As we start the month of March, we can thankfully say that 2024 is off to a great start.
With any nonprofit, it takes a minute to get off the ground, but as we approach four years this August, we’re confident that our momentum to expand our impact beyond the pages of Cuisine Noir and conversations on our podcast will pick up.
How Did 2023 End
Before we go into this year, we want to take a quick look at 2023, which set the groundwork for where we are today.
Last October, we were accepted in the second cohort accelerator program created by the Black-Owned Media Equity and Sustainability Institute (BOMESI) to focus on the growth of Cuisine Noir along with five other publishers, including Upscale Magazine, Kansas City Defender, Map Happy and TANTV.
It was an amazing 6-week program that ended in Las Vegas in January. With the publishing industry constantly changing, getting the resources and tools to be competitive and innovative has been invaluable.
What’s New For 2024
We definitely hit the ground running when 2024 rolled in. While our first trip to Vegas marked the celebration of our participation in our accelerator program, our second trip was our annual return for the Fancy Food Show.
GFDI’s executive director, Sheree Williams, has had the pleasure of trendspotting at the show for the last three years. In addition, she was invited to be one of three judges for the show’s first competition, Fancy Face-Off, which provided an opportunity for four specialty food businesses to pitch for a chance to win $10,000.
This was an amazing experience and taps into two of our three pillars driving our work: storytelling and inclusion. So often, voices of color and leadership are left out of arenas such as this, and for Sheree to be able to lend her expertise and experience of more than 15 years in food as a lens is what we continue to work for.
It is never too late to begin planning. September 1 will mark 15 years since Cuisine Noir was introduced, setting off a ripple effect for others looking to talk about food and drink in the Black community.
Stay tuned as we work on some fun additions to the magazine, and the best part is that YOU or the community can get in on the action too. Details will slowly start to be released in April.
Also, after 45 episodes, three of which are in English and other languages, we took the month of February off to celebrate Black History because we are a part of it!
Wednesday, March 6, we released our latest episode and a new look for the Diaspora Food Stories website, so be sure to take a look.
Lastly, thank you to all who were so gracious to contribute to our work with a donation. We truly appreciate every dollar as you can see how we are putting them to work that includes:
- Weekly stories on Cuisine Noir that speak to the power of Black food stories
- Technology updates to our platforms
- Expansion of our storytelling through words, conversations and video
- Provide an important cultural outlet and mentorship to Black journalists and writers who are passionate about telling our stories
Your support in 2024 will help us continue to do all these things and even more. Please consider donating today
Cheers!