To gain wisdom and knowledge about the world of food it’s important to understand the interconnectedness of eating to history, culture, politics, recipes (or not), new and well loved cookbooks, community action, thought leaders, and a multitude of stories in this case focusing on the African Diaspora. Take a look at the highlights featured below for our first January 2020 post.

Community Gardens & Local Farms

Meet Corey Paul from Ft. Pierce, FL. Who says a brother with a grill can’t be a gardener and an inspiration in his community.

https://cbs12.com/news/local/fort-pierce-man-goes-viral-captures-internet-with-his-unusual-garden?fbclid=IwAR0Z8JRoavoQY2gyIJVO64gDtuGZwhfHuGOO1PP6VGHEtJEaJVddB2Jx0Pg

Article describing how new generation of Black farmers are adopting and using heritage farming practices to regenerate the soil and create regenerative agriculture.

https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2019/12/18/climate-black-farmers/?fbclid=IwAR0gOX92GBoJTDSQx6OkoY_dcRUhgfWi2jdmvDuwQP-YnaHlU2RoTFKG6CE

A Congolese refugee family growing organic vegetables with dreams of starting an orchard and growing figs, apples and mangoes in Houston, TX.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/article/This-refugee-family-fled-Congo-In-Houston-they-14968129.php?utm_campaign=CMS+Sharing+Tools+%28Premium%29&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&fbclid=IwAR2jYhvbpAEhwbsG0kFhaf1UDrrjvvLiAbPi29Ez2INezCbXp2PGuIZbaNg

Food Policy, Politics & Social Justice

Julialynne Walker speaks on a paradigm of empowerment and a new model of food justice; an engaging powerful TedTalk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpp4F6uofag

Rev. Dr. Betty Holley talks about the growing movement of African Americans connecting to land and food as a part of food justice and food sovereignty movements.

https://www.thechristianrecorder.com/food-justice-african-americans-food-sovereignty-movements/

Changes in the food stamp program work requirements projected to cause higher demand at food banks.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/19/food-stamps-bank-georgia-african-americans

Culture Eats: Habits, Cooking, Networks and Business

Gotta get this book, Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, by Marcia Chatelain, who grew up in Chicago and is now a history professor at Georgetown University. Also, about to follow @CynthiaGreenlee, the author of this short but excellent article.

https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/1/10/21058393/mcdonalds-fast-food-black-franchise-marcia-chatelain

Bob Johnson, BET founder, establishes a new food venture with Legal Sea Foods. Mini versions of the restaurant will be set-up at airports across the country.

https://www.blackenterprise.com/bet-founder-bob-johnson-opens-up-about-his-new-food-venture-with-legal-sea-foods/

Not exactly an article, but a short piece on the British Black Cultural Archives seeking a catering partner to operate its café and event/room hire catering. Interesting model such as the R House in Baltimore.

https://www.thecaterer.com/business/tenders/tender-opportunity-grow-your-food-business-with-black-cultural-archives

Article on how black families celebrate New Year’s by traditionally cooking greens and black-eyed peas.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-01/black-families-new-years-day-traditions

Similarities between Haiti and New Orleans food and culture are highlighted in the article on chef Ricardo Jean-Baptiste.

http://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2020/jan/17/rooted-history-haitian-influence-nola-cuisine/

Meet and hear the voice of chef Tanya Holland. The beauty of articles like this is they show it’s just about chicken and waffles, but about the challenges of running a food business.

https://www.motherjones.com/food/2020/01/tanya-holland-brown-sugar-kitchen-oakland-white-male-chefs/

Travel writer, Alexandria Jones, puts the spotlight on eating in Black Miami.

https://www.miamitimesonline.com/lifestyles/eating-in-black-miami/article_2f839d2e-36ff-11ea-b261-5fd5cca2d26d.html

Might have to make a special trip to New York to see this celebration of 400 years of African American culinary history, “African/American: Making the Nation’s Table,” opening late February 2020 at the Africa Center in East Harlem.

https://totalfood.com/new-york-set-to-celebrate-400-years-of-african-american-culinary-history/

Meet chef Jason Fullilove, who mixes soul food with fine dining in downtown Los Angeles.

https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/food-and-dining/2020/01/01/abernethy-s-chef-mixes-comforting-soul-food-with-fine-dining

Article on African American plant based food traditions.

https://thebeet.com/what-we-can-learn-from-african-american-plant-based-food-traditions/

For folks on the west coast, chef Edouardo Jordan, owner of JuneBaby and Salare restaurants, is teaming up with food historian Toni Tipton-Martin for a February 7, 2020 event, Soul of Seattle, at the Central District’s Northwest African American Museum.

https://seattle.eater.com/2020/1/9/21058082/edouardo-jordan-plans-big-event-for-black-history-month

Meet chef Mariya Russell the first Black woman to earn a Michelin star. What does that mean?

http://www.chicagomag.com/dining-drinking/January-2020/Kikks-Mariya-Russell-Is-the-First-Black-Woman-to-Earn-a-Michelin-Star/

Highlights on growing number of plant based restaurants on the continent of Africa; examples of returning to their roots eating.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jan/15/how-vegetarianism-is-going-back-to-its-roots-in-africa

A combination of food, cooking, technology and behavioral science created to address healthy eating and chronic disease.

https://www.dallasweekly.com/articles/black-entrepreneur-releases-first-ever-shoppable-and-100-customizable-cookbook/