Reclaim rural land to create generational change in the Black community
The Intervention:
A New Paradigm
As a non-profit organization, we are beholden to government grants and non-profit funding. Whether our programs are funded or not, our commitment to our clients does not waver. In the last year, we were awarded two sizable grants that were never funded because both funders (one government, one private) ran out of money.
As an African-American woman, I am woefully aware of how racial inequality, gender bias and geography factor into grant-making decisions, despite our obvious need, and our proven track record. Over the years, this practice of relying solely on grants and donations to operate has become unsustainable.
HEROES LAND FUNDRAISING TIMELINE
PHASE 1: PURCHASE THE LAND
Our goal is to make the neighborhood of Brownville an example of a resilient, rural community. HEROES has finalized the purchase of a 5-acre plot of wooded land as the future site of the HEROES campus.
*PHASE 2: WORK THE LAND
Clear and process the wooded land, carving out a walking trail, fitness park and playgrounds around the periphery of the five (5) acres of land.
PHASE 3: DEVELOP THE LAND
Develop the first 3.5 acres of land as a working farm in the Black community. We will purchase agricultural equipment and facilities to grow vegetables, which will we sell at our farmers’ market.
PHASE 4: LIVE ON THE LAND
Construct 20 units of safe and comfortable low-income housing for families, which are not available in the community. These housing units will provide an additional income stream for HEROES.
PHASE 5: SHARE THE LAND
Erect a community center with a computer lab, gym, office and event spaces, a commercial kitchen and a parking lot. All HEROES programming will be housed in the new facilities.
PHASE 6: HONOR THE LAND
Construct seven incubator shops, a business center and implement energy-saving solutions such as solar and wind power kits. Honor our ancestors and HEROES supporters with art installations across the HEROES land.
Despite advancements in the Global South, the rural American South has not been embraced as a laboratory for social innovation, entrepreneurship or celebrity endorsement—until now.
What Success Looks Like
Health
We uplift the emotional and physical health and wellbeing of our community.
Education
We improve education levels, close the digital divide and provide access to technology.
Equality
We bridge the gaps between Black/White, rich/poor and young/old.
Jobs
We endow dozens of new jobs through our agricultural incubator program.
Justice
We help them to navigate bureaucracy and seek care and treatment.
Safe Haven
We provide a safe haven for people stigmatized by race, gender and disease in rural Northeast Louisiana.
Opportunity
We break the school-to-prison pipeline for young adults, and be a resource for those emerging from incarceration.
Future
We educate teenagers on the risk factors surrounding them: teenage pregnancies, obesity, HIV/AIDS, heart disease, etc.
Financial Independence
We finance steady and continuous programs that directly impact and improve the lives of our community in need.