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!

Basketball Court, Projects /

Contribute to the basketball court for GiveSTL Day!

“We believe in the democratic right for control over every aspect of our lives. We think black community control over our basketball court is a fundamental right.” -Chairman Omali Yeshitela

May 6th is Give STL Day — a special giving campaign to support non-profit organizations in St. Louis. Donate to the community basketball court that the Black Power Blueprint is building in North St. Louis! It’s not just building a basketball court, it’s rebuilding our community.

Donate now!
Marketplace and Garden, News and Announcements, Projects /

One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market coming to North St. Louis

In 2020, the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) applied for and WON a 3-year grant to build a weekly farmers market in the outdoor venue across from the Uhuru House. 

The Farmers Market Team has been hard at work, preparing for the market’s launch in June!

The One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market will support African self-determination, building an anti-colonial economy and connecting the community to black growers and farmers. 

It means that fresh food is coming to North St. Louis!!!

The Farmers Market Team wants to hear from the community about your interest in visiting or selling products at the market. Please take the One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market Community Survey by May 15, 2021.

Marketplace and Garden, Projects /

Community Garden Updates – March 28, 2021

On Saturday, March 27, members of the Gary Brooks Black Power Community Garden Team including Diana (left) and Steve (right) got the compost, seeds and starter plants ready for the April 3 garden work day.

Steve is the brother of Mr. Gary Brooks who leads the Black Power Blueprint community garden work.

Bulbs planted by the Garden Team last fall are now blooming flowers.
Bulbs planted by the Garden Team last fall are now blooming flowers.
Projects, Uhuru House /

Awning and electronic sign installed on St. Louis Uhuru House

Using a facade grant that APEDF applied for and won from the city of St. Louis, a beautiful new awning was recently installed over the office door entrance of the Uhuru House.

The grant also funded the installation of a new outdoor sign.

The beautiful new sign lets the community know about the Akwaaba Hall event space. The lower half of the sign is digital so APEDF can use it to announce all of the upcoming events!

Another victory for the Black Power Blueprint made possible with support from volunteers who put time and energy into our Mighty Mighty Grants Team. You can volunteer to help work on grants or one of our other teams!

News and Announcements /

Support for Black Power Blueprint pours in from California

In February, Humble Sea Brewing, located in Santa Cruz, California, released the “Uhuru Means Freedom” collaboration with Uhuru Foods & Pies Oakland.

Humble Sea Brewing put a brownie in a bottle, while Uhuru Foods & Pies put a brownie in a pie. The pairing received rave reviews.

As a result of this collaboration, Humble Sea contributed $5,000 to the African People’s Education and Defense Fund to continue to build the Black Power Blueprint.

What a way to celebrate African History Month!

Uhuru Foods & Pies thanks Humble Sea for this latest collaboration and for introducing Uhuru Foods & Pies to Northern California beer distributors.

Job Opportunities, News and Announcements /

One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market Job Opportunities

The African People’s Education and Defense Fund will be opening the One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market in the summer of 2021!

The market will create an oasis and a blueprint for addressing the issues of concentrated poverty, food apartheid and grave health disparities found in the historically black community of North St. Louis.

It will build capacity for local job creation and instill a community-based approach to black empowerment and economic development.

We know how important your contributions are to making this Farmers Market a reality in our community and we thank you.

The One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market is hiring for these positions:

Position Title: Market Assistant

The Market Assistant is a part-time seasonal position to carry out daily operations of a farmers market including recruiting vendors and building vendor relationships. Assists in maintaining the bookkeeping and records related to merchandise sales, the SNAP/EBT, and wireless processing of sales.

Read the Market Assistant full job description

Position Title: Volunteer Coordinator

The Volunteer Coordinator is a part-time seasonal position that is responsible for all aspects of volunteer recruitment and training. Responsible for recruiting a team of volunteers who promote the market to the community through flyers, posters and tabling. Responsible for building an onsite farmers market volunteer team who fulfill various duties at the farmers market. Works with the Promotions Coordinator to build the volunteer social media team.

Read the Volunteer Coordinator full job description

Position Title: Promotions Coordinator

The Farmers Market Promotions Coordinator position is a part-time seasonal position responsible for promotions, marketing and advertising the farmers market to the community including a consistent social media presence. Designs all marketing and promotions media. Organizes and maintains relationships with local media outlets such as TV, Radio and Digital news outlets.  Implements a seasonal promotion and outreach plan and builds a volunteer team to carry out functions. Requires experience using design software such as InDesign, PhotoShop or Canva, and the ability to produce marketing/promotional materials such as leaflets, brochures, pamphlets or online newsletters.

Read the full Promotions Coordinator job description and how to apply