ABOUT CEA
we believe in you, in us, in our community, and in our people.
Through our actions, we amplify your voice and experience, authenticate your capability and power, and uplift our culture and life experiences. Our five core beliefs of empowerment, representation, cognitive development/storytelling, ambition, and resilience guide everything we do.
By embracing empowerment and advocating for social justice, we aim to provide you with the tools and support to reach your full potential. We are committed to fostering representation, ensuring that diverse voices and perspectives are heard and valued. Through cognitive
development and storytelling, we promote knowledge, understanding, and the power of narratives to inspire change. Together, we can create a community where everyone’s potential is realized, and where the power of diversity is celebrated.
Understanding the Afrocentric Paradigm
The Afrocentric Paradigm is focused on the process of viewing African and Black people as subjects in history rather than as victims who operate on the fringes of society. The Afrocentric idea locates Black People as doers, builders, and subjects in their own rights and not on the fringes of the history of others. However, centuries of racism, prejudice, and marginalization have created a multitude of socio-cultural risk factors among contemporary Black People that continue to cause a host of challenges with regard to survival and quality of life (Mitchell, 2007). However, the CEA, in partnership with Akbar (2002), has found ways to protect and nurture the self-esteem and ethnic identity of Black children and youths while simultaneously improving their abilities to reason, listen, be attentive, build high aspirations, and advance language, creativity, and problem-solving skills and also instituting a cultural context that is consistent with their legacy and genesis in America.
our core beliefs
EMPOWERMENT
REPRESENTATION
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT / STORY TELLING
AMBITION
RESILIENCE
We believe in the power of Black culture and experience as a moral compass. Our paradigm shifts the narrative from victim hood to empowerment, presenting Black People as strong, capable individuals who are at the center of their own stories. Through this lens, we inspire and empower Black youth to embrace their heritage, fostering a sense of pride, self-esteem, and ethnic identity.
We believe in the power of Black culture and experience as a moral compass. Our paradigm shifts the narrative from victim hood to empowerment, presenting Black People as strong, capable individuals who are at the center of their own stories. Through this lens, we inspire and empower Black youth to embrace their heritage, fostering a sense of pride, self-esteem, and ethnic identity.
The Afrocentric Paradigm model recognizes that storytelling is not just entertainment but a powerful tool for cognitive development. We leverage Black stories and experiences to cultivate critical thinking skills, reasoning abilities, and attention to detail. By engaging with narratives that resonate with their own lives, our people especially our youth develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their history, and their place in society.
We believe in fostering ambition among Black youth. By showcasing the achievements and successes of Black People across various fields, we expand their horizons and encourage them to dream big. Our brand messaging highlights the incredible potential and limitless possibilities that lie within each individual, inspiring them to set ambitious goals and pursue excellence in their chosen paths. Create opportunities to access ambition.
Resilience is a core value in the Afrocentric Paradigm model. We acknowledge the challenges and obstacles that Black People have historically faced and continue to face. Through stories that emphasize resilience, perseverance, and triumph over adversity, we instill a sense of strength and determination in Black youth. We equip them with the tools and mindset to navigate obstacles, embrace their heritage, and forge a better future.
our core beliefs
EMPOWERMENT
We believe in the power of Black culture and experience as a moral compass. Our paradigm shifts the narrative from victim hood to empowerment, presenting Black People as strong, capable individuals who are at the center of their own stories. Through this lens, we inspire and empower Black youth to embrace their heritage, fostering a sense of pride, self-esteem, and ethnic identity.
REPRESENTATION
We believe in the power of Black culture and experience as a moral compass. Our paradigm shifts the narrative from victim hood to empowerment, presenting Black People as strong, capable individuals who are at the center of their own stories. Through this lens, we inspire and empower Black youth to embrace their heritage, fostering a sense of pride, self-esteem, and ethnic identity.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT / STORY TELLING
The Afrocentric Paradigm model recognizes that storytelling is not just entertainment but a powerful tool for cognitive development. We leverage Black stories and experiences to cultivate critical thinking skills, reasoning abilities, and attention to detail. By engaging with narratives that resonate with their own lives, our people especially our youth develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their history, and their place in society.
