Category: Vegan and Soul Entertainment: Matters of Appeal

Afro-Caribbean and African American Food Festivals

December 10, 2024 / Jael Ingram / 0 Comments

Food Festivals hold memories and allow food traditions to be cherished and kept. African American and Caribbean food festival share historical history and allow people to come together to celebrate the history and the importance of food. These festivals are a representation of what African Americans and Caribbeans have eaten and cherished for generations. African Americans valuing soul food while Caribbeans carried on the traditions of eating sea food and fruits. It can be said that both of these traditional dishes owe their origins to the dark history of slavery. History has allowed for Afro- Caribbeans and African Americans to continue and share their food traditions with one another for generations upon generations. And one way that they have been able to share their culture is through food festivals.

Food Festivals: Bermuda

May is the month of celebration for Bermudians where they celebrate their food and show appreciation for all aspects of their culture. Bermuda Day became an official holiday for Afro-Bermudians was 1979 of May. Bermuda Day is marking the unofficial start of summer and is the day to commemorate the increase of the temperature. However food is a prominent figure in Bermudian festivals. Food such as fish chowder, fish cakes and rum cakes are what’s mainly served and savored at festivals. Considering the fact that the drinking age in

Bermuda is eighteen there are dishes such as rum cake that most are

allowed to have. Alon with food there are Gombeys, a traditional Bermudian dance that highlights traditional African, Caribbean, British and Native American cultures. This style of dance includes mask and drums that helps allow Afro-Bermudians express their identity.

2024 Bermuda Tourism Authority

Food Festivals: African Americans

African American food festivals have become a fundamental part of African American history for generations. One festival in particular is the Pittsburg Soul Food Festival. The tradition of soul food has been passed down through generations through festivals, Christmas, thanksgiving and cookouts. Soul food typically consists of collard greens, fried chicken, corn bread, and macaroni and cheese. While Bermuda Day is an old tradition, soul food festivals are relatively new. Pittsburg Soul Food Festival started in 2019, and the festival has become increasingly popular since then, with thousands of people attending each year. As a celebration of Black culture, the Pittsburgh Soul Food Festival has become a destination for tourists around the world. At these soul food festivals there is live music, barbeque contest, vendors and crafts.

Afro-Caribbean and African American festivals There are many similarities and many differences between Bermudan and African American food festivals. Both festivals feature traditional cuisine, music, and dance. However, the Bermudan festival is more organized and structured, while the African American festival is more informal and spontaneous. Food in Bermudian festivals heavily consists of sea food and fresh fruit as well as many different other cultural foods. Food and culture are celebrated at both festivals.

Gombeys In Action

https://www.facebook.com/corpstgeorge/videos/st-georges-seafood-festivalwhenseptember-17-2023-until-september-17-2023from-120/328759666215677/

90.5 WESA | By Bill O’Driscoll

Published September 1, 2021 at 2:30 PM EDT

Work Cited

Festivals & holidays. (n.d.). Go to Bermuda. https://www.gotobermuda.com/our-island/festivals-holidays

Graham, L. (2024, September 12). Learning to love soul food. Southern Living. https://www.southernliving.com/culture/learning-to-love-soul-food

In Joking Color, How black comedians and writers joke about black food in ways others can’t.

December 9, 2024 / Coby McClellan / 0 Comments

Coby McClellan

Its a cannon event in the young black experience to be in a room full of people and a non black person tries to make a joke about black people and the joke leaves you in such a state of confusion like Dave Chapelle says in the video above at the 0:23 second mark “God damn that was racist”. After having this phenomenon happen to me multiple times in my life, I decide that there has to be some sort of explanation behind this. So I decide to research.

“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku3tawvMbxE&t=26s“

“https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dangerous-jokes-claire-horisk/1144217936“

In my research I first had to specify the question, what was I asking? This made me look back at every time I experienced being uncomfortable in a room from a joke and I realized something… they were all food jokes. So came to my question “Who can joke about whose food? What makes a good or bad food joke?”. I consulted the book Dangerous Jokes: How Racism and Sexism Weaponize humor. by Claire Horisk, in this novel she introduces a thesis that have seemingly completed my life. That being the wrong joker thesis.The wrong joker thesis states that the person that is making the joke is essentially not qualified to be making the joke about the group of people they are making a joke about. It is like a veil had been lifted off of my heart. Countless amount of fried chicken jokes in the cafe by unfunny white people led to this moment I achieved when I read this book. But there was still something about joking about black people’s food. Its almost like an art only a few can do.

“According to the *plan* , all we got to eat is Cheerios and green beans. So once again, your plan sucks.[ to Leonard ] You got a bacon cheeseburger?”- Robert ‘Granddad Freeman
McGruder,Aaron.The Boondocks. “Fried Chicken Flu”. Cartoon Network, Adult Swim

The Boondocks written by Aaron McGruder is a perfect example of not just good tv, but why who is making a joke matters. Time after time he showed the ability to joke about things white tv executives would touch with a 10 foot poll attached to a token black character. Which really highlighted to me the fact that there has to be context behind what you are joking about and that you need that knowledge to be funny. This made me put it all together, the reason those jokes made me so uncomfortable is the fact that those people who made them jokes don’t have the same attachment to those things making it seem like hate.

