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A Week Of Culinary Black Excellence

Adrian Teran-Tapia | February 28, 2020

Topics: afrikana film festival, Altria Theater, amy wentz, Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, Kelli Lemon, Mobile Soul Sunday, Richmond Black Restaurant Experience, Richmond food trucks, richmond foodies, richmond restaurants, Shemica Bowen, Stick A Fork In It!, Urban Hang Suite, Urban League of Greater Ricmond Young Professionals, Vagabond

The fourth annual Richmond Black Restaurant Experience shows that in a city gaining a reputation as a food destination, black restaurants and black culture are an essential factor.

As the first week of March approaches, black restaurant owners and cooks all over Richmond prepare for the fourth annual Richmond Black Restaurant Experience, a week-long celebration of black excellence in the culinary world. Established by Amy Wentz, Shemica Bowen, and Kelli Lemon, RBRE was founded on the premise of giving black minority restaurateurs the same exposure other Richmond restaurants have been given in recent years. 

“There was just a need for the black culinary industry in Richmond, that has a presence amongst [the black community],” Lemon said, “but wasn’t getting the national exposure, as Richmond was starting to make all these lists for being this foodie town.”

Over the past couple of years, several lists from publications like Bon Appetit, Insider, and Yelp have named Richmond as an up and coming destination for food lovers. With the national spotlight on the city, many restaurants have made the most of this attention by being involved in the city’s several food festivals. 

According to the founders of Richmond Black Restaurant Experience, Richmond Restaurant Week — a twice-yearly event that has been known to be very competitive and exclusive — has had a lack of representation for black restaurant owners. So they decided to create that representation themselves.

“We didn’t wait to be asked to be sat at the table, we just built the table,” Lemon said. “We just decided that we don’t have to wait to celebrate our culture.”

The goal of RBRE, Lemon said, is to introduce all of Richmond to black culinary ownership through a “celebration of cuisine.”

“We just want to make sure that when we are looking at Richmond as a whole, [black restaurants] are not left out of that whole,” said Lemon.

Over the past four years, RBRE has showcased over 20 restaurants, food trucks, and caterers each year, and has partnered with several non-profit organizations aimed to help the black community in Richmond.

This year RBRE, which has several sponsors including Dominion Energy, the City of Richmond, and the Virginia Lottery, will feature 35 different restaurants, food trucks, and caterers, including Mama J’s, Soul Taco, Southern Kitchen, and Chef MaMusu’s Africanne on Main. For a full list of participants, visit vablackrestaurantexperience.com.

RBRE will also be partnering with the Urban League of Greater Richmond Young Professionals (ULGRYP) as their non-profit beneficiary. In the past the RBRE has partnered with several food related organizations, but this year they decided on the ULGRYP because of their many initiatives that promote philanthropy and community engagement among young people of color, while also uplifting and finding the resources needed to support these individuals.

Although the main attraction to this week’s festivities is the food, Lemon also said that the goal is to focus on ALL artists of color in Richmond. According to Lemon, this week is about the complete black Richmond experience, not just the food.

“One of the things that we felt was missing this week was the art component,” Lemon said. “We look at food as art, but then there’s also music and fashion, hence these other activities planned.”

This year’s Richmond Black Restaurant Experience begins on Sunday, March 1 and lasts for eight days. The full schedule is as follows:

  • Sunday, March 1: Mobile Soul Sunday- Food Truck Fest at Kanawha Plaza, 12-5pm (Get tickets HERE)
  • Monday, March 2 thru Wednesday, March 4: Restaurant Focus- just eat, go to black owned restaurants and enjoy yourselves
  • Thursday, March 5: Afrikana Film Festival- Film Screening of Boss at Black History Museum and Cultural Center (‘dinner and a movie’), 7-9pm
  • Friday, March 6: Ready to Give- “Basement sweaty” dance party in the ‘Rabbit Hole’ at Vagabond
  • Saturday, March 7: ART for the Soul- Fashion, art and music showcase with culinary delights at Studio Two Three, 5-10pm (Get tickets HERE)
  • Sunday, March 8: Stick a Fork in It! – Chef demos and cooking contest put on by Richmond chefs and caterers at the Altria Theater, 12-5pm (Get tickets HERE)

All revenue from ticketed events like Mobile Soul, Ready to Give, Art for the Soul and Stick a Fork in It! will go to Urban League of Greater Richmond. As far as the restaurants themselves, check their social media pages for any food and drink specials offered throughout the week.

In the past, RBRE has been accused of being racist for having the word ‘black’ in the title. Lemon responded by saying that they don’t mind getting slammed for putting that word if it means people are now able to learn about something new and get out of their comfort zone.