AMBITION
We believe in fostering ambition among Black youth. By showcasing the achievements and successes of Black People across various fields, we expand their horizons and encourage them to dream big. Our brand messaging highlights the incredible potential and limitless possibilities that lie within each individual, inspiring them to set ambitious goals and pursue excellence in their chosen paths. Create opportunities to access ambition.
RESILIENCE
Resilience is a core value in the Afrocentric Paradigm model. We acknowledge the challenges and obstacles that Black People have historically faced and continue to face. Through stories that emphasize resilience, perseverance, and triumph over adversity, we instill a sense of strength and determination in Black youth. We equip them with the tools and mindset to navigate obstacles, embrace their heritage, and forge a better future.
AWARDS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PODCAST
The Quality of Life Award is given to an organization who is helping residents access the larger economy and quality neighborhood amenities. They do this through assistance, support and programming to build assets, accumulate wealth and connection to economic opportunities. They are also actively contributing to make their neighborhood safe while positively impacting the health and well-being of families and neighbors.
Community Empowerment Association (CEA) was founded in 1993 in order to establish an organized, structural approach to address the specific needs of at-risk youth and families in distressed, marginalized communities. Their mission is to restore, reclaim and transform distressed communities through strategic planning, collaboration, advocacy, education, and training.
Mr. Byrdsong of Community Empowerment Association, Inc. is the lead principle on a collaborative project with Pitt Public Health entitled, “Live Longer, Empowering Pittsburgh Communities”. The project is geared towards identifying health issues in low income communities that are the causes of premature deaths to the citizens living in those low income communities, thereafter providing viable solutions to help those same citizens understand and make changes to their lifestyle to prolong their lives. During the height of the project, COVID-19 hit the country, putting the project on hold. That didn’t stop Mr. Byrdsong! He jumped into action right away and started a bi-weekly emergency food distribution program entitled “Food First Program”. He gathered all his donors and volunteers and began handing out and delivering food and supplies to our community’s most vulnerable citizens including senior citizens and the disabled, all while practicing social distancing. Mr. Byrdsong response to the crisis was not new; he was simply helping to feed the community that he has served in many ways for over 25 years. From youth-focused after-school programs, to providing families with basic necessities, to workforce development, CEA serves as a welcoming and trusted space for Homewood residents and a resource center for all of Allegheny county. Mr. Byrdsong is an inspiration to so many–proving that you can’t and shouldn’t be afraid to stand up and do the right thing, even in the face of huge uncertainty. #2020HNAAwards #QualityofLifeAwardee
Our Founder
“The force that continues to motivate me is the tragic condition of black youth, (especially black males) and the violence that continues to saturate our communities. I have journeyed into the deepest, darkest corners where the most at-risk youth reside to offer leadership, manhood development and mentoring services as well as negotiate peace treaties amongst rival gangs exist. As a 24 year member of the National Urban Peace and Justice Council, I have traveled throughout the United States, bringing members of gangs and other street organizations together in efforts to offer mediation and conflict resolution services. I have been welcomed in these circles because they genuinely feel that I have an understanding of the conditions that they face. I have worked with countless youth and parents who have lost family members to violence. These experiences fuel my passionate desire to fight for change – to restore hope in the system and in the lives of the people affected.”
MEET THE TEAM
CEA Staff is unique because it has the capacity to engage with residents and provide them with interventions that get to the core of their suffering. We identify with the people in need and view ourselves as being equal to one another, as there is virtually no class difference. Staff members are continually exposed to in-house training programs, which occur routinely and as part of monthly staff development meetings.
Executive Team
T. Rashad Byrdsong
President and CEO
Ms. Amargie Davis
Co-Founder & Deputy Director
412-371-3689 Ext. 250
Ms. Angela DeVan
Manager, Therapeutic Support
412-371-3689 Ext. 247
Board Of Directors
Ms. Fran Carter, Secretary of the Board
Retired – Department of Human Services
Dr. Robert Marin
Associate Professor of Psychiatry WPIC
Ms. Lavern Jackson
Retired Registered Nurse, Washington, D.C.
