Homies is Hiring
Overview
Homies Empowerment is an independent, grassroots community-based organization out of East Oakland. We started as a volunteer-run, Jefferson Award winning, after-school program taking on an approach and a way of seeing gang-impacted youth through an asset-based lens. To provide spaces where youth can heal, thrive and self-actualize, we mirror the positive assets that attract young people to gangs: a sense of belonging, protection, rites of passage, and meeting basic needs. Our after-school program evolved to full-fledged Ethnic Studies and Leadership courses offered throughout Oakland schools.
For our first four years of operation, we created a safe space during our weekly Homies Dinners where youth from across gang lines sat together to break bread and came together to participate in youth-led civic engagement programs. As a response to their desire for more spaces like Homies, our team began developing the Freedom High School, Homies Empowerment Community High for Our Success, a community school for youth who have been pushed out of traditional schools.
With the onset of COVID-19, we went from being exclusively a youth-development and educational focused organization to one that stands in solidarity with the entire community to help meet their urgent food and basic needs. Our Block Clean-Up Crew also came together to contribute to a clean and dignified community environment.
Currently, in addition to developing the Homies Freedom High School, Homies is operating our Community Care Center, Learning Center, and several food access programs out of our FREEdom Store: Tuesday food distribution, Love Packages, and Loaves and Fishes.
For our first four years of operation, we created a safe space during our weekly Homies Dinners where youth from across gang lines sat together to break bread and came together to participate in youth-led civic engagement programs. As a response to their desire for more spaces like Homies, our team began developing the Freedom High School, Homies Empowerment Community High for Our Success, a community school for youth who have been pushed out of traditional schools.
With the onset of COVID-19, we went from being exclusively a youth-development and educational focused organization to one that stands in solidarity with the entire community to help meet their urgent food and basic needs. Our Block Clean-Up Crew also came together to contribute to a clean and dignified community environment.
Currently, in addition to developing the Homies Freedom High School, Homies is operating our Community Care Center, Learning Center, and several food access programs out of our FREEdom Store: Tuesday food distribution, Love Packages, and Loaves and Fishes.
Our Values
At Homies Empowerment, our work for freedom is rooted in Revolutionary Love, Sacred Identities, Putting In Work, and Self-Determination. Through empowering education, community cultivation, food justice, and cooperative economics, we work alongside our community towards a world absent of whiteness, capitalism, and heteropatriarchy. We are seeking to create a world where our freedom is connected to our neighbor’s freedom.
We define Revolutionary love as an act of freedom where we are always in the process of becoming, learning and improving the self. Revolutionary love lives when we see ourselves in the other, when we speak our truths with care, and when we stand in solidarity with each other. Revolutionary love is understanding our community and taking action with cariño (care) and support knowing that we are all interconnected and we don’t give up on each other, but we do hold ourselves and each other accountable.
We define Revolutionary love as an act of freedom where we are always in the process of becoming, learning and improving the self. Revolutionary love lives when we see ourselves in the other, when we speak our truths with care, and when we stand in solidarity with each other. Revolutionary love is understanding our community and taking action with cariño (care) and support knowing that we are all interconnected and we don’t give up on each other, but we do hold ourselves and each other accountable.
Our programs
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FREEdom Store, a free store in deep East Oakland to distribute food and household necessities, and encourage self-sufficiency and self-determination. The FREEdom Store is open to everyone on Tuesdays from 10:00am to 3:00pm.
Fishes and Loaves is a program where staff and volunteers from Homies Empowerment, serve the people where they are at and build community at the encampments of our unhoused and houseless relatives. Dream Arts & Activism is a program where youth engage in political and ethnic education while exploring culture through visual and performance arts. Youth are trained to facilitate workshops, organize art shows, and create transformative change in Deep East Oakland. HOMIES helping Homies |
Love Packages is a program dedicated to taking packages to those who cannot leave their homes. These packages include produce, other basic necessities. When a community member requests home deliveries our staff shows up with items requested and also our love and support.
FREE Breakfast Program: The Eat Learn and Play Foundation and the Curry's partnered up with Homies Empowerment to support us with our Free Breakfast Program for Oakland youth. Inspired by our elders' work, the Black Panther Party of Oakland, we're excited to support this legacy. The FREEdom Farm |
Please consider making a one-time or monthly contribution to our campaign if you are able to do so. All donations are tax deductible. Upon request we can provide a letter with our EIN.
Click the image below to donate.
Click the image below to donate.
