FEATURE: Holly Draper

In February I was in the midst of emotional turmoil. I was losing my job, going through heartache with a failed relationship, and felt lost on which direction in life I should go. The only thing I did know was that I needed some form of healing. After starting counseling sessions to heal emotionally, I sat around and thought about a more physical approach to recovery.

As a former vegetarian, I especially noticed with my return to meat-eating that I felt nauseated, and plain disgusting internally and externally. I was binge eating, and my skin was constantly breaking out. I decided that if I truly wanted to heal holistically, I should start internally with what I eat. With plans of returning to vegetarianism, I found a great 30 day detox that would help me transition back into the plant-based world. The detox required me to maintain a mostly raw vegan diet and even provided great recipes and a schedule to go by.

By the middle of my detox, I realized that being a vegan isn't as hard as I originally thought and continued to maintain the vegan aspect of my diet. My journey as a vegan so far has been very fulfilling. I've inspired others around me to up their intake of fruits and vegetables. When I'm traveling I love to bring friends with me to black-owned vegan restaurants so they can feed their curiosity. Most of the time they really enjoy their meals. My personal goal is to eventually become raw vegan. I have a long way to go within my journey to reach that place, but I will slowly but surely get there.

Social Media:

Personal: 
Instagram: @loveearthsista
Website: www.loveearthsista.com

Business:
Instagram: @shopdraped
Website: www.shopdraped.com

FEATURE: Tracye McQuirter, MPH

A vegan trailblazer, public health nutritionist, author, international lecturer, and 30-year vegan, Tracye McQuirter, MPH, has been teaching people how to become healthy vegans for more than 25 years. She was named a national food hero changing the way America eats for the better by Vegetarian Times and her national best-seller, By Any Greens Necessary, was the number one recommended vegan book on The Huffington Post.

Tracye co-founded the first vegan website by and for African Americans nearly 20 years ago with her sister, Marya McQuirter, PhD, and has been credited in part with increasing the number of African American vegans and vegetarians to more than 3 million people. 

Tracye's been featured in more than 100 media outlets, including CBS News, Fox News, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, NPR, Ebony, Essence, and VegNews. She was also featured on the cover of Barefoot Vegan magazine.

She has a master’s degree in public health nutrition from New York University and a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College. Tracye served as program director of the nation’s first federally funded vegan nutrition program, the Vegetarian Society of DC Eat Smart Program. She also served as a policy advisor for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, helping to create the strategy for a groundbreaking lawsuit proving food industry bias in the formation of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

As a national authority on preventing and reversing chronic diseases in African American women using plant-based nutrition, Tracye served as nutrition advisor for the Black Women’s Health Imperative, the largest health advocacy organization for black women.

As an adjunct professor at the University of the District of Columbia, Tracye designed and taught a plant-based nutrition curriculum for the District of Columbia Public Schools System to help prevent and reverse childhood obesity in Washington, DC, in partnership with the USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign.

Tracye is an advisory board member of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food, the PlantPure Nation Foundation, Black Vegans Rock, and Hip Hop is Green, and is a co-founder of We Feed Our People and the Black Vegetarian Society of New York. Learn more about Tracye at byanygreensnecessary.com.

"My being vegan, eating the healthiest way I can, is an act of self-love, self-care, self-preservation, and self-liberation. And when I help other people learn how to eat healthier, it's a communal and global act of love, care, preservation, and liberation."

Black Vegans Rock Wins a 2016 VegNews Bloggy Award

By: Aph Ko

We are proud to announce that Black Vegans Rock is one of the 21 winners of the 2016 VegNews Bloggy Awards. This is a HUGE accomplishment considering we've only been around since January 2016. There were some blogs on the list that I've been following for years, so it's such an honor to be listed alongside them. We just want to say thank you to everyone who has voted for us! 

In their announcement, VegNews states:

"It’s 2016, and the ever-growing vegan landscape is changing at a rapid pace. With so much plant-based news breaking every day, we’re thankful for the myriad blogs keeping us up-to-date on the latest recipes, products, restaurants, and everything in between. But which are the best of the best? We wanted to know the vegan blogs you can’t live without, so we asked for your help in naming the best online destinations for all-things veg." 

In addition to Black Vegans Rock, here are some other Black vegan winners:

Sistah Vegan Project

Photo Credit: Pax Ahimsa Gethen

Congratulations to Dr. Amie Breeze Harper for her win! The Sistah Vegan Project has been such an influential space for the vegan community. Dr. Harper's unique insights and brilliant analyses has catapulted her into a spotlight that is well-deserved.

