What a year so far. To say that 2025 didn’t waste any time getting our attention is an understatement. As I watched so many lose their homes as a result of the fires in Los Angeles, my heart truly goes out to them. I can’t even begin to imagine the heartache and loss.
Then we move to the change of administrations that, in less than a month, has also devastated lives and has continued to sew chaos and division in this country. This administration has also raised many concerns about what is next for nonprofits, especially those who depend on federal funding to do the amazing and life-changing work they do every day.
And don’t get me started on the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs that have been branded as “Black” only to have research reveal that they benefit white women and others; everyone other than Black people. However, I want to thank corporations such as Costco, Kroger, Ulta Beauty, JP Morgan Chase, and Goldman Sachs.
I spent much of January, and even now, thinking about what all of this hatred and corruption will mean for this country over the next four years. Also, what will it mean for this work we are doing, which is at the root of their actions: anti-Blackness.
Sadly, my mind drifts back to the summer of 2020 during the killing of George Floyd and the headlines about Christian Cooper, a birdwatcher who has since won an Emmy for his show on National Geographic, who was falsely accused of harassment by a white woman in New York. Companies began to step up and acknowledge the lack of equity and inclusion of Black entrepreneurs, companies and brands in the marketplace by pledging DEI programs and actions.
I wondered whether or not I was doing enough. Then I slowly concluded that I was, we were. We didn’t need to jump on the performative train that as we now know, only lasted perhaps three to four years at best. Our work in correcting wrongful narratives of the past and lifting new ones has been the foundation of what we do unapologetically.
Where Do We Go From Here
Fast forward to 2025, and here we are again having a conversation about DEI and dealing with false and disparaging narratives that are impacting the growth and sustainability of Black-owned businesses and nonprofits such as The Global Food and Drink Initiative and so many around the country and world.
I arise from deep contemplation with these thoughts:
- We will not stop and if anything, I truly understand more than ever how important our work is as the darkness leading this country right now fights to keep its light from shining.
- We’ll expand on how we tell and preserve Black food stories that are very much a part of this country’s history.
- Creating access for those wanting to learn and celebrate Black food history and culture will be a driving force going forward.
This being said, we are finalizing our next moves and how we will move forward this year to be on the right side of history and continue to do the work we are called to do.
We formalized a new mission statement to summarize our work moving forward:
Preserving food histories and cultures of the African diaspora through three impact pillars: storytelling, education and advocacy.
The road ahead will continue to be complex and challenging, but we ready. We were called to this. I will share more details over the upcoming months and the year, so be sure to follow us here and on social media.
I will end this post with this quote from Rosa Parks. “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.”