CURED gets spooky with Uhuru Haunted Halloween Nights

BY AKILE ANAI, Contributor

ST. PETERSBURG — The Uhuru Movement invites the community to its annual Uhuru Haunted Halloween Nights on Tuesday, Oct. 31 from 5-8 p.m. in the lot of 1245 18th Ave. S.

This exciting event is one that has been sponsored by the African People’s Education and Defense Fund for 11 years and will be hosted by the All People’s TyRon Lewis Community Gym and Wellness Center. Throughout this period, the Halloween event has always provided a safe night for black children to enjoy spooky holiday activities in the comfort of their own community.

There is a host of games and activities including exercise for candy, musical chairs, double-dutch, face painting, and of course the main event—the Haunted House.

It’s free fun for all, with family costume contests, take away prizes, music, food and more!

And for the first time in its history, the budding grassroots organization that is Communities United for Reparations and Economic Development (CURED) will be co-hosting this event with featured emcee and Chair of CURED, Akilé Anai.

Shango Ntoyamba, manager at TyRon Lewis Community Gym feels CURED fits the mission of this event and of APEDF.

“It’s a stance to fight for African children when the rest of colonial media will tear them down, that was most exemplified in their struggle to defend Dominique Battle, Laniya Miller, and Ashaunti Butler,” said Ntoyamba. “We’re more than happy to extend this invitation to CURED to co-host this event because it’s not just about putting on a great event. It’s not just about this holiday. It’s about protecting African children and the black community in its entirety. That’s APEDF’s mission, that’s CURED’s mission.”

And CURED couldn’t be more united with this task.

It was this understanding that permeated the platforms of Akilé for District Six City Council and Jesse Nevel for Mayor of St. Petersburg and why, despite the results of the primary elections, they have gone on to build CURED to enact the agenda of Unity Through Reparations, which speaks to the right of the black community to be self-determined.

Members of CURED will play critical roles in the building of this event, quite literally with helping supply plywood and putting hammers to nails to construct the walls of the Haunted House. We will also be actively participating in manning the various stations and contributing candy.

We’re looking forward to the 11th Annual Uhuru Haunted Halloween Nights! We hope to see you there.

For information on how you can join CURED, email us at info@curedfl.org!