Oakland, CA—Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles is proudly celebrating twenty-five years as an African self-reliance project raising resources for programs addressing disparities in health, economic development, education and human rights.
Shoppers, donors, volunteers and supporters are invited to a weekend of “give back to the community” events.
The fun begins with the 25th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, July 13th from 6-9:30pm at the Kehilla Community Synagogue, 1300 Grand Avenue in Piedmont, CA.
You are also welcome to the Open House on Sunday July 14th from 11am to 1pm at Uhuru Furniture, 3742 Grand Avenue in Oakland, CA.
Enjoy food from around the world, African cultural performances, presentations by African People’s Education & Defense Fund President Ona Zene Yeshitela and Uhuru Movement founder Chairman Omali Yeshitela, a PowerPoint presentation on the 25-year history of Uhuru Furniture and a silent auction raising funds for the new APEDF economic program—the Uhuru Jiko commercial community kitchen.
Families are welcome! Please RSVP.
At the Open House on Sunday, July 14, meet and greet organization leaders while enjoying refreshments, entertainment and extra great deals on furniture!
African community faces harsh conditions
Conditions in Oakland for the majority of the African community have remained brutal during these past 25 years.
The lion’s share of Oakland’s budget goes to the police department while virtually nothing goes to economic development.
The result is a lack of economic opportunities that has a devastating impact on every aspect of life for Oakland’s African community.
Instead of investing resources on economic development and creating ways to keep resources circulating within the African community, the city invests heavily in police containment and promotes gentrification of West and East Oakland.
Over the past quarter-century, African families have been pushed out of the city in huge numbers.
A 2007 study by the Alameda County Department of Public Health stated:
“Compared with a white child in Oakland Hills, an African American [sic] born in West Oakland is 1.5 times more likely to be born premature or low birth weight, seven times more likely to be born into poverty, two times as likely to live in a home that is rented and four times more likely to have parents with only a high school education or less.”
“Born in West Oakland, this person can expect to die almost 15 years earlier than a white person born in Oakland Hills.” (http://www.acphd.org/media/144757/lduc-execsum.pdf)
Uhuru Furniture’s long history
Uhuru Furniture is a project of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) as well as part of a long history of community programs coming out of the Oakland Uhuru House addressing the disparities faced by the African community.
A few of these include the African People’s Free Child Care Collective, the Bobby Hutton Freedom Clinic, the Spear Graphics print shop, the Health Uprising health fair, the Huey P. Newton Community Garden and the Biko Lumumba Free Lunch Program.
The community forums addressing the conditions of life and ways to transform them are too many to list.
Nationally, APEDF has numerous current programs including the All People’s TyRon Lewis Community Gym, the Kids Fit Program, the Healthy Connections newsletter, the Youth Basketball Program, the Uhuru Health Festivals, the Uhuru House community centers and the Uhuru Jiko community commercial kitchen (St. Petersburg Fla).
This year, APEDF is working to transform the Oakland Uhuru House to hold the Uhuru Jiko commercial community kitchen and Akwaaba Hall.
The significance of Uhuru Furniture stores in Oakland and Philadelphia cannot be overstated. They have contributed to building powerful African People’s Education and Defense Fund programs as well as other programs that pre-date APEDF.
The stores take public positions on issues affecting the African community.
They also put forward a tremendous product which saves people money and tons of furniture and household items from going into the landfill by picking up and reselling donated items.
Uhuru Furniture represents the talent, dignity and openness of African people and provides a way for people from every walk of life to participate in a positive future for our society.
APEDF and Uhuru Furniture have tremendous appreciation for their thousands of shoppers, donors and volunteers.
The success of these dynamic stores in Oakland and Philadelphia stems from the participation of our community.
YOU are what make Uhuru Furniture the thriving, dynamic African economic development institution that it is! Thank you!
Come celebrate!
Join the team to build events, help with social media, food, décor and more.
Meetings are held every Tuesday at 7pm at Uhuru Furniture.
As always, we pick up donations fast, for free and in a one-hour time window. Donations are tax-deductible!
Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles
510-763-3342
3742 Grand Ave., Oakland, CA 94610
