African People's Education and Defense Fund, Inc.

Uhuru Bakery & Cafe--Building Black Community Economic Self-Reliance, Making Healthy Food, Employment & Training Accessible in North St Louis

Donate to the newest project of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) and Black Star

 Industries (BSI). Help launch the Uhuru Bakery & Cafe, home of Uhuru Foods & Pies, at 3719 W Florissant Ave. 

this summer. APEDF is bringing healthy, delicious, reasonably priced food and employment into the heart of 

the most impoverished area of north St Louis.

The new restaurant is part of the Black Power Blueprint, a comprehensive African self-determination project in 

north St. Louis, with programs that address the disparities we face in every aspect of life.

Your donation will contribute to purchasing:                                                                        

- A gently-used double stack convection baking oven
- Custom made display cases.                                                                                                                                                           - A  shipping container to be repurposed into our bakery prep

The Black Power Blueprint includes the Gary Brooks Community Garden where we produced and gave away over 1,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables in 2022 and in 2023. The Black Power Vanguards Basketball Court, One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market and housing renovated for workforce development are also part of this community revitalization and empowerment. Several other projects are in progress along the W. Florissant corridor, including the Uhuru wa Kulea African Women’s Health Center.

Your donation supports creating a positive future in our own hands!                                           

As part of Black Star Industries, Uhuru Foods & Pies is more than a black business owned by an individual. It is part of an independent African economy we are building to once again own and control our labor, our resources and our future.

Uhuru Foods & Pies Vice-Chair Bakari Olutunji explains, “Uhuru Foods & Pies is unique. It's not just great pies and food…. It forwards the right of African people to determine our own lives and future, control our own land, resources, food distribution, and means of production. This is the way forward to a healthy economic future for everyone!”

A powerful component of the Uhuru Bakery & Cafe is our partnership with the African Independence Workforce Program (AIWP), another APEDF and BSI project. The AIWP will provide employment and training for our people returning from the colonial prison system, students and those who have been pushed out of employment. 

We have purchased the building, started renovations, have architectural drawings and are remodeling the space to include a Architectural Rendering of the 
Uhuru Bakery & Cafe on W. Florissantprofessional kitchen, an eat-in and to-go cafe and bakery with training facilities.

Uhuru Foods & Pies, based in Oakland, CA and St. Petersburg, FL, has been a bright spot in the food scene in Northern California for over 50 years, known especially for holiday pies, street festival menus and farmers market products.

In 1987, APEDF opened the first Uhuru Bakery & Cafe in Oakland. It was a popular restaurant and bakery where many people came every day to congregate, enjoy food and events focusing on African self-determination.  

In December 2020, the Uhuru Pies team baked 1,000 signature sweet potato pies that were distributed to local families at the annual “Christmas with the Currys” holiday free give-back to the Oakland community. The pies were a collaboration with long time partner Clif Bar company and Eat. Learn. Play., the foundation of NBA superstar Stephen Curry and his wife Ayesha Curry.

Plans to develop and grow in St. Louis include collaborating with APEDF’s One Africa! One Nation! Farmers Market, local black farmers, cultural workers and black community chefs.  Uhuru Foods & Pies plans to bring our popular menus to local farmers markets and festivals, in addition to offering eat-in and take-out menus. The ultimate goal is to move into a larger space with more room for training, distribution and growing food. 

Your contribution to the Uhuru Bakery & Cafe sends a clear message of support and respect for the rights and ability of our community to build an economy that benefits our whole people and creates a positive future for all humanity. 

Tune in to the live Telethon Thurs. May 9th 6-7:30CT to tour the new site, see the vision for moving forward, hear how APEDF built Uhuru Foods & Pies, featuring special guests, spoken word and more. Tinyurl.com/UhuruBakery.