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A J WILLIAMS-MYERS AFRICAN ROOTS COMMUNITY CENTER INC
Kingston, NY · EIN 371793041 · Form 990EZ · FY2025 · NTEE S20 · Community Improvement · Micro (<$100K) · africanrootslibrary.org
revenue
$42K
expenses
$83K
net assets
$61K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

African Roots Community Center strives to uplift the history, experience, and culture of Black peoples, indigenous peoples, and peoples of color through a library collection and through programming for children, teens, adults, and elders. Often working in collaboration with community groups and local organizations, African Roots Comminity Center is committed to the advancement of historical knowledge, cultural enrichment, civic engagement, and class and racial justice.

profile · synthesized from sources

Community center in Kingston, NY dedicated to uplifting the history and culture of Black, Indigenous, and people of color through a specialized library and intergenerational programming. Offers free educational and cultural programs for children, teens, adults, and elders, including film discussions, science activities, and community cooking events. Operates with community collaborations and public support.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Cooking Together
Community cooking events where participants prepare meals together; cooks receive a stipend and families receive ingredients and gifts to recreate the meal at home.
Drop-in with Ms. Anne!
Weekly Wednesday program offering informal engagement and support for community members of all ages.
Films for Praxis
Monthly film screenings followed by discussions aimed at exploring societal issues and advancing liberation, typically held on the last Saturday of each month.
Friday Family Film Night
Monthly film event for families, fostering intergenerational dialogue through culturally relevant cinema.
Science and Beats
Weekly Thursday program for children combining science education with music and cultural enrichment.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
    • Hosting film screenings and discussion sessions
      Hosts monthly film screenings, including family film nights, followed by discussion sessions focused on social liberation and collective action, providing free access to children and families.
  • Public Access to Digital and Physical Library Collections 1 activity
    • Operating a community center with library and cultural programming
      Operates a community center in Kingston's Ponckhockie neighborhood featuring a library collection focused on African-American history and cultural programming for children, teens, adults, and elders to uplift the history and culture of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. The center offers regular public hours and by-appointment access.
  • Community Event-Based Giving Programs 1 activity
    • Organizing community cooking events with stipends and meal take-home kits
      Organizes community cooking events where participants prepare meals together, receive stipends, and take home ingredients and gifts to recreate the meal.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Providing weekly drop-in and educational programming
      Offers weekly drop-in programming for community members of all ages hosted by Ms. Anne, along with educational activities that combine science learning with music for children.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$42K
Contributions & grants$42K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$83K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$27K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$61K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$61K
4 years on record · 2022–2025 · YoY revenue +1.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

board members · 2
  • Odell Winfield — board member
  • Paul Bermanzohn — board member
relationships · 10

Who they work with

  • Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook to communicate program dates and updates to the community.
  • Instagram Partner — Uses Instagram as a platform to share program updates and engage the community.
  • New Progressive Baptist Church Partner — Hosted the memorial service for Dr. A.J. Williams-Myers, indicating a community or institutional connection.
  • PayPal Government — Accepts tax-deductible donations through PayPal to support programs.
  • SUNY New Paltz Network — Recognized in SUNY New Paltz News as the institution where Dr. A.J. Williams-Myers was a professor, and which continues to highlight his legacy through coverage.
  • Venmo Government — Accepts tax-deductible donations through Venmo to support programs.
  • community groups Partner — Collaborates with community groups on programming and outreach initiatives.
  • community groups Partner — Collaborates with community groups on programming related to cultural enrichment and racial justice.
  • local organizations Partner — Partners with local organizations to advance civic engagement and historical knowledge.
  • local organizations Partner — Partners with local organizations to deliver programs and advance civic engagement.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Communal Cooking with Economic Dignity
    methodology: community_cooking_with_stipends
    By combining shared cooking activities with stipends and take-home resources, the organization strengthens family engagement and food sovereignty because it addresses material needs while affirming dignity and building community self-determination.
  • Culturally-Centered Education as Praxis
    methodology: culturally_centered_education
    By centering the histories and cultures of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in educational programming and resources, the organization fosters racial justice and deeper community engagement because culturally relevant content validates lived experience and empowers collective action.
  • Film as a Catalyst for Liberation Praxis
    methodology: film_for_praxis
    By using film to spark dialogue, the organization generates collective problem-solving and movement-building around social justice because shared storytelling creates accessible entry points to complex issues and fosters communal agency.