Educate. Uplift. Empower.
"Love God, the people, and the land: Empowering communities to help themselves and others."
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About Refined Community Empowerment, Inc.
Our Mission
Our Mission
Our Mission
Our mission is to educate, uplift, and empower individuals through programs and resources that promote personal growth, collective engagement, and positive change in underserved and disadvantaged communities for a more equitable world.
About Us
Our Mission
Our Mission
Welcome! Refined Community Empowerment is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. We address International Social Injustices: Environmental Injustice, Health Disparities, Educational Inequity, and Housing Inequality. Refined Community Empowerment, Inc. was established on July 31, 2023, to help protect the people suffering from the disproportionate impacts of legacy pollution and chemicals in St. Rose (St. Charles Parish), Louisiana, a part of "Cancer Alley."
The overburdened environmental justice communities in St. Rose, still reeling from the devastating effects of Hurricane Ida (August 2021), now face a new threat from the St. Charles Clean Fuels "Blue" Ammonia plant seeking permits to operate on the fence line of the vulnerable communities. Shockingly, no community air monitoring is in place. This urgent situation underscores the immediate need for our work and the crucial role of volunteers in addressing the environmental, health, educational, and housing needs of these underserved communities in Cancer Alley in Southern Louisiana.
Similarly, we are unwavering in our pursuit of improving the quality of life in underserved communities. We are committed to supporting the people of villages in Ghana, Africa, who need clean water for daily survival, updated public toilets, and school and medical supplies.
USA: Underserved Communities in Louisiana
USA: Underserved Communities in Louisiana
USA: Underserved Communities in Louisiana
Helping to Improve the quality of life in communities on the fenceline of petrochemical industries by advocating for clean air, water, and soil in "Cancer Alley," Louisiana, USA.
Educate
- Providing educational programs on leadership, self-awareness, environmental awareness, and stewardship
- RCE conducts informational community meetings on issues that are important to residents
- Provide access to educational technology resources to enable residents to research clean air, water, and soil initiatives locally and abroad.
Uplift
- RCE organizes community-building events to foster a sense of unity and offers a safe space for sharing experiences.
- Connects residents with resources and services (Ex. Partnership with Louisiana Just Recovery Network to replace roofs in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in August of 2021 and actions to keep new chemical industries out of the overburdened community)
- Provides tools for stress management
Empower
- RCE offers tools and opportunities to aid in communication skills for self and community advocacy.
- Provides avenues for taking action around local environmental issues
- Organizes national and international travel opportunities for cultural and environmental exchanges
We can make a meaningful difference in the lives of Cancer Alley residents who have been generationally overburdened by toxic fumes.
Africa: Support Villages in Ghana, Africa
USA: Underserved Communities in Louisiana
USA: Underserved Communities in Louisiana
Helping to improve the quality of life in farming villages by providing clean, safe, and accessible water, and improved public bathroom facilities in Ghana, Africa.
Educate
- RCE is developing the capacity to implement educational programs on leadership, self-awareness, environmental awareness, and stewardship, all of which are crucial for sustainable development.
- Provide access to educational technology resources to enable residents to research clean air, water, and soil initiatives locally and abroad.
Uplift
- RCE is building the capacity to organize community-building events, which will foster a sense of unity and a safe space for sharing experiences.
- Support the community by building improved sanitation public restroom facilities.
- Install wells to ensure access to clean and safe community water
- Provide tools for stress management
Empower
- RCE offers leadership training, tools, and opportunities to help residents advocate for themselves and the community.
- Provide avenues for taking action around local environmental issues
- Organize international travel opportunities for cultural and environmental exchanges
Access to clean water and updated restroom facilities are not mere luxuries, but urgent necessities. By taking action now, we can swiftly and significantly improve the daily lives of villagers in Ghana.
Meet The Executive Director
Founder & Executive Director: Kimbrelle Eugene Kyereh
Meet our Board
Dr. Andrea Lowe
Mr. Larry Sorapuru, Jr.
Dr. Dorothy Nairne
Dr. Andrea P. Lowe is the President/CEO of A & amp; E Enterprise Management, LLC. Dr. Lowe is a
public health and health care professional with a cross-functional background in the for-profit,
non-profit, government, and academic sector. She has a Doctorate in Management, Master in
Public Health, Bachelor in Social Science, Associate in Gene
Dr. Andrea P. Lowe is the President/CEO of A & amp; E Enterprise Management, LLC. Dr. Lowe is a
public health and health care professional with a cross-functional background in the for-profit,
non-profit, government, and academic sector. She has a Doctorate in Management, Master in
Public Health, Bachelor in Social Science, Associate in General Studies, and a graduate of the
Harvard Kennedy School of Business executive program.
