THE PAN AFRICAN CULTURAL FOUNDATION

2019 was a quite a year for us. We went on a transformational journey and a journey to maximize our impact in the Black Business community to offer more platforms of economic development activities. While staying on course to our vision and mission, this journey led us to officially adopt an organizational name change to meaningfully work for an open, inclusive and better Oregon. Our new organizational name is Pan African Cultural Foundation (PACF), however, our annual festival program in the pioneer square will still be called the Annual Pan African Festival.

Community empowerment, mobilization and galvanization is the groundwork for everything we do-creating central position for Pan African arts and culture, community participation and economic development activities. We support cultural changemakers, local artists and small business owners through our public market platforms, festival celebrations, business summits and future incubator programs. We highlight arts and culture as a stellar force of positive change through our annual Pan African Festival. We connect local Pan African businesses and artists to other local opportunities and facilitate collaboration between Pan African communities and create independent spaces for people to have cultural dialogues.

ABOUT THE ANNUAL PAN AFRICAN FESTIVAL PROGRAM 

The Annual Pan African Festival is an exhilarating celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment, and community spirit. It is a one-day gathering that offers dozens of performances, activities, exhibitions, and health screenings, dance, drumming, comedy, street arts, and family entertainment. It is also a platform for Black Owned Business to sell their goods outside their retail spaces. It is a community driven effort that brings over 10,000 people together to celebrate arts, culture and economic vitality.

The Annual Pan African Festival 2019, drew over 13,000 people to Pioneer Courthouse Square. Which a little of 3,500 individuals bought something from the participating Black Owned Businesses. In partnership with Multnomah County Health Department, we trained 10 food vendors in food safety and health inspection training.  

Thanks to the support of our wonderful sponsors, we were able to offer stipend that was a 100% increase from last year to our local artists and performers. We’ve also managed once again to consume the majority of the cost for food vendors to be able to participate in the festival.

We’d like to extend a special thank you to our platinum and host sponsors, Criminal Justice Commission and Business Oregon. We had over 80 amazing volunteers, thank you so much, we couldn’t have done without you.

Please join us making next an even more successful festival for Oregon. If you would like to partner with us or sponsor the annual Pan African Festival, please call us at 503-752-2102. 

ABOUT THE BLACK BUSINESS INITIATIVE PROGRAM

We started a movement to empower black business owners through the Black Business Initiative Program. This led to first ever Black Business Summit in Oregon’s history to address the structural challenges of accessing existing resources for businesses and to create spaces for black business owners to gather and obtain the necessary educational tools and training but more importantly to learn from each other to mitigate challenges and empower each other. 

Our strategy is to initiate and generate our own solutions to economic problems in the Black community, build long term capacity and foster the power of cultural celebration to build wealth, encourage entrepreneurship and create jobs for local Pan African artists.

2019 Black Business Summit which took place on June 1, 2019 at Portland State University was a big success. We had 82 attendees and 50 of them self-identified as black business owner. 

Since Pan African small businesses are left out of the economic boom in Oregon. We establish new annual public market for black owned businesses during Annual Pan African Festival. 

The Annual Pan African Festival is a community driven effort that brings over 10,000 people together to celebrate arts, culture and economic vitality. We make space for over 30 Black Owned Business to sell their goods outside their retail spaces. 

ABOUT THE CULTURAL DIALOGUES PROGRAM

The Cultural Dialogue Program involves orchestrating structured conversations that brings together people from various cultural backgrounds. These events are designed to encourage an open exchange of ideas, experiences and values, creating an Oregon where participants can learn from one another. It is platform for meaningful interactions that aims to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes and fosters deeper understating, more interconnected and tolerant society.