“We created something because no one else would let us in,” Lemon said. “So people can be exposed to something different and start a conversation.”

Lemon, who is also the owner of Urban Hang Suite, a social cafe located at 304 E Broad St, acknowledges that there’s a lack of communication between the diverse groups of people in Richmond, which is why she built the cafe; to start that conversation.

With its controversial history, Lemon refers to Richmond as a tale of two cities; there’s Richmond and there’s RVA. Richmond is the food deserts, lack of affordable housing, lack of public transportation, high crime, and poor education. And then there’s RVA: the James River, craft beer, great food, and a good place to start your business. Lemon says that because of the city’s long history of division and segregation, these two places don’t know each other.

“Black Richmond knows, feels and is ready to take back our heritage,” Lemon said. “White Richmond wants us to forget about it; ‘The past is the past; we’re not that anymore’.”

Although black Richmond is still struggling in terms of opportunity, Lemon said that events like RBRE are letting the world know that, “Yeah, Richmond has a very horrible history, but what has come out of it is pride, leadership and a sense of belonging.”

At the end of the day, Lemon just wants people from all races and all areas of the city to come out and enjoy the vibes and atmosphere.

“Grab your family, grab your friend, grab your coworker, and go experience this with someone,” said Lemon. “There are a lot of different options, and we took care of everyone’s dietary needs.”

Appreciation of local culture in all its forms is Richmond Black Restaurant Experience’s ultimate goal, Lemon said.

“We just want people to think outside the box and celebrate a culture that in Richmond is truly vibrant.”

Photos courtesy Richmond Black Restaurant Experience

Culture Meets Cuisine At 2019’s Black Restaurant Experience

VCU CNS | March 1, 2019

Topics: Black Restaurant Experience, Inner City Blues, Kelli Lemon, Mary G. Brown Transitional Center, Richmond Black Restaurant Week, Richmond Food Justice Corridor, Urban Hang Suite

“People in Richmond don’t talk to each other,” said Kelli Lemon, owner of Urban Hang Suite. She created her coffee shop last year to make a comfortable space for customers to connect with one another despite their differences.

Lemon is also tri-owner of the Virginia Black Restaurant Experience — an opportunity for people throughout the Richmond and Henrico area to connect and to enjoy the diversity of meals offered by black-owned restaurants.

The third annual Richmond Black Restaurant Experience starts Sunday and runs through March 10. This year the event features 30 restaurants as well as food trucks, caterers and local chefs.

The theme is Culture Meets Cuisine, and the food is served up for a good cause: It will raise money for the Mary G. Brown Transitional Center, a nonprofit agency that helps people with housing, job training and other services. With every event ticket purchased, proceeds will go directly to the center. Events that serve alcohol will give 100 percent of their sales to the center.

Urban Hang Suite, located at 304 E. Broad St., is a coffee shop that offers a traditional grab n’ go setting in the front with an open space in the back for people to connect. Photo by Madison Manske.

Each restaurant participating in the RBRE will have a passport that lists all other restaurants included in the experience. Mama J’s, Vagabond, Pig & Brew and Urban Hang Suite are a small handful of what to expect — with vegan options available at certain restaurants.

Throughout the week, the RBRE will also sponsor various events that require a ticket:

  • Mobile Soul Sunday on Sunday (March 3)
  • A Seat At The Table — Dinner Party Social on Monday (March 4)
  • Zumba and Cocktails with Jackie Paige and DJ Nobe on Monday (March 4)
  • Wine Tasting and Pairing at C’est Le Vin on Tuesday (March 5)
  • Hip Hop Karaoke with Pro DJ Direct and Unlocking RVA on Tuesday (March 5)
  • Afrikana Film Festival – Invisible Vegan on Thursday (March 7)
  • ART for the SOUL on Friday (March 8)
  • Brunch Trolley Tour on Saturday (March 9)
  • Diaspora and Untold RVA on Saturday (March 9)
  • Stick A Fork In It! on Sunday (March 10)

In its first year, the RBRE consisted of 19 restaurants. Last year, 10 restaurants joined the list bringing it to 29. Every year, more jobs are created and more money is raised through special event ticket sales.

The experience was created by Lemon, Amy Wentz, and Shemicia Brown with the aim of addressing economic disparities within the city’s minority-owned business community as well as advancing Richmond’s growing culinary tourism scene.

The inaugural event helped launch the business the three women operate as Virginia Black Restaurant Experience. Events such as the Richmond Black Restaurant Experience operate under the VBRE umbrella, Lemon said. The women organize the annual RBRE with support from Dominion Energy.

“We felt like what we do is bigger than just a week, so we started Virginia Black Restaurant Experience,” Lemon said. “It’s just an experience of celebrating culture and cuisine that often times gets ignored for various different reasons.”