Sweet Potato Soul

Jenné Claiborne, who was recently featured on the Today Show, is an incredible source of vegan inspiration for those of us who are trying to cook delicious recipes. Check out her blog Sweet Potato Soul to learn more. Congratulations!

To check out the FULL list of winners, click HERE. 

FEATURE: Charles Waters

Charles Waters is a Children's Poet, Actor, and Educator who has performed in schools and universities across the country. His work has appeared in various textbooks and anthologies including The National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry edited by former Children's Poet Laureate of the United States, J. Patrick Lewis. 

His first book It's Not Black and White, co-written with Irene Latham, will be released by Milbrook Press in Fall 2017. 

Charles writes:

I went plant-based (well the first time) in December 2013 after friends of mine showed me videos and books that showed how animal agriculture was killing our planet and how it wasn't our moral right to consume or wear animals for our pleasure. It took two years from the date I went plant-based for me to make somewhat of a connection. 

I fell off the wagon in August 2014 for three months because I moved to NYC, didn't have the support I had from where I lived previously, or the finances to eat vegan foods. In other words, I made excuses for my less than ethical behavior. However, I soon realized that I actually could afford fruits, vegetables, rice, beans and pasta.  

In November 2014, I went back to plant-based eating out of guilt but went full vegan and never looked back in January 2015 when I took the Vegan Pledge in NYC. Through food seminars, speeches, mentors, and most importantly, a community of like-minded people, I made the connection that veganism is not about food, it's about ethics.  It's not our right, plus, it's gross to consume dead carcasses, eat chicken's periods, drink cow puss, and wear outfits made from innocent creatures.

Going vegan has been one of the more smarter decisions I've made in my life, I've met some cool, and not so cool, people along the way, and realized that the best way to stop the planet from hurting so much is to not eat animals. 

For more information, visit: http://www.charleswaterspoetry.com/

Links

Blog: http://www.charleswaterspoetry.com/#!blog/c16qh

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/CharlesWatersPoetry

Twitter: @waterscharles

Instagram: charleswaterspoetry

Acting Website: http://www.charleswaters.net/

FEATURE: Lacresha Berry

Photo Credit: Kamau Ware for Warehouse Gallery Twitter: @kamauware 

Lacresha is a performer and teaching artist from Lexington, KY now residing in Queens. She is a proud graduate of the University of Kentucky where she received her B.A. in Theater.  She currently works as the musical director for BK Nation, a movement of people from all backgrounds that spark projects and campaigns, led by the people, for the people; where she curates the quarterly live music and culture sessions throughout the city. She is a regular host for the popular Inspired Word NYC Open Mic Series across the city. Berry recently released her album, "Daddy's Girl" on iTunes, Amazon, and CDBaby. She is currently performing in her one-woman show, BrownGirl. Bluegrass, an autobiographical story that examines the rarely documented cultural history of African-Americans in Kentucky through prose, poetry, and song.

Lacresha writes:

I went vegan in August of 2007. I had been toying with being vegetarian and mock meats for a while but I never fully committed.  And to be honest, it was over a period of several years that I transitioned. I sing and perform so milk went bye bye in 2004. Then, after doing this intense fast, all dairy was gone. That was 2006! Eggs and I didn't get along so I was just left with the meat. I gave up meat at first because my stomach troubles got the best of me. I have been sensitive since being a baby. I read a few books that woke me up and I haven't looked back since. 

My journey has been a process, for sure!  I was no longer in pain and I've reversed the aging process. My cholesterol is down, blood pressure is consistently low, and I'm stronger and more energetic than ever! I eat raw a lot and I am in love with dark leafy greens and bananas. I'm thankful for the change and now, there are so many mainstream options for vegans--so I'm definitely thankful for the cruelty free choices. 

I'm humbled by the opportunity to share my story and hopefully inspire someone else to go vegan! 

IG: @berryandco

Twitter: @berryandcompany

Website: www.berrryandcompany.com

FEATURE: Kwame Williams

My vegan journey started in 2002 when I was introduced to it at a young age socially and culturally through the Rastafarian Ital lifestyle. Because of those influences, I adopted a vegan lifestyle as part of my own in 2002. However, I soon went back to eating meat on a daily basis in 2005 when I went to culinary school. It wasn't until 2010 after being in the industry for some time and learning more about the food we consume when the health benefits of being vegan gave me new vigor.

