Our Story

Community Empowerment through Self-Mastery

We believe the greatest resource in any community is its people. They possess talents, gifts, and abilities of enormous potential. However, this significant asset in marginalized communities is often limited or undervalued due to much of the people’s creativity, ingenuity, and time being directed at surviving. A more just, equitable, human-centered world is fundamental to providing everyone an environment where they have opportunities to bring forth the best within them, become self-actualized, and contribute their genius to bettering their community and the world.


Our Goal

Kheprw Institute (KI) works to create a more just, equitable, human-centered world by nurturing youth and young adults to be leaders, critical thinkers, and doers who see the people in any community as the most valuable assets and are committed to working with community assets to bring about change that leads to empowered self-reliant and self-determining communities.

What We Do

Over the last 12 years, we have grown from a single after-school initiative serving 5 African-American males to an organization that serves over 200 individuals, male and female, Black and White, young and old, through a variety of program areas: Urban Agriculture eSTEAM (entrepreneurship, science, technology, engineering, art, and math) Social Enterprises KI NuMedia Express Yourself Rain Barrels Business Mentoring (mentoring others in the business of business) Critical Dialogue Community Forums CCFI (Community Controlled Food Initiative) kheprw.org/ccfi.

In Community Empowerment, we have gone from monthly forums featuring African-American male youth to various forums/discussion groups that now have panels made up of youth, academics, and leaders from around the country. Discussing critical issues that affect our community, we encourage open, honest dialogue that increases awareness, helps establish relationships, and builds community engagement. KI works with the national and local neighborhood/community organizations and individuals to address the need to have a voice in setting directions and goals for their quality of life and implement grassroots solutions to community challenges.

Image

The Beetle

The scarab beetle, kh(pr), is the Kheprw Institute (KI) logo and a symbol of its work. In Egyptian cosmology, the scarab represents rebirth and transformation. The scarab beetle lays its eggs in the bodies of various dead animals, including other scarabs, and in dung, from which they emerge having been born.

The ancient Egyptians associated the scarab with rebirth, renewal, transformation, and resurrection. KI sees its work as that of human change. We strive to provide an environment and opportunities for individuals to bring forth the best within themselves, constantly develop and enhance their abilities, take responsibility for their transformation, and positively contribute to the community.