This article is derived from presentations made by Uhuru Solidarity Movement Chair Jesse Nevel and Reparations Investment Company (RIC) committee leaders at an African People’s Solidarity Committee (APSC) web event held on June 24, 2026, titled “Investing in Black Power, Not Gentrification.” Project updates reflect the status as of that date.
People throughout the world have their eyes on North St. Louis, Missouri as the front lines in the struggle against colonialism and for black power and African self-determination.
The Reparations Investment Company (RIC) is the new real estate initiative of the Black Power Blueprint. For nearly ten years the Black Power Blueprint has been transforming the North Side of St. Louis, Missouri through renovation, economic development and political power by and for the black community.
The Reparations Investment Company, and the work to win the question of reparations on a deeper level, is a continuation of a 50-year long process. In a recent presentation to an Uhuru Solidarity Movement (USM) mass meeting, African People’s Education and Defense Fund Board President Ona Zené Yeshitela, opened by asking, “Do you believe that African people deserve reparations?” More white people will say “yes” to that question today compared to the previous decades. That is because of the work led by the African People’s Socialist Party to make reparations a household word, including through its strategic front in the white community, the African People Solidarity Committee (APSC).
The Party has assigned APSC’s mass organization, the USM, to coordinate the Reparations Investment Company. Its mission is to restore homes, rebuild community ownership and invest in a thriving Northside St. Louis where black families, neighborhoods and businesses prosper together for generations.
In May 2025, a tornado struck St. Louis and caused immense devastation on the predominantly black North Side. Now over a year later, St. Louis passed a decision to use money from the Rams settlement fund. Less than half of it is being allocated towards repairing tornado damage on the North Side. Even less is actually going towards any meaningful recovery work.
Chairman Omali Yeshitela has always made the point that the devastation didn’t start with the tornado. The real work that’s happening to rebuild the North Side, not just out of the devastation of the tornado, but out of the devastation of generations of colonial assaults on the African community, is being led by the Uhuru Movement, the Black Power Blueprint and the Reparations Investment Company.
The Reparations Investment Company provides a hopeful vision for the future with reparations-driven community development, revitalizing North St. Louis without gentrification and displacement.
Anyone can invest in African self-determination by becoming an RIC investor with $2,500 or more for a minimum of one year and a return of 7.5% simple annual interest. This is about turning solidarity and reparations into an actual infrastructure, a component of the independent African economy. This is an incredible opportunity to make an investment in something beyond just a financial return, but an exponentially profound and positive social impact that ripples outward from the moment that you make your investment.
Three properties under renovation
RIC is focusing its work on renovating a home located in the O’Fallon neighborhood of North St. Louis and readying it for the market this summer.
The second property is a beautiful building with four apartments. Each apartment unit has been named for a significant African freedom fighter from St. Louis or Missouri history.
The third property is another home being renovated for sale. It’s located near the basketball court developed by the Black Power Blueprint.
Update from Brendan, RIC Projects Committee Coordinator
RIC partners with licensed contractors, construction teams and development groups. Angel from Eliedh Construction, as well as other contractors we’ve been working with have been doing fantastic work.
Our first project is a home we are renovating for sale. There was a section of a wall that was bowed out and Angel’s team took care of that in one day. It looks brand new and perfect now.
They leveled the steps out front, making them look really nice during the tuck pointing. They also laid concrete around the house to stop any water from getting into the basement. Dwayne Lowe of Riley Heating and Cooling and his team worked on the HVAC. It’s starting to really look like a house. The outside is looking beautiful.
I want to shout out Mac, one of the Reparations Investment Company volunteers. Mac was able to patch some of the walls around the duct work, smoothing it out and making it look great.
The HVAC is almost complete. The units still need to be installed, but all the duct work is in place. Most of the electrical work is complete as well. Some outlets need to be installed, but all the wires have been run.
For the yardwork, RIC received donations of lawnmowers and different tools to use in the yard. It was such a battle on the first volunteer day and now the yardword is something that we take care of very quickly during our volunteer days.
I also want to recognize George, another one of our incredible contractors. George worked on the kitchen subfloor. Once the utilities are finished, the flooring will be installed.
