FEATURE: Dr. Ayo Maat

Ayo Maat, Ph.D. balances work or business with community involvement despite economic or disability issues. As a local and national community activist, educator, and organizer, she is the founder, President /CEO of BNICEH (‘be nicer,”), the Black Network In Children’s Emotional Health and IMPRUVE (Independent Movement of Paratransit Riders for Unity, Vehicles, Equality).

With a Ph.D in philosophy, M.S. in Healing from University of Healing and a journalism/art degree with minors in accounting and social science studies at Truman College, she worked there as a tutor in social science and English. She attended Illinois Institute of Technology for computer science and math, took business management training with various corporations, and the Entrepreneurship Training Program with Uptown Hull House.

She is a person who is disabled (PWD), uses a wheelchair, eats organic vegan food, grows an urban organic vegetable garden, rides paratransit, makes handmade jewelry one-­of-­a-­kind, and supports green employment for PWDs, youth, seniors, ex­-offenders, and those with low income. She has lived in Chicago for almost 7 decades.

She is a former Chicago City Colleges and Eduteach teacher, former acting chair of Chicago Together, a computer professional who was the first and only female president of Systems Programmers Society, retired minister, artist/writer, and presented special programs at NorthPoint, Ibeji Resource Center, Probation Challenge, United Church of Rogers Park, Truman College, New Concept School, public libraries, and Insight Arts. She taught at Malcolm X and Central YMCA Colleges, Control Data Institute and Eduteach;was a certified IL substitute teacher. She co-­led family literacy programs, ATOD (Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs) prevention programs, back to school music fests, and no smoking video-documentaries.

She produced the only National Black Mental Health Forum in Chicago in February 1993, worked with youth to deter them from shoplifting and joining gangs, and ran a tobacco public awareness campaign in 2006 (billboards on public transit) for one year. Her experience comes from early involvement in the civil rights movement from age 16, paralegal training at Uptown People’s Law School, accessible housing law training by John Marshall Law School, a 14­ day community organizing fellowship at Advocacy Institute in Washington DC in 1993 by former FCC chair Mike Pertschuk, 14 weeks of community organizing training at Hope Leadership Institute with then State Senator Barack Obama, one of her instructors, and two days of community/political advocacy training in 2009 by Wellstone Action and 1Sky.

She was awarded for her work in social and economic justice and disability rights as a local Every Day Hero on October 7, 2016. She was also awarded the Toby Prinz­Dovie Thurman award by NorthSide Action for Justice (NA4J), the (female) Role Model of the Year by Ibeji Resource Center in February 2015, Black Woman of the Year for Community Organizing in Media by Woman to Woman February 2012, and the Spirit of Volunteerism award by Rogers Park Community Council in 2003.

She is currently running as a delegate for Bernie Sanders in the March 15, 2016 primary in the 9th IL Congressional District.

BVR Interview: Methuzulah Gem

BVR: What was your life like before you went vegan and what prompted you to become vegan?

MG: Chaos. I was eating all wrong. Too much meat. Too much dairy. Plus, I was still doing white sugar and flour. I was 245 pounds and am now down to 165 pounds. My primary reason for my vegan lifestyle shift was making sure my youngest son named Nasir would be able to live free and have better opportunities than me, his mother, brother, and sister. I figured food was the foundation to make that come into fruition and slowly started the journey.

BVR: You say that you're a plant-based farm-to-table style chef? Could you describe that further for our audience?

MG: My primary style of cooking is Plant Based, Farm-to-Table. I prepare all dishes totally free of meat, dairy, eggs and any other animal products while focusing on harvesting the freshest organic fruits & vegetables from my garden and/or other local community Farmers, Gardeners, Agriculturalists and Markets to prepare my dishes.

BVR: You work for an organization called The J Dilla Foundation. Could you describe what that foundation is about and what your role is in it?

MG: The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation which is also known as The J Dilla Foundation is a non-profit organization created in the memory of the Hip-Hop's own legendary emcee & producer J Dilla. The primary mission of the foundation is to enhance and develop urban music programs in less fortunate communities and inner city situations. I am the Youth Program Director for Atlanta's chapter. I focus on planning and coordinating events such as workshops, panel discussions, speaker series, book bag drives, youth days etc ...

