Greetings, Brothers and Sisters,
Let us remember that the struggle for the freedom of Black and all other oppressed people must continue. A Luta Continua! We who believe in freedom cannot rest…until we’re free.
As the former Chairman of the Black Panther Party, I still adhere to and work toward the ideals for Black liberation and revolutionary change to which I dedicated my life over 50 years ago. Black people remain oppressed in this country, suffering the highest poverty rate, cancer death rates, maternal and infant mortality rates, and highest homeless and incarceration rates.
Currently, I am CEO of the nonprofit Oakland & the World Enterprises (OAW). We just celebrated the grand opening of our 100% affordable housing complex—The Black Panther—on 7th Street in the depressed, Black community of West Oakland, California.
We have 20,000 square feet of solar panels on our roof, triple-pane windows in the apartments, and a state-of-the-art Vapor Mitigation System under the foundation. Seventh Street, once known as “Harlem West,” was overrun and wiped out, and thousands of Black families were removed from the area by racist government activities operating as “urban renewal."
Our building will resurrect the spirit of Seventh Street and the Black Panther Party.
July 16, 2024, Ribbon-Cutting
The Black Panther
Oakland, California
In addition to housing, our Black Panther complex will be home to five OAW-launched cooperative businesses, including:
- A fitness center,
- A neighborhood market,
- An urban farm,
- A restaurant,
- And a tech business.
This is in keeping with our goal to create a pathway for economic survival for our people and a model for developing Black community wealth and self-determination.
Earlier this year, Black Lives Matter Foundation gave us ONE MILLION DOLLARS! This significant contribution will go to building up our businesses. More, this has brought us together for the long haul, to build on our model throughout the entire country.
We need YOU! Every dollar of support you send will be split evenly between Oakland & the World Enterprises and the Black Lives Matter Foundation, both tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations.
With revolutionary love,
Elaine Brown