Framing and drywalling in the bathrooms is in progress. The kitchen and the dining room both had entrances to the bathroom and they were right next to each other. We made the house flow a little better by changing it so the bathroom just has one entrance now and then the kitchen leads to the dining room, opening it up and making it a more inviting space.
Next we’ll be working on plumbing. We’ve been reaching out to plumbers to get the best bid, making sure we’re being responsible with the funds RIC investors have put into this project.
We will also be working on replacing windows and installing cabinets. Our RIC acquisitions team has been doing incredible work reaching out to places, getting discounts and deals. We appreciate Floor and Decor in South County, St. Louis, who is donating the kitchen floor.
We will be framing and drywalling upstairs—the hallway ceiling. We will be installing toilets and the shower, and we will patch some of the damaged plaster around the house.
And then we will be working on the appliances, painting, priming, staining and installing fixtures and lights around the house, as well as removing the paint on some of the painted wooden floors.
If you are a contractor or skilled tradesperson, we want to partner with you!
You can get involved by visiting ReparationsInvestment.com/Partner
Update from Indigo, RIC Promotions and Outreach Coordinator
I am very excited to announce we officially launched the website: ReparationsInvestment.com. It’s the place people can go to learn what it means to invest in reparations and be part of the new world that is under construction, led by the African working class. Visit the site to learn how you can get involved with RIC as a volunteer, partner, investor or donor.
We are also working on a comprehensive booklet about the Reparations Investment Company for prospective donors and investors.
Look out for RIC promotional content online through social media, email newsletters, videos, and more! We’re also building our team to pursue media coverage to get the word out internationally about this profound opportunity to contribute to renovation that contends with gentrification.
Get involved with the RIC promotions team! Contact Promotions@ReparationsInvestment.com
Update from Camille, RIC N2U Volunteer Coordinator
Salute all the amazing RIC volunteers who have come out and done incredible work! Whether they were in town visiting family or they met us at the farmers market and then 24 hours later were on the ground with us painting, paint stripping or doing yard work outside. All of our volunteers have been so intelligent and thoughtful and really capable of doing amazing work. It has been a joy to work with all of them.
So far, we have held seven successful on-site volunteer work days. We have done everything from unsticking windows that have been painted shut to sanding walls and painting primer, and ongoing yard maintenance. Neighbors come by and ask what’s happening. We share about the RIC and that it’s connected to the Uhuru House. They say, “Yes, the Uhuru House!” We salute the leadership of the Party and the Uhuru Movement for their vision. They are truly known and appreciated in the community.
We have more open meetings and workdays coming up. Learn more, get involved, find the role that you think is going to work best for you—whether that’s helping with promotions, helping make the projects happen, organizing volunteers, contacting companies for acquisitions and donations, or something else, RIC has a place for you!
Sign up to volunteer with RIC at ReparationsInvestment.com/Volunteer
Update from Cara, Reparations Investor & Donor Coordinator
This committee has organized 25 people to participate in the ongoing Reparations Challenge campaign. Participants set a goal to raise a certain amount of funds as reparations and hold an event, benefit show, poetry night, bake sale or any other community activity you can think of to build the culture of reparations.
This committee also held an event at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Berkeley, California earlier this year to raise awareness about the Reparations Investment Company and win people to join the growing investor community. The committee is building a dynamic network of potential investors, ambassadors and donors.
This team is working with the RIC Promotions Committee as well as a skilled African graphic designer from Nigeria, referred to us by APEDF Board President Ona Zené Yeshitela, to create a beautiful printed booklet to share with prospective supporters, donors, investors, partners and other collaborators.
The slogan for the Reparations Investor & Donor Committee is, “Think Gig, Go Big!” We will be approaching banks, foundations, churches, synagogues, universities and corporations to win major funders, donors and investors for the work of the Reparations Investment Company.
Do you want to contribute resources towards reparations for the black community? Visit the Invest or Donate page at ReparationsInvestment.com
A new world is under construction! Invest in reparations!
RIC Committee Meetings: Tuesdays at 6:30pm CT in St. Louis and on Zoom.
Get involved with the Reparations Investment Company!
Connect with us at ReparationsInvestment.com or email info@reparationsinvestment.com
Invest in Black Power, Not Gentrification!
Unity Through Reparations!