“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeQ0zm-njyQ&t=4s“

Works Cited

“Dave Chapelle Black people and Chicken!” Youtube, uploaded by Chulbulhere, 1 Nov. 2013,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku3tawvMbxE&t=26s

“Dave Chappelle If You Don’t Like Chicken or Watermelon Something is Wrong With You!” Youtube, uploaded by MrOlamide95, 22 Jun. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeQ0zm-njyQ

Horisk, Claire. Dangerous Jokes: How Racism and Sexism Weaponize humor. February 22, 2024, Oxford University Press.

McGruder,Aaron.The Boondocks. “Fried Chicken Flu”. Cartoon Network, Adult Swim

Exploring the role of media towards appealing veganism to African American youth and women.

December 9, 2024 / Dahmhee Kim / 0 Comments

Scrolling through social media, it was difficult to overlook the eye-catching images of motivational posts from plant-based influencers. So I decided to examine how different media can influence people to become vegan, and how this affects the point of view of people.

Official Hip Hop Snack: Rap Snack

[Staff, MouthSoap, and MouthSoap Staff. “Rap Snacks to Be Distributed in Walmart, Teaming up With Slutty Vegan – the MouthSoap.” The MouthSoap – The Real Story Is The Best Story, 8 Nov. 2019, www.themouthsoap.com/rap-snacks-to-be-distributed-in-walmart-teaming-up-with-slutty-vegan.]

The magazine about Rap Snack which is available in Walmart and is having partnership with Slutty Vegan, triggers the psychological factor of youth. Youth tend to be sensitive towards trends, and interested in what the celebrities they love do. In the end, if it is easy and accessible they would follow what they do and this Rap snack is a perfect item for them. Hence, the promotion of rap snacks with Black artists guides the African American youth’s viewpoint towards changing towards veganism more positively.

Black Vegan Rock: Blogs

The BVR(Black Vegan Rock) Blog tells the story of African American people’s journeys to becoming vegans. A few African American women caught my attention by explaining how they became vegans and emphasizing the importance of being vegan in dragging people into veganism.

1. Clara Holmes – She has an inherited connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Surprisingly when she fully went vegan, it “shortened her recovery time”, and made her “gain more energy to support her physical and mental health” by just consuming a plant-based diet. This triggered her to avoid buying products that included leather, feathers, silk, and wool. @rollinfunky

[Instagram. www.instagram.com/rollinfunky.]

2. Lyssa Wade, aka Veggie Thumper– She didn’t have a straight-forward reason she turned vegan. However, as she experienced her dad’s sudden death, she decided to “eliminate processed food” and start eating garden plants they grew for herself and her family. Also, the trip to Peru has stimulated her to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle that as a result reduces the consumption of meat and increases the plant-based diet routine. Unlike other African American women, she slowly turns vegan. @veggiethumper

[Instagram. www.instagram.com/Veggiethumper.]

This information provided by the bloggers created empathy towards readers which was because either the reader is in a similar situation or got triggered to try a new pathway due to the fact it was interesting. Adding on to it, these people also emphasize the advantage of following a plant-based diet which also tears down the reputation of vegan food being tasteless.

Black Girls Gone Vegan by Gymnetics Fitness

[Gymnetics Fitness. “Black Girls Gone Vegan! Transition Your Body, Beauty, and Babies to Veganism in 30 Days.” YouTube, 8 June 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jxXJ2NUTuk.]

This video discusses the plant-based diet passed down through the generations and emphasizes the idea of “generation health being more than wealth.” Focusing on “generation health” leads people to feel sympathy, which can lead them to veganism.

By exploring the topic of Black veganism, I learn many perspectives of choosing vegan as their life method not only because of ethical and health problems but also more specific ideas such as improving inherited health problems and cumulative activity creating reason to pursue a plant-based diet. It was really interesting to learn a new topic that I never touched in my life.

I hope everybody get a chance to explore “Black Veganism” more!

BVR. “Blog — Black Vegans Rock.” Black Vegans Rock, 13 May 2022, www.blackvegansrock.com/blog.

“Fashion, Fitness and Travel Influencer – Rollin Funky.” Model & Lifestyle Content Creator | Rollin Funky, 20 Dec. 2023, rollinfunky.com.

Gymnetics Fitness. “Black Girls Gone Vegan! Transition Your Body, Beauty and Babies to Veganism in 30 Days.” YouTube, 8 June 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jxXJ2NUTuk.

Instagram. www.instagram.com/rollinfunky.

—. www.instagram.com/Veggiethumper.

Staff, MouthSoap, and MouthSoap Staff. “Rap Snacks to Be Distributed in Walmart, Teaming up With Slutty Vegan – the MouthSoap.” The MouthSoap – The Real Story Is The Best Story, 8 Nov. 2019, www.themouthsoap.com/rap-snacks-to-be-distributed-in-walmart-teaming-up-with-slutty-vegan.

“Veggie Thumper Vegan Foodtruck Iowa Home.” Veggiethumper, www.veggiethumper.com.