A/V Volunteers Needed for Nonprofit Bakery Grand Opening Event

Uhuru Bakery & Cafe' is celebrating its Grand Opening on Saturday, August 15th! This long-awaited addition to the Black Power Blueprint in North St. Louis is part of our nonprofit's goal to bring economic development and self-reliance BACK to the black community of North St. Louis!

We need volunteers to be part of this exciting, celebratory event!

Do you have experience working on A/V for events? We need your help to get photos, video or work the sound system at the Grand Opening!

You would be working with a team, including experienced leaders who can guide you and will be there to answer any questions!

You're welcome to sign up for a shift between the hours of 11 am - 5 pm. You're welcome to volunteer all day or for a shorter shift: 11 am - 2:30 pm, 1:30 pm - 5 pm.

Thank you so much for considering joining us and contributing your skills and time to this important event! Below is more information about Uhuru Bakery & Cafe and why this is such an important celebration for the community and the whole city!

If you have any questions, please respond to this post or email us directly at volunteer@blackpowerblueprint.org.

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Since 1981, Uhuru Foods & Pies have been part of building an independent economy for African people everywhere. They are made from scratch with quality ingredients and baked fresh. Sold by volunteers to friends, family, co-workers, organizations to build a foundation for African control of food production and distribution.

Uhuru Foods & Pies is part of the strategy creating economic development and commerce by and between African People worldwide.

THE MISSION OF UHURU FOODS & PIES is to create, produce and sell the freshest foods to build self-sustaining economic development, designed for the prosperity and self-determination of present and future generations of African people worldwide.

Uhuru Bakery & Cafe Grand Opening: This is what African Self-government looks like in North St. Louis today!

Celebrating our people, our culture, our resilience and our future!

August 15, 2026 marks the historic grand opening of the Uhuru Bakery & Cafe in North St. Louis! Uhuru Bakery is part of the strategy led by President Ona Zene’ Yeshitela of the Black Power Blueprint, to transform every aspect of life in the long-neglected black community on the Northside.

As Aug. 15, the weekend of Marcus Garvey’s 139th birthday nears, institutions of the Black Power Blueprint are experiencing a tremendous outpouring of support and engagement with our community, locally and worldwide.

The Black Power Blueprint, Black Star Industries and other organizations of the Uhuru Movement continue the legacy of Marcus Garvey by re-building what once was, and will return to, a vital economically self-reliant black community. Like Garvey’s organization, the Uhuru Movement is growing throughout the world, including on the continent of Africa.

Uhuru Bakery provides employment, serves as an uplifting cultural gathering place, and anchors community commerce in the deliberately neglected Northside.

The grand opening program will start by raising large red, black and green flags at 4 locations along the W. Florissant corridor accompanied by the Marching Musical Lions Band from Cardinal Ritter Prep School!

The Uhuru Bakery & Cafe will provide free samples of our tantalizing healthy African comfort food specialities, our famous pies and freshly made beverages. The cafe will be open and serving highlights from our menu and souvenirs to take home.

Like Marcus Garvey in the early 1900s, we are going beyond protest, seizing territory and creating a liberated community by bringing back the institutions our people need to thrive.

The program will include powerful voices from the community, including Chairman Omali Yeshitela, President Ona Zene’ Yeshitela, St. Louis Historian Gwen Moore, the People’s Alderman Jesse Todd, Zaki Baruti, leader of the Universal African People’s Organization and community members telling their own stories.

There is a full roster of soulful culture including poet/artist Makeda Baraka, poets Rob Soule and Fofeet Alkebulan, storyteller Gregory Reed, drummer Enchanted Empress, and many more.

The Black Power Blueprint will host a Build-a-Black-Doll booth with dolls and accessories. Marcus Garvey and Amy Jacques Garvey did not invent the black doll, but they were monumental in mass-producing and popularizing them for black children. In 1919, their Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and Negro Factories Corporation established a toy company and doll factory to ensure children could play with toys reflecting their own image and beauty! We want to celebrate this at our event.

We will feature a booth by Courtney Creative Chess Club which brings critical skills to African children and adults through chess.

A broad spectrum of Uhuru Movement organizations will host booths with information on how everyone can get involved! Each Uhuru booth represents a continuum of the legacy of Marcus Garvey that Chairman Omali Yeshitela has kept alive for over 60 years. They represent dual and contending power in the hands of the African working class.

Find out about the Shamba La Uhuru Freedom Farm, the Black Power 94 community radio station, the Buy Black Power Store featuring African accent pillows, jewelry, Uhuru Planet Reparations Apparel.

Meet the African National Women’s Organization with powerful activities and natural beauty products, the All African People’s Development and Empowerment Project with the Black Ankh emergency preparedness organization and regional Uhuru Movement leaders from throughout the U.S.

Hear about the Reparations Investment Company (RIC) which is renovating unused homes left to rot by the city on the Northside for low-cost housing; re-building, not gentrifying our community and creating employment for African and Indigenous workers.

Everyone is welcome to bring your family and friends to celebrate our people, our culture, our resilience and our future!

Uhuru Bakery & Cafe Grand Opening

Saturday August 15th noon-5pm CT

3719 W. Florissant Ave. St. Louis MO 63115

800-578-5157 • uhurupies.org

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