BVR: You're going to be going on the 10th Element of Hip Hop Health and Wellness Tour organized by Keith Tucker. Could you describe a little about that tour and what you're going to be doing in it?

MG: The 10th Element of Hip-Hop Tour is a tour which will travel to 15 cities nationwide promoting and focusing on Health, Wellness & Hip-Hop via concerts, panel discussions, demonstrations, workshops and pop-up green dinners. I am one of the performing artists and speakers on the tour

 

BVR: What advice would you give to black folks who want to go vegan (or are interested in it) but think it's a "white person's" thing? 

MG:  I would say ...

    1. "Do the Research".

    2. "Please do not Assume"

    3. "Sickness is Color Blind"

    4. "Disease does not Discriminate  

    5. "He who controls the Food, Controls the World". 

FEATURE: Khaleeqa L. Rouse

Khaleeqa is on a mission to help busy people find their signature healthy lifestyle!

Khaleeqa Rouse has had quite the journey to health. Founder of Paparoxi, a brand that encourages people to find their authentic healthy voice, Khaleeqa has motivated thousands of people to change their lives and find health. Khaleeqa understands the frustrations and failures of over-scheduled people when it comes to maintaining health. She was once on the brink of a health catastrophe. As a stock broker, MBA graduate and entrepreneur, Khaleeqa's health suffered greatly early in her professional carer. 

 However, her life turned around when she discovered the power of faith, whole foods, and endurance sports. She plans to inspire the world to drop the fad diets, quick weight loss tricks and fitness crazes and become authentically fit for life. 

As an executive director for a thriving non-profit school, Khaleeqa has become an expert at remaining healthy while juggling a full time schedule. In her role as executive director, she has transformed the health of an urban community. Khaleeqa has started a community vegetable garden, implemented employee health initiatives, started programs for families to get access to healthier food; presented cooking demonstrations and enacted pre-k curriculum geared toward hands-on-healthy eating and fitness education. She has also partnered with local government and health advocacy groups to bring about healthy change to underserved populations. 

Khaleeqa's thriving online community has allowed her to share simple fresh recipes; inspirational videos and thought provoking articles on how everyday people can change their lives for good. In 2014, Khaleeqa completed Ironman Lake Placid, a race which consists of a 2.5 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run in under 17 hours. She's went on to embrace a lifestyle of mostly raw fruits and vegetables which has afforded her freedom, energy, and profound health. 

Khaleeqa has been featured on multiple media outlets such as NBC News, Black Enterprise, The Rachel Ray Show, and Essence. Her story of faith, authentic hard work and change has resonated with audiences across America.

Khaleeqa's presentations are driven by the idea that health and fitness is not one size fits all; and that everyone must find their signature healthy voice. Her talks inspire and encourage crowds to discover what their healthy lifestyle may look like. Whether it's running a marathon, trying a juice cleanse or starting a garden, Khaleeqa wants audiences to get outside of their comfort zone and live in the unchartered waters of health authenticity. 

Khaleeqa is driven to serve and educate people because she remembers her life before she found health: the great burden she carried of stress, depression and low self-esteem. She knows what its like to go through a storm and come out victorious! Khaleeqa wants busy people everywhere to take up their healthy sword and fight for their lives. 

BVR Sunday News Roundup

Christopher Sebastian McJetters Will Be Speaking in Philly

Photo Credit: Pax Ahimsa Gethen

Photo Credit: Pax Ahimsa Gethen

PAN (Peace Advocacy Network) will be hosting a presentation by Christopher Sebastian McJetters about the intersections of racism, sexism, classism and speciesism, queering animal liberation, making veganism accessible for lower income families, and the importance of removing oppression from the vegan movement.  This takes place on April 15th from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Find out more HERE. 

Join By Any Greens Necessary and Take the Pledge to Go Veg

The By Any Greens Necessary Facebook page states:

"Join me and take the Pledge to Go Veg (at least) 1 week during US VegWeek. Sign up through my personal link and get free vegan recipes, tips, and the chance to win a free e-cookbook and tons of vegan swag!" Follow the link HERE to get more information.

