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Washington, DC - June 17, 2023 - For the third consecutive year, WANDA (Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture) is proud to present the Sisterhood Supper: Juneteenth Celebration, an event honoring local women food leaders who have made significant contributions to fighting food waste, advocating for food justice, and educating the community on nutrition. The event will occur on June 17, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Well at Oxon Run Park, located at 300 Valley Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20032.
Under the theme "From Waste to Worth, Honoring our Value," this free community event will be hosted by digital storyteller Allyson Finch Wilson, serving as the emcee for the evening. Sisterhood Supper brings together Black women and girls to celebrate the spirit of sisterhood while also kickstarting WANDA Week, a week-long series of events honoring the contributions of Black women and girls in the food system.
Juneteenth means freedom to grow and eat good nutrious foods. Our forefathers were not fed the best, but today we have the ability to choose to feed our families better. Young people please make the most of that freedom today. - Opal Lee
WANDA Week aims to support WANDA's Food Shero Freedom Fund, which creates fellowships and scholarships in agriculture, nutrition, and dietetics. Activities such as the Juneteenth Walk and happy hours at local Black women-owned restaurants and food businesses will take place throughout the week, including Flavorture, Player's Lounge, Black and Forth, and DMV Black Restaurant Week.
The Sisterhood Supper will feature various educational activities, including cooking demonstrations, gardening activities, and the recognition of inspiring women who have shaped the food industry. Attendees will be treated to a catered, healthy cultural meal highlighting the importance of balanced nutrition and the diversity of culinary traditions. This meal will inspire informed food choices for themselves and their families.
One of the key objectives of this year's Sisterhood Supper is to raise funds through the Food Shero Freedom Fund. With a goal of $25,000 and above, these funds will contribute to creating an endowed scholarship supporting Black women pursuing degrees in nutrition, agriculture, culinary arts, and dietetics at a historically Black college or university (HBCU). Previous fundraising efforts have successfully established a WANDA endowed scholarship and mentorship program at Oklahoma State University.
Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH, WANDA's founder and CEO, emphasized the importance of sisterhood within the food system, stating, "We are doubling down on putting sister into sisterhood more than ever at this year's Juneteenth Celebration by inviting women to truly become my sister's keeper within the food system as we fight for food freedom. We are not only tackling food waste but using it as a metaphor of how Black women's time, talent, and treasure must not be wasted in honoring our value to ourselves, our community, and building a better food system."
Several inspiring women will be honored during the event for their significant contributions to the food industry. Among them are:
- Chef Tommi Vincent, Vincent Country
- Chef Marly Holland, Foodie Delights
- Franciel Ikeji, MS, RDN, LDN, Better Nutrition, Better You
- Melanie Cunningham, Founder, Black Girl That Cooks
- Georgene Thompson, Manager, Players Lounge
- Dr. Erinn Tucker-Oluwole, PhD, Co-Founder, DMV Black Restaurant Week and Owner, Loop Now LLC
In addition to celebrating the achievements of women in the food industry, attendees will have the opportunity to contribute to the Sisterhood Community Cookbook project by sharing family recipes, food stories, and photos of women for the ancestral table. The celebration is also a time to activate community advocates to champion the Food Bill of Rights locally and nationally, starting with signing the petition and letting their policymakers know this matters in addressing food apartheid.
Bringing Africa and the Diaspora together, two Black women chefs representing African American and Nigerian cultures - Chef Shannon of City Soul Cuisine and Chef Funmi of Fundapot Cuisine - will provide a specially curated Juneteenth menu. The featured dishes include Nigerian jollof rice, kale salad, watermelon salad, baked chicken, and sweet treats. Attendees are encouraged to wear African prints to celebrate their culture and bring their stories and photos to the ancestral table.
ANC Commissioner Jamila White expressed her excitement for the event, stating, "We are excited to bring Sisterhood Supper back this year to celebrate the everyday women who are making a difference in our community through the power of food. During this pandemic, women worked on the frontline of our homes, healthcare, and food systems, from hospitals to grocery stores. Now, with the current impact of inflation on food prices, women must continue to share resources and cooking practices to sustain our families, especially during times of economic uncertainty."
The celebration will feature musical entertainment by DJ One Luv, and local healer Ivy Hylton will lead a Sisterhood Healing Circle for women to share in the storytelling session.
The Sisterhood Supper is supported by community and business partners
such as Infinite Legacy and Whole30®. Melissa Urban, Owner of Whole30, expressed her support for WANDA's mission, stating, "We've been supporting WANDA's mission since 2020 and are thrilled to partner with WANDA again this year. Much like Whole30 empowers people to discover the foods that work best for them, WANDA empowers women and girls to become champions of their health and create better food systems."
Supporters can donate also via paypal.me/iamwanda.
For media inquiries or more information, please contact WANDA at hello@iamwanda.org or (202)770-1160.
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About WANDA:
WANDA (Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the role of Black women and girls in the fields of nutrition, dietetics, and agriculture. By providing support, resources, and educational opportunities, WANDA empowers women to create positive change in the food system and advocates for food justice, nutrition education, and sustainable agriculture practices. WANDA is on a mission to build a movement of 1 million women and girls of African descent to lead as food sheroes through education, advocacy, and innovation. Based in Washington, DC WANDA is a Black women-led social justice 501c3 nonprofit organization composed of women leaders, advocates and entrepreneurs working to strengthen our families, communities, and economies by transforming our food system. We transform our lives and our families through #foodfortheculture. Learn more at http://iamwanda.org.
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