Dr. Lowe is a small business owner; social entrepreneur; disaster management consultant;
social/behavioral researcher; academic coach; subject matter expert; peer reviewer for the federal
government; Americans with Disability Act (ADA) consultant for the local government and state
board; American Psychological Association (APA) health equity ambassador; and adjunct
faculty in public health and healthcare. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare
Executives, American Public Health Association, Consulting Women, National Association of
Government Contractors, National Association of Women Business Owners, and American
Psychological Association Ambassadors.
Dr. Dorothy Nairne
Mr. Larry Sorapuru, Jr.
Dr. Dorothy Nairne
Dorothy Nairne is a seasoned expert in public health, manufacturing, management, economic development, and behavior change communications in disadvantaged communities. With over 40 years of professional experience, she has dedicated her life purpose to eliminating poverty and fostering environmental justice. Guided by the belief that cre
Dorothy Nairne is a seasoned expert in public health, manufacturing, management, economic development, and behavior change communications in disadvantaged communities. With over 40 years of professional experience, she has dedicated her life purpose to eliminating poverty and fostering environmental justice. Guided by the belief that creating the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A dynamic serial entrepreneur, Dr. Nairne founded Africa Loves Babies in Johannesburg,
South Africa, collaborating with hundreds of community groups and securing funding from
the World Bank. The initiative garnered international recognition, including a feature on
the Oprah Winfrey Show. From 1998 to 2016, she lived and worked in more than 20
African countries, building expertise in community development, job creation, and
enterprise innovation.
Dr. Nairne’s academic achievements include a Ph.D. in International Affairs and
Economic Development from Clark Atlanta University, following her education at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison. A passionate advocate for equity, she integrates her
deep understanding of environmental justice with practical, innovative solutions that drive
lasting change.
Mr. Larry Sorapuru, Jr.
Mr. Larry Sorapuru, Jr.
Mr. Larry Sorapuru, Jr.
Mr. Larry Sorapuru is a native and lifelong resident of Edgard where he retired from
Monsanto after 36 years. He is a commissioner on the Lafourche Basin Levee District,
where he has served since 2020 with oversight on the Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority (CPRA) and Corps of Engineers. As commissioner, he raised 18
miles of levee
Mr. Larry Sorapuru is a native and lifelong resident of Edgard where he retired from
Monsanto after 36 years. He is a commissioner on the Lafourche Basin Levee District,
where he has served since 2020 with oversight on the Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority (CPRA) and Corps of Engineers. As commissioner, he raised 18
miles of levee on the West Bank of St. Charles, and secured funding for a $100 million
floodgate to stop major tidal surges from flooding communities in the River Parishes.
Mr. Sorapuru represents St. John the Baptist Parish as a board member on South
Central Planning and Development Commission. He is also a member of the St. John
the Baptist Parish Farmers Market Advisory Board, Utility Board, and Youth Planning
Board. He is also a member of the West St. John Civic Association, West St. John
Stakeholders, Second Ward High Cultural Community, Wallace Indian Organization,
Solidarity Project Advocacy Network, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Citizen
Academy, and the Secretary of the Black Caucus for the Louisiana State Police Jury Association.
LDENR Public Hearing - August 22, 2024
LDEQ Public Hearing - September 26, 2024
LDEQ Rescheduled Public Hearing - December 17, 2024
Event Flyers
A Photo Gallery by Refined Community Empowerment, Inc.
February 24, 2024:
Kimbrelle Eugene Kyereh seeking help from
Dr. Beverly Wright and Dr. Earthea Nance, Regional Administrator for EPA's South Central Region (Region 6): St. James Parish
March 8, 2024:
St. Rose Residents: Rose Wilright and Kimbrelle Kyereh on
"Cancer Alley" Toxic Tour with the Water Collaborative
Toxic Bus Tour
March 8, 2024:
"Cancer Alley" Toxic Tour with Dr. Kimberly Terrell of Tulane Environmental Law Clinic on the right
March 12, 2024:
Kimbrelle Kyereh sharing the plight of St. Rose with Congressman Troy Carter:
Washington, D.C.
A Photo Gallery by Refined Community Empowerment, Inc.
Another successful St. Rose Community Meeting to educate, uplift, and empower residents surrounding toxic poisons and carbon capture in Cancer Alley!
From Left to right: Michael Esealuka, Dorothy Nairne, Kimbrelle Eugene Kyereh, Eloise Reid, and Michael Levien.
A day of canvassing to resist more harmful toxins empowering residents in the Elkinsville-Freetown/St. Rose communities.
From left to right: Nina Lakhani, Michael Esealuka, Kimbrelle Eugene Kyereh, Eloise Reid, Rosemary Green, Michael Levien, Joshua Payne
Refined Community Empowerment, Inc. Event, June 1, 2024
Preserving Our Planet: A Visual Journey with Refined Community Empowerment, Inc.'s Photo Gallery
Hazardous open well that needs to be sealed off and replaced
We're working to provide bore holes like the picture on the left. We're working towards providing safe portable community water to Ghanaian villages.