Truth Transparency and Reconciliation; New Campaign by BCAGlobal and Alliance of Leadership Fellows Seeks Systemic Change in the Food Industry
The first step in creating a just food system is to recognize the truth; that the food, culinary, and food service industries are built on and continue to perpetuate racial inequity. The history of American agriculture, food service, and the culinary industry are inseparable from the nation’s history of racial inequality.
Black slaves built the basis of the American food system, not only through physical labor, but through technical knowledge and agricultural expertise. Black and indigenous knowledge allowed for ecologically sound crop rotations and rich agribusiness that built the early American economy. Fine dining in America began in Black hands, as some house slaves executed elaborate meals at galas.
After the Civil War, restaurants became battle fields, as Jim Crow’s hold on the South allowed black people to work at restaurants, but rejected them as guests. With the Civil Rights movement in the 50’s and 60’s, young black men and women used restaurants as stages for civil disobedience. Food organizing initiatives in the black community, like the Black Panther Breakfast Program for school children, were targeted for surveillance by the FBI, seen as threats to white order and control.
The American food system and culinary industry have a lot to account for still.
In order for racial justice to flourish, safe and brave spaces like this have to be created.” Alex Askew, CEO of BCAGlobal
Through their common core values of racial justice and social equity, BCAGlobal and the Alliance of Leadership Fellows are combining efforts to allow truth to lead toward genuine conversation, and actionable policy, and workplace change in the culinary and food service industries. Using a Discord server, the project is a platform for industry members, food justice advocates, racial equity professionals, allies and accomplices and any person interested in the pursuit of a just food system to share experiences both positive and negative regarding experiences in racial equity in the culinary and food service industries.
Alex Askew, the CEO of BCAGlobal, stresses the importance of this project. “This is groundbreaking and has never happened before. We suspect in all honesty that in order for racial justice to flourish, safe and brave spaces like this have to be created.”
Using Discord is vital to the campaign, as it offers anonymity to community members who might fear work place retaliation. It is also useful to cultivate conversation. As Askew explains “Discord allows for seamless communication person to person, communication and dialogue. It has happened in the gaming industry and we are looking to use the platform to bring to food and food service. It is grassroots organizing in a digital space”
To join the conversation, create a discord profile here. Then send an email to culinaryracialequity@allianceofleadershipfellows.org for an invitation to join the community. We respect the privacy of the members of this community and so will accept anonymous members at this time.
Tell your truths, talk to others in the food service and culinary industry, and help realize systemic changes to inspire a “Beloved Community” in the workplace.