a Florida jury had just found George Zimmerman innocent of all charges against him in the murder of Trayvon Martin. Chairman Omali, Princess and others united the room to not be demoralized but to understand the way forward is to continue to support this African working class led organization, saying “nobody is going to tolerate this kind of oppression any more.”
The room full of attendees responded tremendously to the presentations of the evening. Princess gave a mobilizing account of the programs of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund. Ruby Gittelsohn, who helped launch the flagship Oakland store and has been working in the Philly store for its near-twenty years of existence, gave the history of Uhuru Furniture. Penny Hess, Chairwoman of the African People’s Solidarity Committee, told of the origins of Uhuru Furniture as part of the work of white people’s reparations to the African community. The Chairman's presentation really moved people and exposed them to African Internationalism, assuming and winning unity from all.
Another highlight of the evening were the recognitions of the people – staff, volunteers, donors, shoppers and participants in the renovation of the Oakland Uhuru House. Special recognition was given to Joel Hamburger, current manager of the Oakland store, for twenty-five years of dedication to this African economic development institution. Uhuru Foods & Pies showcased their menu with a spread of delicious food – especially their famous sweet potato pie. There was singing, a little dancing and even cupcakes with the new Uhuru Furniture logo printed on top in edible frosting.
Chairman Omali’s words from the evening are still resonating in the ears of store customers since the event: “People who engaged with this project – with Uhuru Furniture – did it consciously… We want a better world. Charity won’t bring a better world. Charity needs this situation to justify its existence. Charity needs poverty to justify its existence. We are in a situation where we want to make ourselves unnecessary. And the way we become unnecessary is by empowering the people. The people have to have power over our own lives and I thank you for joining with that.
“Our mission has been, not to create a charity, but to build a movement that can change the world so that people don’t have to live like this any more. Isn’t that what you are about? Isn’t that what makes you attracted to Uhuru Furniture? Not some charity but because the mission, the vision is to change the world and to have the arrogance to know that it can be done. To have the understanding that what we are fighting is not something mysterious but is a social system that came about – came into existence – through taking resources and freedom and sovereignty from people all over the world. So I want to thank you.”
APEDF and Community Partners Hold Press Conference: “Stop the School Closings & End the Disparities in Philly!”
On Thursday, March 14th, 2013 the African People’s Education & Defense Fund (APEDF), Uhuru Furniture, the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement, Uhuru Solidarity Movement and other community partners held a press conference at Uhuru Furniture in Center City Philadelphia to put forth the African community’s demand for the City of Philadelphia to stop the closing of 23 public schools and end the achievement gap and disparities in education, health and economic development for the African community in this city.
The press conference, MCd by Uhuru Furniture Business Relations Developer Tina Mouzone, featured Alison Hoehne, Manager of Uhuru Furniture in Philadelphia speaking on behalf of APEDF, Kianga Danielle of the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement, Philadelphia public schools parent and community activist Denita Bates, Uhuru Solidarity Movement Philadelphia chair Harris Daniels, and statements sent by healing practitioner Ajua Hawkins and the Bush Medicine Partnership.
APEDF was compelled to call this press conference because 10% or about 14,000 mostly African and Puerto Rican students will be negatively affected by this plan which has met with a massive community outcry that has gone unheeded by the city of Phila. and the School Reform Commission.
We call on all communities to partner with APEDF to create real solutions to these unsustainable conditions. This is the way forward to overcome the problems and bridge the divisions in our city! APEDF is building dynamic, grass-roots, self-reliance programs addressing the disparities in health, education and economic development in the African community.
All are invited to join the APEDF program committee and organize community based health and economic development projects in Philadelphia. Open meetings are held every Wed at the Good Karma Café / 928 Pine St at 7pm. Call 215-546-1485.
Juan Rodriguez - Uhuru Furniture Volunteer of the Quarter, Fall 2012
Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles - Philadelphia wants to recognize Juan Rodriguez as our Volunteer of the Quarter – Fall 2012.
Juan, a friend of another Uhuru Furniture team member, started volunteering in the fall 2012 and immediately brought enthusiasm, hard work and a team spirit to Uhuru Furniture – it’s like he’s been here for years. Always extremely cheerful and genuine, Juan is the first person to help someone with a task before they even know they need help. He comes down as many times as he can catch a ride with his friend, which at times has been 5 days a week! Juan has jumped in to full days of furniture moving at the store, on the truck and at the warehouse. He always reaches out to everyone personally to make them feel welcome at Uhuru Furniture – staff, volunteers and customers alike. We really appreciate Juan’s example of giving back by contributing all of his attributes and time to the work of Uhuru Furniture in raising money for the African People’s Education and Defense Fund. So come on by and meet Juan!
First APEDF "Health in Our Hands" Workshop a Success!
