About Us

Founder

Project 43 Team Post Centers is located at 6841 Crenshaw Blvd. in the Hyde Park section of South Los Angeles. The nonprofit was established by Ms. Amerylus Cooper during the height of the Covid 19 global health crisis. Project 43 offers services that increase the quality of life for residents of the 90043 zip code and adjacent communities.

Ms. Amerylus Cooper, respectfully called “Ms. Ann”, lives in the home her father bought when she was four years old. She would be able to walk home from Project 43 Team Post Center if she did not work such late hours.

Ms. Ann is uniquely positioned to serve her neighbors in the Hyde Park section of South Los Angeles because she intimately understands the daily challenges her neighbors experience. Her empathy and courage compelled her to establish Project 43 right when the world was gripped by a global health crisis. Initially she envisioned a youth center for a community that has only one recreation center. However, the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the social, health, and economic problems in her South-Central Los Angeles community. Non-communicable chronic diseases; obesity, type 2 diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis and other inflammations, are some of the comorbidities that make Covid so devastating to the Black and Latino communities. 28.5% of the households are led by single parents in an area comprising 66% African Americans and 27.2% Latinos. Since its founding, Project 43 has become an indispensable leader within the community. Ms. Ann and her tireless volunteers have served their intergenerational village by delivering services, sponsoring toy drives, networking events, free cultural events, block parties and free Covid-19 testing.

Ms. Ann generously used personal savings, wages, and donations from friends and businesses, to build Project 43 out of the rubble of the former veterinary hospital. Project 43 has managed to survive the most challenging period of our modern times through determination, courage, and an abiding faith in God.

Now Ms. Ann is leading a call to action for public and private institutions to help her sustain the hope she has created in her resource deprived community.

Founder

De Forest “Dee” Kirkwood is a tenacious business leader who considers himself a “walking testimony who curates”. Dee has a passion for revitalizing, scaling, and growing his community. He believes that charity starts at home. Dee’s true belief system is that all who wish to become self-sufficient have his or her right.

Mr. Kirkwood and Ms. Cooper came together after a neighborhood council meeting in their shared neighborhood “Hyde Park” in the Crenshaw District in Los Angeles, California. Dee loved and still loves Ms. Ann Cooper’s passion and drive to bring ownership, self-sufficiency, mentorship, and differentials which led to the “Marathon” continuing not only here in 90043, but in every zip code in the world.

De Forest brings much-needed: business development, account management, consulting, etc. to assist leadership through Ms. Cooper’s vision and true insights. His experience working with and for business ownership, and partnering with major Fortune 1000 companies such as Konica Minolta Business Solutions, All-Covered, CyberCoders, etc. has helped him in a team effort to close the gaps needed so that “Project 43 Team Post Centers” ship can stay afloat; “Full Speed Ahead!”

Our Vision

Project 43 Team Post Centers empowers and supports historically underserved communities by engaging people in a dignified way, that encourages everyone to better themselves, their lives and their community.