Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 12-26-17

Features
Black Vegan Movement Is Growing In Tampa Bay
Kwanzaa Celebration Planned For
New Year’s Day
HE KUUMBA DANCERS AND DRUMMERS
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Shaunette Stokes has- n’t eaten meat since she was eight-years-old.
For more than 20 years, the Tampa attorney’s diet consisted of seafood, dairy, vegetables, fruits, and grains. In August, she dropped seafood and dairy and became vegan.
The journey from meat- eater to consuming a com- pletely plant-based diet has meant eschewing many of the culinary staples typical of the African-American diet, including favorites like macaroni and cheese and breads.
But Stokes said she’s learning that being vegan doesn’t mean totally giving up the foods she loves, but finding new ways to enjoy them.
“I always said that I would be vegan, but I can’t give up baked goods or ice cream,” she said. “But I real- ized that a lot of bread does not have eggs or milk in it and there are a lot of cheese alternatives.”
Whether motivated by health concerns or animal rights activism, more Blacks are embracing both a vegan diet and a vegan lifestyle.
Once considered taboo or regarded as something only for white people, veganism has long been rooted in the Black community, especially among religious groups like the Black Israelites.
Many Black celebrity fig- ures identify as vegan, in- cluding activist Angela Davis, singer, Erykah Badu, and tennis player, Venus Williams.
Locally, veganism is gaining popularity among African-Americans. Jour-
BYN GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Just as the community gets over the celebration of Christmas, December 25th, those who celebrate Kwanzaa begin the 7 days of celebrating family, community and cul- ture.
Kwanzaa is an African- American and Pan-African holiday celebrated all over the world.
Dr. Maulana Karenga,
a Professor at California State University, Long Beach, in- troduced Kwanzaa to the United States in 1965. Last year, Kwanzaa celebrated 50 years.
The 7 principles of Kwan- zaa are: Umoja (Unity), Ku- jichagulia (Self Determination), Ujima
(Collective Work and Re- sponsibility), Ujamaa (Co- operative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Cre- ativity) and Imani (Faith).
Locally, the annual Kwan- zaa Celebration, sponsored by the Tampa Kwanza Collective, the Madison Family, Ku- umba Dancers & Drummers, will be held on New Year’s Day, Monday, January 1, 2018,3P.M.-7P.M.at Tampa Heights Community Center, 2005 Lamar Avenue, Tampa, 33602.
Myron Jackson of the Kuumba Dancers and Drum- mers says, there will be food, entertainment, music, ven- dors and special guests. He extends an invitation to the community to attend.
For more information, call 813-223-1296.
JOURNEY SANTIAGO ney Santiago is the
founder of The Black Vegans Movement, a St. Petersburg- based group that boasts nearly 300 members and hosts social events through- out the Tampa Bay area.
The group offers a sense of community to those who are vegan or vegan-curious, she said.
“It’s not a white thing; Black people are vegan,” she said. “It’s open now for us. It’s not some strange thing.”
Santiago said she stopped eating meat more than 20 years ago after real- izing that chronic illnesses like hypertension and dia- betes ran rampant among her Black and Hispanic fam- ily members.
“I wanted to redirect my energy to something else,” she said. “I didn’t want to see myself medicated for the rest of my life.”
After moving to Tampa four years ago, Santiago said she was compelled to target her group toward African-Americans because “we’re sick.”
“Our diet is a contribut- ing factor,” she said. “Being amongst other Black veg- ans...we are living proof that we don’t have to be sick.”
YOURHIGHNESS TAFARI
Vegan chef and caterer Yourhighness Tafari said he also is seeing veganism grow among Blacks in the area.
Tafari, owner of The Vegg’d Out Vegan Kitchen, said he encourages people to do as much research as pos- sible before making the switch.
You’re likely to be more success if you don’t adopt the diet as a trend or fad, he said.
“Know the reasons why you’re doing it,” Tafari said. “That’s going to drive you and sustain you and keep you on the path.”
Tampa Bay Black Vegan
Events and Resources
Vegg’d Out Vegan Kitchen will host “Melodi- ous Eats: Whole Foods Mar- ket,” a live food demonstration from 2 to 3 p. m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at 1548 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., in Tampa. Cost is free.
The Black Vegans Move- ment hosts meetings and so- cial events throughout the Tampa Bay area. For more information about The Black Vegans Movement, visit www.meetup.com/Con- scious-Black-Vegans.
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