Kheprw Institute

Kheprw Institute was founded in 2003 to create a more just, equitable, and human-centered world by nurturing youth to become leaders. Our work is grounded in the belief that the people within a community are its most valuable assets. Our mantra, “Community Empowerment through Self-Mastery,” emphasizes that improving ourselves is the foundation for positive change.

We began by addressing intergenerational leadership development for young African American males in our Indianapolis neighborhood. Kheprw started when Diop, son of co-founders Imhotep Adisa and Pambana Uishi, failed 8th-grade algebra, worked with his father that summer, and—joined by neighborhood friends and Turner Fair, grandson of co-founder Paulette Fair—created a summer program on Black history, philosophy, academics, and entrepreneurship. After the summer, they wanted to keep coming, so Kheprw was born. Watch the Kheprw Story: story.kheprw.org.

Kheprw is an ancient Kemetic (Egyptian) word for rebirth and renewal, symbolized by the scarab or dung beetle, which brings new life from waste. For Kheprw, this symbolizes using the skills, resources, and relationships we’ve got to create something new and beautiful.

Our work is rooted in African American culture and experiences. Our staff and board are predominantly Black, while Kheprw remains open to all willing work to build community. We center youth voices, often having the youngest person speak first.

Through countless porch conversations, we’ve developed community-led programs and social enterprises that serve as classrooms for leadership while addressing community needs for food, education, and housing. Our focus is to serve as a platform—providing relationships, culture, facilities, infrastructure, and technology—to support a myriad of community-led projects and cooperatives rather than trying to “scale” or “replicate.” Refer to this SSRI Article: bit.ly/4n1uaR8.