001:3 THE JOY OF CREATING SPACE
Of all of my entrepreneurial endeavors, the most gratifying has been my work on To Be Vegan
& Black. I’ve always desired to monetize my talents and passions in the format of a profitable business. I think what stops me from rushing to create a similar structure with To Be Vegan & Black is how close to home it hits, and how positive the reactions have been to the project’s existence. The flow and ease that I feel as I launch new ideas comes from a deep place, and is almost healing.
Last summer (June 2023), with the help of a friend and fellow entrepreneur, V&B launched its first event concept titled Well Seasoned at Cincinnati’s annual vegan festival.
Well Seasoned, developed by To Be Vegan & Black, is a collaborative experience dedicated to bringing aspects of black culture to alternative lifestyle and vegan events. We work with Black Owned vegan businesses, Black alternative lifestyle influencers, activists, and Black artists to curate a dual merch store/chill space that is culturally relevant to Black people.
The idea was to create a safe space. Our vision was to curate a living room inspired set-up for our tent, one that transported Black festival attendees to their childhood homes, or even their grandparents’ home. We wanted Black attendees to see themselves in the world of plant-based eating, which can be difficult to do in the predominantly elitist and majority Caucasian vegan landscape.
Our dream piece for the booth was a wicker peacock chair, popularized in the 70s, and present in the iconic photo of Huey Newton of the Black Panther Party. The chairs were rare, and were slapped with outrageous price tags, IF you were to purchase one, so we sought some help. We drafted a local Black photographer and artist who specialized in creating backgrounds with a vintage 80s/90s flair to bring our vision to life. He pulled from his own personal collection, and even presented a connection for us to rent a peacock chair to complete the dream. With the addition of a vintage television set, a corded telephone, a record player, and a few other beautiful details, we managed to develop something that resonated with several attendees who walked past or chilled with us under the tent.
The conversations of that day were the highlight. The booth attracted those that were curious about veganism, or who had been eating that way for years. We had representation from the Rastafarian community, the Hebrew Israelite community, and even the Nation of Islam, all subcultures within the Black community that have had tremendous influence on those who have decided to give up eating animal products. I loved hearing insights from an older woman who sat with us for hours, and hearing her encouraging words for our younger generation who are pushing Black Vegan culture forward. Even the humorous tales from a recent convert, who spoke on how Veganism shifted her priorities, and caused her to cut out bad energies, including her close friends. She was happier for it, and though the changes have been extreme, she was looking forward to more of her Vegan journey.
Although I’m a Black person who has personally seen underrepresentation in many aspects of her own life, I’m happy that I get the benefit of experiencing the happiness people feel when they’re “SEEN”. I think that’s really what all of the positive feedback I’ve received is; It’s conversation, and community, and inspiration. Suddenly, everyone wants to share their food stories with me, and let me know how their journey with plant-based food is going. A young lady even approached me after a speech in Columbus, and asked me how she could be a part of what the project was doing in Cincy, 100 miles from her home. It’s because they feel that they can. This is what truly creating space for cultural diversity in Veganism can be.
ABOUT NAIMAH
Naimah is a 25+ year vegan model, designer, and artist after being converted to the lifestyle at only 2 years old by her parents. Growing up she was taught to prepare meals using whole foods and plant-based meat substitutes, and was educated on the variety of benefits and motivations behind having a vegan diet. Her ways of eating sparked conversations with her peers in adulthood, leading Naimah to become interested in exploring the boundlessness of vegan cuisine.
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