4-Plex Apartment on College Ave, Projects /

4-plex renovations nearing completion

Renovations on the four-unit apartment building, earmarked for housing for the African Independence Workforce Program, continue moving forward. Check out the latest photos from the work!

  • Leon, owner of Paradigm Builders, reviews the final stages of the renovation work with Abdullah, Black Power Blueprint facilities manager.
  • Raymond, HVAC worker with Paradigm Builders, installs the third furnace in the 4-plex.
  • Marcus from Paradigm builders installs hot water heaters.
  • Tadje, Paradigm site foreman for the 4-plex, sands the original 100+ year-old oak floors.
  • A Paradigm Builders worker lays planking on one of the bedroom floors of the 4-plex.
  • A Paradigm crew member completes final repairing and painting of windows.
  • New kitchen cabinets and sink installed.

Black Power Blueprint salutes the fabulous team from Paradigm Builders and all the contractors and workers who have contributed to this renovation!

Thanks to supporters like you, we are rebuilding our black community!

About this project: African Independence Workforce Program Housing

Black Power Blueprint is renovating a 4-plex apartment building on College Avenue in St. Louis, MO. It is earmarked for housing for the African Independence Workforce Program, creating jobs for those re-entering our community from the prison system.

Media Coverage /

We’re on a mission, we’re taking territory and we’re not turning back!

The Burning Spear newspaper featured the Black Power Blueprint in its December issue in-print and online:

The Black Power Blueprint is taking root in North St. Louis, claiming territory by and for us, the African working class.

Currently five blocks on West Florissant Ave. in the O’Fallon neighborhood are in the midst of rapid Black Power Blueprint transformation to serve our own black needs—not gentrification or big developers.

Step by step we are putting in place our own people’s urban plan based on the political and economic empowerment of the African working class.

A program of the African People’s Socialist Party, led by Deputy Chair Ona Zené Yeshitela, the Black Power Blueprint is renovating abandoned buildings and spaces, and developing economic projects for our community.

Read the full article online »

Uncategorized /

Fund the Black Power Blueprint

The Black Power Blueprint program is transforming the future through independent economic development. Help us raise funds for these St. Louis projects:

Commercial Kitchen and Bakery Café

Renovate and equip a bakery café for healthy food and a cultural venue. Future home of the African Independence Workforce Program and Uhuru Foods & Pies.

Community Basketball Court

Build on newly purchased property in an area where recreational facilities are almost non-existent.

Housing for the African Independence Workforce Program

Renovate an apartment building to provide dignified housing for those re-entering our community from the prison system and participating in this job training program.

Make a tax-deductible donation now through December 8 to the African People’s Education and Defense Fund. You can also host your own fundraiser or sign up to volunteer with the campaign!

Visit APEDF.org/GivingTuesday or call 215-546-9616!

4-Plex Apartment on College Ave, Projects /

4-Plex renovations began this week

This week, the Black Power Blueprint began renovations at the 4-plex apartment earmarked for the African Independence Workforce Program: housing and job training for our brothers and sisters coming out of the colonial prison system.

The demo crew from Paradigm Builders has been cleaning out debris, removing walls and old light and bathroom fixtures.

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4007-09 West Florissant, Projects /

Thank you volunteers and donors!

On behalf of the entire Black Power Blueprint team, and African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) Board President Ona Zené Yeshitela, we want to thank all of our volunteers and donors.

We want you to see where your money and effort and your time and your energy goes. It goes right into this project, we put it right into the community

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