Ujamaa Collective

 Ujamaa Collective is a Black-led, nonprofit, cooperative organization founded with a social mission to act as a catalyst to advance Africana Women by providing a fair trade marketplace for cultural, artistic, and entrepreneurial exchange through cooperative economics in the Historic Hill District and beyond. "We lift as we climb."

With its home based in Pittsburgh, PA, for nearly 20 years, Ujamaa has built and 
maintained an intentional community of practice around Black cooperation, 
focusing not just on economic cooperation, but on the social and cultural cooperation 
that makes economic justice possible. 

Using a place-based and socially relevant approach, Ujamaa Collective accomplishes its mission through various programs and initiatives, including: 

• a shared retail artisan boutique, 
• pop-up marketplace events, 
• intergenerational arts and cultural programming,
• cooperative education, 
• and advocacy and partnership on community health and shared wealth.
  
  

The history of "ujamaa" has roots in Tanzania and is borrowed from the fourth principle of the holiday Kwanzaa, meaning “cooperative economics: to build and maintain our own shops, stores and other businesses and to profit from them together.” In 2008, the founders of Ujamaa Collective used this concept to put forth a call to action for Black women to come to the table and share ideas about business and community development, which heavily included Africana examples of financial and social exchange. Ujamaa has co-created and operated a neighborhood-based, cooperative artisan boutique for 16 years, featuring the handmade work of Black/Africana artists and makers based locally, regionally, and globally, connecting our handmade goods and cultural stories to thousands of customers. Over the years, our membership has co-produced high-quality merchandise and services for sale and served the community together.

Our unique approach uses principles of cooperative business plus African-centered concepts in practice to overcome longstanding challenges facing Africana artists, particularly women; issues such as the cultural, economic, and physical barriers that have prevented us from participating in the marketplace as entrepreneurs. Local and Global fair trade is at the heart of what we do, because we recognize that many of the same conditions that face women in developing countries exist right here in our own city. Our people here and across the country deserve the same equitable treatment that fair trade principles espouse. Thus, Ujamaa Collective uses our handcrafted art as an entry point to disrupt this historical tide. Our unique engagement opportunities encourage courageous conversations, healing, and self-determination around some of our community's most pressing social issues. And this is work for everyone, from all backgrounds. 

Founded with the motto "Creating a New Standard," the Collective develops and curates not only healthy products but also transformative relationships and experiences, using arts and culture to elevate, heal, and deepen our humanity and connection with others. These initiatives promote our core values of meaningful work, creativity, community, fair trade, and wellness among Africana Women, while also advocating for sustainable, cooperative business practices. 

Since inception, Ujamaa's shared leadership has been learning and sharing collective strategies with its members, partners, and a broader network of community, building aligned and intentional relationships to meet shared needs. Our mission has always focused on support for Black creative women, yet our vision has always centered on contributing to a safe and abundant community for all of us. We are committed to: 

• creating opportunities for our members specifically in craft and artisan industries. We believe that artists can be workers, developing their skills as cooperative entrepreneurs;
• and providing everyday people practical cooperative education and facilitation, building towards a just and beloved community, learning co-governance tools and embodying community relational agreements. An ecosystem of care must be embodied in the culture of cooperative organizations and engaged communities, as the centering of the people and the shared work and benefits are the core.

Ujamaa Collective invites you to partner with us to co-create more mutually beneficial initiatives and opportunities into the future.

Ujamaa Collective has gained national recognition for its innovative approach to 
shared economy and cooperative economic culture and continues to inspire and empower communities through its impactful work. The organization has been featured in publications such as “Pathways to Our Sustainable Future” and “Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice.” In 2021, Ujamaa Collective helped co-create the first National Conference on the Black Cooperative Agenda and in 2022 
co-founded the National Association of Black Cooperators.