Support Black-Owned Restaurants During Vegetarian Restaurant Week

If there's a Vegetarian Restaurant Week in your area, check to see if there's a black-owned spot participating and go and support them. Many of the black-owned restaurants have been around for 30+ years, even though some of us act like not eating meat is a relatively new concept to black people, if not 'something white people do'.

In Brooklyn, NY, there's Food 4 Thought Cafe and Bushbaby Coffee and Tea. Check the BKLYN Goes Veg! website for details.

New York Tomatoes are Safe to Eat!

Along with tomatoes from these states:

Alabama
Arkansas
California
Georgia
Hawaii
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Minnesota
Mississippi
New York
Nebraska
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Virginia

Click this FDA page for more info http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

I suppose this is what we get for demanding produce out of season...

May 29: NYS Council on Food Policy Listening Session in Harlem

The NYS Council on Food Policy is holding a series of Listening Sessions around the state to gain perspective from community members on several food policy issue areas and to seek opportunities to maximize collaboration among stakeholders. The Harlem Listening Session will be held from 5 to 7pm at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building 163 West 125th Street, New York

The Listening Sessions are open to the public and are an open microphone format. Anyone who wishes to participate will have five minutes to present their opinions and must also provide their comments in written format. Comments should focus on the key issue areas identified by the Council.

Key issue areas include:

1) Maximize participation in food and nutrition assistance programs;
2) Strengthen the connection between local food products and consumers;
3) Support efficient and profitable agricultural food production and food retail infrastructure; and 4) Increase consumer awareness and knowledge about healthy eating and improve access to safe and nutritious foods.

RSVP with Mary Ann Stockman at (518) 485-7728 or maryann.stockman@agmkt.state.ny.us

Press Release: BVSNY Participates in NYC's First Veggie Pride Parade

For Immediate Release:

Press Contact

NAkisha Henry
Communications Director
718-362-9552 or nakisha[at]bvsny.org



The Black Vegetarian Society of New York Participates in Veggie Pride Parade


New York, NY May 9, 2008 - The Black Vegetarian Society of New York (BVSNY) will participate in the first US-based Veggie Pride Parade in New York City on May 18, 2008. Originally conceived in Paris, France in 2001, BVSNY hopes its participation in the parade will show that vegetarianism is not just a European/Western ‘fringe diet’ but a delicious and holistic lifestyle which can assist in managing and preventing disease.

"BVSNY sees plant-based diets as part of a new revolution - reclaiming the body from our slave food legacy to build a healthy future. We want Black New Yorkers to know this way of living is for them," says Melissa D. Haile, Executive Director of The Black Vegetarian Society of New York. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 52% of Black women and 31% of Black men are overweight or obese. Obesity is a known factor in a number of chronic conditions such as diabetes and certain cancers, conditions that disproportionately affect Black Americans.

The parade kicks off at 12 noon in the Meat Packing District and ends at Washington Square Park. BVSNY will be in the exhibitor’s area with literature on vegetarianism as well as information on how to join. For more information about The Black Vegetarian Society of New York, please visit http://www.bvsny.org/. Information about the Veggie Pride Parade can be obtained at http://www.veggieprideparade.org/.

The Black Vegetarian Society of New York is a statewide, non-profit, member-based organization offering a culturally relevant and holistic approach to plant-based nutrition and lifestyles. Our organization seeks to fill the gaps that exist in our communities; particularly in meeting and addressing the concerns of chronic and degenerative diseases that communities of color are disproportionately affected by such has high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.

-end-

NYT: City Farmers' Crops Go From Vacant Lot to Market

Full Article

Common Renounces Veganism

The folks over at SuperVegan recently reported that Common, platinum rapper, burgeoning actor, and hip hop social activist, confirmed rumors that he started eating fish a couple of years ago.

His reasons?

"I needed some protein...it was tough being vegan."

Really?

Seriously?

With a stable recording career and five movies under his belt, including a go as the Green Lantern (rumored) in next year's Justice League: Mortal (if the issues get resolved), you'd think he'd be able to afford a nutritionist, personal chef and/or personal shopper, AT LEAST once a week.

I'm trying to cut him some slack. He's a busy person. And maintaining a healthy diet while juggling multiple projects is tough for anyone, even regular folks like you and me. But I just don't buy it.

Maybe, being vegan AND the new spokesperson for Lincoln Nagivator is tough, given that the cost of filling that SUV can compete with a week's worth of (organic) groceries.

Hood Diet