Ujamaa Place is a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating poverty within the African American community in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota with a specific focus on transforming the lives of young African American men. It is inspired by the left-of-center concept of “equity” as it relates to race. ¹

Background

Ujamaa Place was launched in 2010 by community leaders John Harrington, Rick Heydinger, Bill Sands, and Bill Svrluga from the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. ²

Activities

Ujamaa Place is a partner of We Choose Us, a Minnesota-based coalition of left-of-center groups working to “expand multiracial democracy” and advocate for liberal policies. ³ It holds that African American males are suffering from “systemic, cultural, and political underutilization” as well as general disenfranchisement in the areas of education and employment, causing them to suffer at the “lowest end of the socio-economic spectrum.” ⁴

In response, Ujamaa Place’s leadership decided to set up an organization that would help African American males from ages 18 to 30 in the Twin Cities area learn skills that would lower poverty levels, reduce “recidivism and/or criminal activity,” and increase “child support compliance.” It claims to achieve this through a system called “Theory of Transformation,” which connects the youths with life coaches that teach lessons on housing, finance, family, community, the criminal justice system, and “wellness.” ^{5 6}

Ujamaa Place is partnered with philanthropic organizations, corporations, politicians, law enforcement institutions, and community groups to achieve its goals. ⁷ Its criminal justice program, which engages in “social justice advocacy,” is partnered with 15 Now, All Square, state Attorney General Keith Ellison (D), the City of Saint Paul, the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, the Office of Justice Programs, Ramsey County, Minnesota State Senator Bobby Joe Champion (D-Minneapolis), the Great Rise, and the King Center. ⁸

Financials

In 2023, Ujamaa Place reported a revenue of $3,009,680, expenses of $2,717,269, and net assets $5,093,605. ⁹

Leadership

As of 2024, Christopher Crutchfield was working as the chief executive officer and president of Ujamaa Place. Crutchfield is an attorney and previously served as the deputy director of community relations for Ramsey County Community Corrections. He also teaches as an adjunct professor at Inver Hills Community College. As a legal partner at Capitol Heights Law Group, Crutchfield was responsible for securing one of the largest settlements concerning “gender equity” in Minnesota history. He has also been involved in various projects related to “anti-racism and race equity” over the course of his career. ¹⁰

Its board of directors includes chief deputy Ramsey County attorney Samuel Clark, CEO of Microgrants/Lights On! John Harrington, assistant chief to the intellectual property counsel of 3M Eric Levinson, and vice president of philanthropic services at Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation Jeremy Wells. ¹¹

Ujamaa Place paid Linda Mahoney $164,393 for helping it raise $1,297,100 in 2023. Mahoney is listed on its website as its advancement director as well as an independent consultant. Prior to becoming a consultant, she worked as the vice president of strategic alliances for Scholarship America. ¹²

1. “Ujamaa Place.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/.
2.  “Our History.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/our-history/.
3. “Partners.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://www.wechooseusmn.com/partners.
4. “Our History.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/our-history/.
5. ^[1] “Our History.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/our-history/.
6. “Theory of Transformation.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/theory-of-transformation/.
7. “Our History.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/our-history/.
8. “Criminal Justice.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/theory-of-transformation/criminal-justice/.
9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Ujamaa Place. 2023. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
10. “Christopher Crutchfield.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/people/christopher-crutchfield/.
11. “Broad of Directors.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/board-of-directors/.
12. “Linda Mahoney.” Ujamaa Place. Accessed August 11, 2024. https://ujamaaplace.org/people/linda-mahoney/.