As a black male in the U.S., people are often surprised when they see me talking about my vegan lifestyle. Surprisingly, at this point the most challenging part is not restraining myself when it comes to eating certain foods, but dealing with the people who feel like I'm judging them for their choices because of mine. "You too good for chicken now," are things I would hear if I would go to a barbecue for the social aspect and wouldn't eat. As of recently, the positives outweigh the negatives, oftentimes close friends and family members come to me for recipes advice and support as they open up to veganism. I feel like anyone who lives a vegan lifestyle for an extended time will change their views on the animals we consume because the nature of the relationship has changed even if that's not how or why it started. At the end of the day, you will no longer look at animals as something to solely serve you for food.

FEATURE: Clarissa Bannor

Clarissa Bannor is a passionate Ghanian-American afropolitan who credits motherhood, "the big chop", and veganism for guiding her mission to curate a liberated life that weaves African culture, black consciousness, and a compassionate palate with everyday life & style. 

Clarissa's mission and blog, This Afropolitan Life, is inspired by a quote from her favorite novel, Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter by J. Nozpio Maraire:

"How could I allow you to grow up reading Greek classics, and watch you devour The Merchant of Venice and Romeo and Juliet, yet be ignorant of the lyrical, the romantic, and the tragic that have shaped us as Africans?"

Clarissa was born and raised in the U.S. and from a very early age, she understood what it meant to be black. At 11 years old, her family moved to Ghana and spending her formative years there gave her depth and context for understanding what it means to be African. 

She credits this time in Ghana illuminating the duality of her existence as a Ghanaian-American woman and she uses this cultural understanding of the parallels of blackness and African-ness to navigate her world as an African woman living in the West. She hopes to inspire others to do the same.

This Afropolitan Life is a blog that weaves African culture, history, and style with everyday life. What we eat, who we spend our time with, what we fill our minds with, what we wear, how we go about our everyday lives, in every arena of our lives. It’s a blog about understanding what shapes us as Africans, and finding simple ways to curate lives we love.

Clarissa Bannor is a community educator who is dedicated to to inspiring others through her thoughts and her writing. Clarissa sits on the board of the West African Community Collaborative, a civil association of community organizations; nonprofit, faith-based and direct-service organizations that provide services to the African community in Northern Virginia. She resides in the Washington DC metro area with her husband, and is mom to two energetic little girls.

Links to Clarissa's work:

Africans—Natural Vegans? 

African & Vegan: Making the Transition

Black Vegan Voices: resources for black vegans

Vegan In NYC

FEATURE: Kyronne

My name is Kyronne, I am a poet/learning mentor and began my transition to veganism after transitioning to veggie about 5 years ago with my family to help my sister with her Eczema. 

Now before I go into the story, I was one of the most avid meat eaters. My family went veggie when I was 13 and continued to eat meat as I thought being veggie was absurd. I loved eating meat, I was happy to cook meat, and I would of happily tried anything and wasn't bothered by how the animals were treated, but that all changed.

My sister was 3 at time and her eczema was so bad she would scratch herself until she bled; in the mornings her bed would be drenched with blood. We tried natural creams, acupuncture, even osteotherapy and then after a lot of pressure from the doctors, used a steroid cream which led my sister to develop boils on her face and it was becoming more severe. We were desperate for a solution and after reading a book on food allergies and intolerances (The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Intolerance by Jonathan Brostoff, Linda Gamlin); we realised that a lot of the foods we/most people eat are impacting our health negatively (ex. dairy, red meats, processed food, white rice, wheat and so much more). So we decided to cut them out of her diet and because of how close it was to being veggie, we decided to make that step too.

Around this time my cousin gave me a book called The Kemetic Diet by Muata Ashby which went into the health benefits of veganism and the roots it has in Ancient Egypt. This pushed me even closer to veganism, but it was only after watching Earthlings and seeing the impact the meat and dairy industry had on the animals, did I decide to become vegan.

As someone who was once an ignorant meat-eater, the information and facts are there all. We have to just present it in the right way: being vegan is good for the environment, good for ourselves and good for the animals. There are documentaries like Vegucated, Cowspiracy, and even more and more places catering to vegans. veganism is on the rise and Black Vegans Rock is a prime example of this, so let's keep on supporting and sharing.

Here is my website/tumblr where you can find links to all my social media, as well as my poetry. I'm also making an effort to post more Vegan/Health related stuff on it:  www.kyronne.co.uk