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WASHINGTON, DC (October 2, 2024) --In the ongoing conversation about food as medicine, there’s an often overlooked yet essential ingredient: Black food entrepreneurs. These individuals are growing, preparing, and healing our communities with foods deeply rooted in African culture and traditions. From the farms that nurture our crops to the kitchens creating meals steeped in heritage, Black food entrepreneurs are leading the charge in reconnecting us to the power of food.
But what’s missing from this narrative? Access to capital, capacity building, and cultural competency. If we’re serious about addressing health disparities and creating generational wealth, we need to support these innovators at every stage—from the soil to the supper table.
Why It Matters
The food as medicine movement isn't just about what’s on the plate; it’s about healing our communities, rethinking economic development, and creating a new narrative for Black food culture. Traditional African foods, rich in nutritional value, are also culturally significant, offering not just sustenance but a link to history, identity, and wellness. Yet, for Black food entrepreneurs, the barriers to scaling their businesses—whether through lack of funding, insufficient training, or a market that undervalues culturally specific foods—are substantial.
This October, WANDA (Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture) is teaming up with Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and JHU & Medicine Ward Infinity to address these very challenges. They’re hosting what can only be described as a groundbreaking event: the Food as Medicine in the Black Community Gathering, taking place October 20-21, 2024, at the prestigious Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC.
What’s on the Table?
This invite-only gathering is more than just a networking event. It’s a convening of Black food entrepreneurs, health professionals, philanthropy leaders, investors, policymakers, media makers, and cultural leaders who will come together to strategize on how to push the food as medicine movement forward—specifically for the Black community.
Michelle Miller, Co-host of CBS Saturday Morning, will emcee the event, bringing her vibrant energy to two days of dynamic talks, panel discussions, and—yes—delicious food. We’re talking about the foods of the African diaspora that heal our communities, both physically and spiritually.
As Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH, MA, Founder and CEO of WANDA, put it: “This gathering is about more than just food—it’s about reclaiming our culinary heritage, empowering our communities, and advancing health equity. We are designing an ecosystem and agenda to create generational health and wealth in our communities through the power of African diasporan foods.”
What’s Missing? Access, Opportunity, and Support
While the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health addressed many important issues, it left some gaps—gaps that disproportionately affect Black food entrepreneurs. Access to capital, capacity building, and cultural competency in food as medicine were noticeably absent from the agenda. This is why events like the Food as Medicine in the Black Community Gathering are so vital. They offer a space for Black food entrepreneurs to learn, connect, and grow, ensuring that their businesses—and the health of their communities—thrive.
At the event, attendees will hear from influential speakers like Senator Cory Booker, Dr. Psyche Williams-Forson, Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, and Dr. Alison Brown from the National Institutes of Health. They’ll explore how to combine culturally tailored nutrition with business strategies that promote health equity, all while tasting the delicious, healing foods of the African diaspora.
It’s Not Just About Food—It’s About Wealth and Health
Investing in Black food entrepreneurs is an investment in the future of community health. By supporting these businesses, we aren’t just filling plates—we’re building generational wealth, improving healthcare outcomes, and preserving cultural foodways that have the power to heal. As Al J. Browne, Director of Ward Infinity, noted, “The Food as Medicine Gathering spotlights health experts, advocates, and entrepreneurs reshaping health in their communities.”
The Power of Culturally Tailored Nutrition
One of the key themes of the gathering will be the role of culturally tailored nutrition in preventing chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, which disproportionately affect Black communities. By elevating foods like collard greens, millet, and okra—staples of African and diasporan diets—Black food entrepreneurs are not only promoting health but also preserving culinary traditions that have long been undervalued in mainstream health narratives.
What Can You Do?
Although this is an invite-only event, the takeaway is clear: We all have a role to play in supporting Black food entrepreneurs. Whether you’re a policymaker, healthcare professional, or consumer, you can help uplift businesses that are deeply rooted in cultural heritage and committed to improving community health.
As Dr. Bunmi Ogungbe, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, said: “We’re challenging attendees to become advocates for food as medicine in their own spheres, transforming the health of our communities one meal at a time.”
So, if your grandma has been telling you that her okra stew could cure just about anything, it turns out she’s been right all along. Now’s the time to bring those family recipes out of the kitchen and into the conversation about health equity.
This is more than just another event—it’s a movement. And it’s about time we all got a seat at the table. Join us in supporting Black food entrepreneurs from farm to health, and let’s create generational wealth and community healing, one plate at a time.
Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/fambc24 (Register directly: http://bit.ly/fambcg24)
P.S. If your grandma’s been saying her collard greens could cure anything, you might want to call her and say thanks. She was right all along.
5 Reasons You Should Complete the Black Food Census
Shape the Future of Black Food Systems
Your input helps build a clearer picture of our food culture and health, influencing policies and programs that uplift Black food entrepreneurs and our communities.
Support Food as Medicine
Your responses will fuel research that promotes African diasporan foods as a path to healing chronic diseases. Help make food as medicine a reality for Black communities!
Amplify Black Voices in the Food Industry
Completing the census ensures that the unique challenges and successes of Black food professionals are heard by policymakers, investors, and health leaders.
Unlock Funding Opportunities
Data from the census could lead to more targeted grants and investments for Black farmers, chefs, and food businesses. Be part of securing economic support!
Be Part of the Movement
By contributing to the census, you join a growing community dedicated to improving health, wealth, and culture through Black food systems. Your voice matters!
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