T. Rashad Byrdsong
President and CEO
Mr. Christopher Carter
Board Member
Mr. Martell Covington
Board Chair
HISTORY
Community Empowerment Association (CEA) was founded in 1993 in order to establish an organized, structural approach to address the specific needs of at-risk youth and families in
distressed, marginalized communities. CEA’s 30+ year success emanated through its grassroots origin serving residents of nine predominantly low income undeserved communities in
Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh:
- Larimer
- Licoln-Lemington
- Homewood
- Wilkinsburg
- Garfield
- East Hills
- McKeesport
- Rankin
- Braddock
CEA’s mission is to restore, reclaim and transform distressed communities through strategic planning, collaboration, advocacy, education, and training. Additionally, by consistently generating jobs and economic sustainability, CEA serves as an institutional foundation for the strengthening of Black communities.
Community Commitment & Impact
“Every event I attend I meet wonderful people and more importantly I learn more about our history.” -Lisa Lebabe, 2018
“I am so comfortable with CEA. Staff work hard with the youth to inspire them. I do not know what the community would do without CEA. There is nowhere else I’d send my kids.” – Ranee Seymore
“❤️��Where GREAT things happen culturally and historically! Keep up the great work! Brother Byrdsong is a powerful pillar standing strong in the community❤️��” – Tracey TeeJay Jennings
Loved the Founder’s Day Celebration!! We drove in from Johnstown, Pa to celebrate and honor the great work you are doing in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County!” – Rachel Allen
“I had a great time yesterday at the day of black male solidarity and I”ll definitely attend next year. And, I would definitely attend the monthly meetings.” – Malik Long
“Good place for the kids to come do multiple activities after school and summertime
too…specializing in helping kids and giving them something to do with their time.’ – Eric Green
“This a solution focused organization that addresses every problematic issue of Homewood and beyond. Providing over 30 years of commitment, passion and dedication to the community of Homewood.” – Sister Shirley Muhammad
“Wonderful community organization focused on building resilient families!” – Cherrell Fulton
“The things that they are doing for the community is OUTSTANDING!!!” – Virginia Byrom
“Great place for the community. To gather for concerns about the community.” – Sharon Fields
t. rashad byrdsong
T. Rashad Byrdsong is the founder and chief executive officer of the unique community-based organization Community Empowerment Association (CEA) that has served over 25,000 individuals, youth and families in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. He simultaneously acts as
the President and CEO of MA’AT Construction Group, an enterprise that has trained and/or employed over 1,000 individuals from black, distressed communities around the city. Coveted international speaker, and published author, his commitment to empowering the lives of Black Peoplehas garnered him countless professional awards and accolades over the past 25 years.
As a life-long revolutionary activist, and social entrepreneur, Byrdsong is focused on achieving
social justice by building institutions that create tangible benefits in Black communities suffering from poverty, racial discrimination, and other systemic disparities. His personal mission to restore, reclaim, and transform these undeserved communities through strategic planning, collaboration, advocacy, education, and mobilization are informed by his experiences in the civil rights struggle, combat service in Vietnam, and membership in the Black Panther Party.
A long-standing pillar within the community, C.E.A. is structured around Byrdsong’s own Afrocentric intervention paradigm–an empowerment approach that recaptures the resiliency of families by equipping them with the necessary tools to move towards self-determination, self- sufficiency and stability. This method was developed alongside his work with the National Urban Peace and Justice Council, an initiative that has for over two-decades, served gang members and at-risk youth by negotiating peace treaties, reuniting families, and guiding their
process from adolescence to adulthood.
Byrdsong defies institutionally boundaries in the interest of building national, multi-faceted social justice coalitions. These diverse experiences most recently informed his development of the Public Health Approach to Violence Reduction, a culturally-specific model which has been adopted by the Allegheny County Commission on Gun Violence.
Byrdsong is available for speaking engagements and consultations at your institution. Byrdsong shares his organizing and activist experience by giving speeches, serving as a panelist, and working as a consultant.