Holistic Health & Intro to Reiki Featuring ajualuv
On Saturday, February 16th, APEDF held our first Philadelphia free health workshop as part of the African Health in Our Hands Series. Ajua Hawkins, a reiki and energetic healer, led an informative workshop with the theme "Africans have the power to heal ourselves." The talk included important topics such as whole foods, energetic alignment, self-healing and connecting to nature. She revealed that holistic health, which has its origins over 5,000 years ago, can be used to prevent disease, maintain balance and mental health and clarity and empower the community to take on healing holistically. We at APEDF find this extremely important in a time where even the idea of health has been stolen from the African community. This workshop was about empowering the African community with knowledge to bring self and collective healing to the forefront and begin the process of building African community control of health. Stay tuned for more workshops like this and for the next Uhuru Health Fair & Flea Market on April 20th!
A special thanks to Ajua Hawkins for building and leading this workshop. Those of you who may be interested in her services visit her website at ajualuv.me.
Save Baby Dillen
African People’s Education & Defense Fund (APEDF), & Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles Support Campaign to Save Baby Dillen from Forced Drug Treatment at Pennsylvania Hospital
Thank you everyone who participated in the Save Baby Dillen campaign. Baby Dillen and his family were released from the hospital as a result of our efforts to defend the African community from unjust treatment at Pennsylvania Hospital. Forward to a future of African community control of our health!
Uhuru Jiko (Kitchen) St. Pete Now Open
The African People's Education and Defense Fund is proud to announce an enormous victory: Uhuru Jiko in St. Pete is now completed and in use!
This is a fully licensed, commercial kitchen which will bring community commerce to the black community. Thank you to the hundreds of people all over the country who have contributed to this project.
APEDF Program Coordinator Princess Williams Speaks At Uhuru Health Fair
APEDF / Uhuru Furniture Staff & Volunteer Party Fall 2012
Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated with us! We have such a great team building APEDF and Uhuru Furniture here in Philadelphia.
Carolyn Watkins - Uhuru Furniture Volunteer of the Quarter, Summer 2012
Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles - Philadelphia wants to recognize Carolyn Watkins as our Volunteer of the Quarter – Summer 2012.
Carolyn has dedicated two days a week to Uhuru Furniture and APEDF and has been an amazing addition to our team all summer. She’s the dream volunteer – totally accountable, extremely hard working and willing to jump in to any project, a wonderful person to work with and expressive about her unity with the mission of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund. Carolyn is well loved by the staff, volunteers and customers as she brought a great spirit to all of her work. Carolyn’s work included being excellent on sales and leading volunteers on doorhanging and flyering. There was not a minute that she wasn’t engaged in meaningful work and contributing to the goals of Uhuru Furniture. In just a few short weeks it was as though she had been part of the team for years.
Carolyn somehow fit in volunteering with being a mom and nursing school and just really did a fantastic job. School has now become all encompassing and Carolyn is unable to continue volunteering at this point. We miss her already and wish her the best of luck in school. Thank you Carolyn!
Uhuru Health Fair & Flea Market 2012
Tim Montgomery - Uhuru Furniture Volunteer of the Quarter, Spring 2012
We would like to recognize Tim Montgomery as our Volunteer of the Quarter. Tim sought out Uhuru Furniture for a Marketing Internship and for the last several months has been volunteering 1-3 days per week contributing to the summer weekly marketing work. Jumping in right away, Tim went all over the city hanging Uhuru Furniture posters, tenaciously tackled some of the more mundane tasks of internet marketing, contributed to the research of new online marketing opportunities and helped keep fresh new items up on the blog. He also participated on sales and store set-up! We really enjoyed working with Tim who was eager to help with anything and make learning an integral part of his internship. His contributions to our successful summer season were critical and he always brought a great spirit to the store and everyone around him. Tim is back off to school and we’re sad to see him go and wish him luck with the new semester. Thank you Tim for joining our team and support for the African People’s Education and Defense Fund!
Introducing 3 New Staff Members of the African People's Education and Defense Fund:
Tiffany Williams
Personal Trainer and Gym and Fitness Program Manager
Monique Howard
Promotions Special Events
Princess Williams
St Petersburg APEDF Program Director
New staff members pictured with APEDF President Ona Zene Yeshitela
Uhuru Furniture Open House: March 2012
On March 18, 2012 Uhuru Furnture Philadelphia held an Open House featuring special guests National APEDF President Ona Yeshitela, Princess, APEDF Board Member Kitty Reilly. We showed our remodeled office and showroom and held a wonderful program to hear President Ona speak about APEDF and the importance of the community involvement as well as tear-jerking performances by Princess and Tina and a celebration of Princess's Birthday. It was incredible time for us and our volunteers and supporters to come together and celebrate the growth of APEDF in Philadelphia. We missed those who could not make it and invite you to check out the beautiful photos. The weather was perfect and the program inspired us. Thanks to all who made this wonderful event happen! A special thanks to Hand2Hand International for meeting with APEDF to build African self-determination in Philadelphia!