4007-09 West Florissant, Projects /

Thank You from APEDF President Ona Zené Yeshitela!

Uhuru everyone! Because of YOU on #GivingTuesday this past week, the Black Power Blueprint exceeded our goal to raise the funds needed to begin construction on the Community Basketball Court in North St. Louis!

Thank you for everything you did to make this happen! Thank you to all of our donors, our volunteers, supporters and everyone who made phone calls, put up posters, flyers, promoted the campaign on social media and contributed in so many other ways. Together we have officially raised over $140,000 for this dynamic program of African self-determination.

Like I said from the beginning, this is about rebuilding our community. All of you are a part of making this happen. This is another victory for the African community. Another victory in our movement for political and economic power in our own hands.

We did it. You did it. We are winning! Uhuru!

Marketplace and Garden, Projects /

Community enjoys 2021 Uhuru Halloween Festival

The Uhuru Halloween Festival and One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market held on Saturday, October 30, 2021 was epic!

MC Zondlile Mpiko welcomed the crowd and guided participants through the day’s program. Children and adults arrived in amazing costumes. They participated in games and activities like Uhuru Says, Exercise for Candy, a Halloween Hair Style Contest, Mummy Wrap and Dancing. Judges from the community awarded prizes in costume contests for both the children and adults.

Festival goers were treated to culture by DJ Oliver, mime artist Quincy GQ Fielding III and a fantastic drummer.

Uhuru Movement leader Chairman Omali Yeshitela also gave a powerful speech.

This final farmers market of the season featured wonderful vendors selling fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, prepared food, clothing, accessories, literature and more.

We can’t wait for next year — the One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market kicks off a season of weekly market dates in May of 2022!

Check out the Highlights Album:

2021 Halloween Festival Farmers Market (Highlights)
News and Announcements /

Enter the Garment Factory Naming Contest!

Support Economic Development and Commerce for and Between African People Worldwide

  • Chance to win R1400 ($100)
  • Enter by midnight June 19, 2021
  • No fee to enter
  • No limit on number of entries per person

This new garment factory is the first major economic institution organized by Black Star Industries in South Africa. We will design, manufacture and sell our own clothing and fabric worldwide. The factory is slated to open in Vaal, Gauteng by 2023.

How to Enter

Submit your proposed name and/or slogan
with a brief explanation of the meaning of your name or slogan.

Include your contact info
First Name, Last Name, Email and Phone Number

Submit Entries

Mail to:
BSI Naming Contest
8331 Drieziek ext 5
Orange Farms 1841

Whatsapp Text to: (+27) 646-851-229

Email to: NameIt@BlackStarIndustries.org

Win R700 ($50) if your name is chosen for the factory
Win R700 ($50) if your tagline / slogan is chosen

For more info, visit the Naming Contest website!

Marketplace and Garden, Projects /

Volunteers help paint marketplace stage

A huge thank you to the volunteers who contributed to painting the stage in preparation for opening day of the One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market!

Makel, Rebecca and Rhya, as well as One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market project director Ticharwa and Black Power Blueprint outreach coordinator Abdullah.

Together we sanded and painted base coats on the stage. Then volunteers applied the beautiful Congo design that the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) uses in its institutions across the country.

Left: Black Power Blueprint Economic Development Director Ticharwa Masimba; Right: Black Power Blueprint Outreach Coordinator Abdullah Mohammad
Left: Black Power Blueprint volunteer photographer Rebecca  Center: artist Makel  Right: Rhya created the design stencils
The painted stage at the One Africa! One Nation! Marketplace and Gary Brooks Black Power Community Garden
Marketplace and Garden, Projects /

Volunteers help plant and prepare for painting

Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to the work day on May 15: Tarra, Mareay, James, KC, and Ashley, as well as the upcoming One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market coordinators Ticharwa and Marisa, our outreach chair Abdullah, and our promotions and projects coordinators, Penny and Kitty.

Together we sanded the stage to prepare it for painting (painting was postponed due to weather) and planted fruits and veggies (peppers, squash, zucchini, scallions, cucumbers, watermelon and cantaloupe), herbs (parsley, dill) and flowers (aster and marigolds)! All in preparation for our farmers market debuting June 5.

Salutes to Mr. Gary Brooks, longtime North St. Louis resident, the namesake of the Gary Brooks Black Power Community Garden, and the Black Power Blueprint’s master gardener. We were so excited that Mr. Gary was able to visit the garden while recuperating. He shared plans to bring hummingbirds and butterflies into the garden, continuing to bring to life his vision of making this black community space a true “destination.”

“Everything you need you can get from nature.” – Mr. Gary Brooks

Come see the garden at the corner of West Florissant and Alice! Sign up for the garden club!

Check out photos from the May 15 work day in the slideshow below!

Garden and Market Volunteer Day 2021-05-15 Highlights

Marketplace and Garden, Projects /

Water source installed at market site

Black Power Blueprint recently contracted CJ Plumbing to install a water source at the site of the One Africa! One Nation! Marketplace and Gary Brooks Black Power Community Garden.

One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market Coordinator Ticharwa Masimba and community garden volunteer Steve Brooks try the new water pump.
News and Announcements /

Thank you to Mettagroup St. Louis!

Representatives from Mettagroup St. Louis accepted the invitation to tour the Black Power Blueprint projects after making a generous donation from their April monthly meeting.

Thank you to Mettagroup St. Louis! Your support, and that of other donors across the country, are forwarding Black Power Blueprint’s projects for self-determination in the African community!