Get Ready for the 10th Element of Hip Hop Health and Wellness Tour

Keith Tucker has been planning his historic event for quite some time and it's getting ready to kick off on April 21st-22nd in New York City. It's the first plant-based tour in history. Get details HERE and consider donating to the crowdfunding campaign HERE. 

Check out the Opare Institute (Food For the Soul) Website

If you're looking for some delicious new vegan recipes, make sure to head over to the Opare Institute's website for some fresh ideas. Also, check out their previous feature on Black Vegans Rock to learn more about the vegan duo. 

FEATURE: Kevin Tillman

Kevin is the founder of the Vegan Hip-Hop Movement, a space where food justice with a plant-based/decolonial perspective meets hip hop. The Vegan Hip-Hop Movement explores the intersections of other animal/human/earth liberation. He feels that hip-hop is rooted in resistance. The Vegan Hip-Hop Movement fuses veganism and hip hop to promote holistic activism. Kevin is a public speaker, animal rights activist, as well as a feminist.

In an interview with Vegan Straight Edge, he said:

"Hip Hop has historically served as the mouthpiece for oppressed groups in society (i.e. the poor and people of color). Veganism applied to this level of activism only expands the circle for other oppressed beings, and other animals. We are all animals, and the sooner folks make the connection, the better off we all are."

Here's a video with Keith Tucker (Hop Hop is Green) and Kevin Tillman presenting at the Resistance Ecology Conference. 

Links

Facebook: The Vegan Hip Hop Movement 

Twitter: @lordvegan

FEATURE: Camille Holder-Brown

A photograph of Camille with two of her children.

A photograph of Camille with two of her children.

I have been a vegetarian since I was 17 and am now 37 and the transition to vegan was not an easy one for me as I loved eating cheese, especially pizza.  I think once I figured out how to make my own cheeses that I was more liberated to give up my cheese addiction.  I am not a huge fan of fake cheese and prefer cashew cheese or a tofu and nutritional yeast combo.

Honestly, I never considered myself a vegan back in the day when I first did it and also ate only raw, it was just me trying to learn what worked best in my body.  Eating raw grated white potatoes was not a winner, note to self. However I do continue to eat at east 50% raw foods daily.

I evolved from being a starchatarian in college (a word I made up for vegetarians that just live on bread and pasta products, potatoes, etc,) to being a rich soyatarian.  LOL.  That is another word I gave myself when I ate soy yogurt, tofurkey sandwich, and yet more soy for dinner!  Talk about overkill.  Moderation takes time and I think we go through phases as we give up meat, I think we replace things with other things.  However I realized my personal favorite vegan protein is BEANS ( about 20 different ones I adore) and NUTS and then homemade seitan and finally TOFU.

I do not knock folks wherever they are at on that journey of weaning themselves off the meat and dairy.  Actually, I big up all the courageous mommies who have had vegan pregnancies and now vegan children.  Not an easy job.

As a mother of 5 grazing/greedy homeschooled children, my love of cooking and their insatiable desire to eat, coupled with my husband being laid off, made us open a vegan cafe and juice bar.  We own together 2 shops that are completely vegan called Kale Cafe Juice Bar & Vegan Cuisine or Kale Cafe for short.  We serve amazing Caribbean Vegan Food and freshly made juices and smoothies, and yes organic and NON GMO as well.  We serve what we feed our family at home.  We are based in Daytona Beach, FL.

Food Stamps?  Yup, we did that too and you can totally feed a big family vegan like that too.  (Beans, whole grains, make seitan yourself, tofu, lots of produce from stores like Aldis and make friends at the farmer's markets!) Processed food is wack and expensive so stay away from that, especially if you are on a budget.

Lastly, I think the biggest thing to do is not fool yourself.  My husband is all or nothing, I am more gradual and consistent.  For me, veganism was a long process of me trying it and then running away, and repeating that for a decade at least.  I needed to be able to personally make everything my family needed as vegetarians in a vegan way.  Scrambled tofu, pizza, curry chick'n, cupcakes, spring rolls, miso, you name it, I make it vegan.  For me that was the key to the excuses I would make.  Also planning my meals a bit in advance, ie. Always soaking some damn beans and nuts. lol

Got children?  Let them cook with you, take them shopping for food, they will be more likely to eat stuff and make sure you bring them stuff everywhere so they do not feel left out and hungry in social settings, be that mom...that mom that brings the dope food that is better than all the crap the other kids are eating. 

