ABOUT
THE FUND
Clarke Street Fund is an entity generating and distributing funds into the sustainability and revitalization of Black communities in Alabama. The fund provides services and resources for Founders and Creators in Alabama.
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We invest in companies and projects that align with our values:
Community | Wellness | Art | Economic Empowerment |Tech | Entrepreneurship
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We are interested in telling a new story about Alabama. One that speaks to the abundance, innovation, and generous spirit that is present in this red clay dirt. We honor our native and Indigenous ancestors, our African ancestors, our LGBTQIA+ ancestors, and all that are building toward the liberation and freedom of Black + Indigenous communities in Alabama.
We support southern innovators to create new solutions for the future of Alabama.
Mose Thomas
Clarke Street Grocery Owner, ~1940
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- Saidiya Hartman
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Every generation confronts the task of choosing its past. Inheritances are chosen as much as they are passed on. The past depends less on 'what happened then', than on the desires and discontents of the present.
Strivings and failures shape the stories we tell.
WHO
we are
Alabama is the root of the world. The red clay dirt is the base of liberation and freedom for many a people and the land continues to restore us. Ase to the ancestors + elders.
Growing up in Montgomery, AL has been a deep lesson in understanding self. We have family that started their own Black Township, Mixonville, and family to start their own family grocery store, Clarke Street Grocery. We have Black Indigenous family that was deeply connected to the land and food justice. Our Mother was one of the first black folks to work for the State of Alabama Gov. office and Father an advocate for youth justice and the reframing of the Alabama court systems. All of our Ancestors & Elders believe in community.
This is the ground on which we stand.
WHo
we FUND
Freshgreens
market
IG: @freshgreensmarket
FreshGreens Market is an organic urban farm and market on the west side of Montgomery, AL dedicated to making fresh food accessible to the community and its residents. It is now our time. We stand in the legacy of our ancestors and we take this work very seriously. We have answered their call by creating FreshGreens Market and the Legacy Community Urban Farm.
Rebuilding Black Food Sovereignty in alabama
The “Rebuilding Black Food Sovereignty in Alabama” project endeavors to build a network between Black farmers, westside community elders and leaders, westside urban gardeners, and younger community members to create a collective approach to poverty and food injustice in the community. The project aims to resource the Black farmers; offer administrative and labor support from younger community members; teach the next generation of farmers through hands on practice; purchase land around the community to start more green spaces with gardens and greenhouses; and to hold monthly meetings with this new collective to share how the work is going and how community members can support one another.
Community Regeneration Project
Clarke Street Fund is working with local west side community members to renovate homes to ensure residents have safe and affordable spaces to live. Housing is a right, it is not a privilege. We intentionally work with blk and Latinx contractors to ensure that the funds generated in our processes go directly back to blk and Latinx communities. We currently have started construction on one property that is a 2BD/ 1 Bath home. In our future, we are looking to renovate a multi-family unit on the west side for creatives and working to fix up houses of elders in our community.
Launching
Winter
2023
westside incubator
Clarke Street Fund will host its first incubator for Black-owned businesses in the State of Alabama. This digital + in-person incubator will gather Black Founders from across the State to talk about values, community relations, financial sustainability, scaling a business, automation, and more specific sharings about their current projects and what community it serves. The Fund will engage a host of creative, tech, art and business professionals to lead this cohort.
Get
involved
Grandmother,
Berdie Lee Washington
Berdie Lee Washington is the grandmother of Erin & Erica Washington, co-founders of the Clarke Street Fund. She was born and raised on Clarke Street, and the Clarke Street Fund continues her legacy today.
CONTRIBUTE
TO THE FUND
LEGACY CAMPAIGN
The CLARKE STREET FUND is looking to raise $2.5M.
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The contributions would support the operation of FreshGreensMarket, the operation and sustainability of the Community Legacy Garden, the support and development of a business incubator, technology infrastructure upgrades, and start-up funds for Alabama based creatives, entrepreneurs, social change agents.
Properly invested, the fund will be able to sustain itself until the next phase of growth.
We believe in the abundance and believe in the power of seeding resources to Black + Indigenous communities.
JOIN OUR
COMMUNITY
calling all Alabama Black business owners!
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We look forward to learning more about the work you are doing. Join our community of creatives, makers and change agents here in the south!
Do you know about an Alabama Black-owned business we should check out?
Do you want to learn more about our work?
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We'd love to hear from you!
