The call to self-determination is etched into the very foundation of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It began with the Free African Society in 1787, where Richard Allen and Absalom Jones first took it upon themselves to meet their social, institutional, and political needs when those needs were deliberately unmet by external entities. This spirit led to the independent founding of the AME Church, the establishment of institutions of self-reliance like Morris Brown College, and the creation of a vast network of community support. “We’ll Do It For Ourselves!” is a return to this original, powerful narrative, a commitment to strategically leverage our collective power to secure our own dignity and influence.

 

This campaign emphasizes the vital importance of pulling the political and social power of the Fifth District together. By assessing and activating the massive collective strength of our congregations, staff, and leadership, we can transform latent potential into decisive, measurable influence in local, state, and federal elections and policy-making. We must organize internally to maximize our external impact.