An image of Camille with her whole family.

An image of Camille with her whole family.

FEATURE: Amanda Hinds

Hi, I'm Amanda Hinds from 365 Vegans.

I went vegan 4 years ago and it was the best change I’ve ever made. I’ve done so many exciting things and explored the world through my vegan journey. 

I tried going vegan when I was younger, since I really didn't like meat much and I felt uneasy about it. Unfortunately it didn't last long and it wasn't until I graduated and got a job that I started to think about what I was putting on my plate. I became pescetarian but slowly came to understand the harsh realities faced by sentient beings. 

 Later I studied social work. It is drilled into us that we have to speak out against the injustice and oppression that surrounds us. A friend sent me a YouTube video and as I watched it, nearly everything I ate was questioned. All the reasons I had formed for eating fish, milk and eggs were dismissed one by one. By midnight that evening (I was actually meant to be writing an essay) I had decided to begin my vegan journey. I knew I needed to learn how to cook vegan food and find a community to help me along the way, so the next month I set up a vegetarian society at my university. I quickly found some vegans and we set up a weekly cook and eat session every Monday. I give all credit to that group for teaching me how not to turn vegetables into mush, unless that was the intention. 

I became more and more passionate about veganism every day and wanted to be an activist in my own way. This led to my current project, which is to interview 365 Vegans around the world. 

 I want to create a space where people can share their own narratives about their vegan life. The project hopes to create new vegan role models that challenge the stereotypes perpetuated by non-vegans. Over time I became aware that the project lacked diversity. I am now focusing on interviewing vegans from different countries and cultures. I have recently returned from China and India, and I’m putting down plans to visit some African countries very soon. It can sometimes feel like we’re alone with our vegan lifestyles, but there are so many vegans from different backgrounds across the globe.

I have learned so much from others while doing this project, such as the importance of being intersectional in our activism. I wouldn’t have learned about the ways people are using food as a form of empowerment and individual activism, and I wouldn’t have found out about Black Vegans Rock if I hadn’t had a tip off. On the whole, my vegan journey has been the most wonderful and fulfilling experience I’ve ever had. It has been confusing at times and I’m always learning new forms of activism and how to empower others but I never regret the day I became vegan.

Health and Wellness: The 10th Element of Hip Hop Tour

Join Hip Hop Is Green and Vegan Outreach for Health and Wellness: The 10th Element of Hip Hop Tour in New York City during Earth Day weekend, from Thursday, April 21, to Friday, April 22, 2016.

 This historical celebration will officially declare “health and wellness” as the 10th Element of Hip Hop. Tour highlights include the Health and Wellness: 10th Element of Hip Hop Ceremony, a symposium, and a celebration. Confirmed participants include Hip Hop and NBA legends, chefs, and holistic practitioners who live vegan lifestyles including international Hip Hop artist Stic of Dead Prez, The Lox rapper Styles P, Cold Crush Brothers’ Supreme Easy A.D., legendary New York City breaker Mr. Wave, NBA legend and Brooklyn native John Salley, chef and author Lauren Von Der Pool, internationally renowned holistic practitioner Queen Afua, Raw Vegan Chef Chandra Lee, Harlem Grown founder Tony Hillary,and many others!

You can help move a whole culture towards health and wellness. This opportunity does not happen everyday. A real chance to make a real life difference in the lives of our youth in our communities, the animals, and our planet. 

You can help us serve healthy plant based meals and perform for youth and families as we embark on the 10th Element of Hip Hop Tour. We will visit many cities all around the country with the world's largest team of plant based hip hop artists, celebrity chefs, best selling authors, fitness experts and health speakers that perform and inspire youth and families to live healthy. 

Please follow this link to donate: 10th Element of Hip Hop Health and Wellness Tour.

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