Photo by Madison Manske

Benefiting a community organization

For the last two years, the beneficiary of the RBRE was Renew Richmond, an organization dedicated to increasing healthy food efforts by creating urban gardens and offering educational and other programs.

“We wanted to give someone else the opportunity to be able to grow their nonprofit,” Lemon said.

This year’s beneficiary, the Mary G. Brown Transitional Center, is a partner in the Richmond Food Justice Corridor, a network of organizations seeking to address food access, build community, reduce violence, inspire youth and accomplish other community goals.

Richmond is a popular food destination where Lemon says minorities in the food industry often get overlooked. When Lemon opened Urban Hang Suite in October, she wanted to open a space that allowed engagement to anyone who walks in the door.

Located at 304 E. Broad St., her coffee shop offers a traditional grab ’n’ go setting in the front with an open space in the back for people to connect.

According to Lemon, black-owned restaurants can face challenges in terms of obtaining financing, promoting and managing the business.

“Because of that lack, we found it important to be an assistant or just to be an ally to these restaurant owners in pursuit of giving them a true, proper place within the Richmond culinary scene,” Lemon said. “You have to realize that in some of these smaller black-owned restaurants, they’re the chef, they’re the marketer, the GM — they may be a host one day.”

Photo by Madison Manske

Inner City Blues, home of Carolina Bar B Que, has participated in the RBRE every year so far. Co-owner Alicia Hawkins said she and her husband see higher sales each year, and that allows them to be more active in the business and the community.

“Richmond is a foodie town, and a lot of times with the small businesses, a lot of people don’t know that these small businesses exist,” Hawkins said. “I have customers come in all the time to say, ‘We didn’t know you were here,’ which is kind of strange.”

Before the restaurant moved to 3015 Nine Mile Road in 2014, it was Inner City Blues Takeout on Gilpin Court in Jackson Ward. When the landlord wanted to make changes, Hawkins and her husband had to relocate. After the owner of their current building retired, the space opened up for them.

“It was a business opportunity that it was just as if God had opened the doors,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins went to the original Armstrong High School. Having grown up in the area, she was familiar with her new business location.

Hawkins said the RBRE is a chance to showcase restaurants like hers.

“We also saw the lack of black-owned restaurants in the larger restaurant weeks,” Lemon said.

Richmond is home to many food festivals from Richmond Oktoberfest to Festival of India. According to Lemon, when VBRE was created, the organizers got criticized and called racist for celebrating African-American restaurants.

“We had to remind everyone of the other festivals that happen all the time in this city,” Lemon said. “All these festivals celebrated culture and heritage, and that’s all we’re trying to do.”

For a full list of participating restaurants and event/ticket sale information, visit www.vablackrestaurantexperience.com. The website also has a link for donations.

“It’s very important for those that are not familiar with this week to know that it is open to everyone,” Lemon said. “We hope that people come out of their comfort zones for this week.”

By Madison Manske, Capital News Service. Top Photo by Madison Manske.

Controversy/History Exposes Racist History of Virginia’s Health Care System

Caitlin Morris | February 14, 2019

Topics: african american history, Bill Martin, controversy history, Diversity Richmond, health brigade, HIV/AIDS, Influenza, Kelli Lemon, racial disparity, Rodney Lofton, The Valentine, Virginia health care

From body snatchers to windowless basement clinics, the history of African-American health care in Virginia is an ugly one. And as The Valentine’s Controversy/History series revealed last week, some of those problems are still all-too-prevalent today.

Beliefs based in pseudoscience made access to Virginia’s healthcare system harder for African-Americans across generations, according to the most recent installment of the Valentine’s ongoing series of conversations, Controversy/History.

Over 50 Central Virginians attended the latest program in the Controversy/History series, “Healthy Community: Disease and Disparity,” to discuss racial discrimination in the history of the healthcare system.

Disparity in the healthcare system dates back 400 years, to when the first Africans arrived in Virginia. This was highlighted as part of the discussion life-expectancy rates in Richmond neighborhoods today. In Westover Hills, a predominantly white neighborhood, life expectancy averages 83 years. But in Gilpin Court, a historically black neighborhood on the North Side, life-expectancy is as low as 63 years.

Community members bonded early in the meeting as they split off into small group discussions about how they have been let down by the health care system.

“I had a close call,” said Richmond resident Bernadette LeMasters. “I had no health insurance because I didn’t have a job.”

LeMasters had a health emergency soon after gaining access to health insurance through employment.

“I would have been paying $60,000,” LeMasters said. “I’m just so thankful that insurance covered virtually all of it.”

Not all Virginians have been so lucky. An estimated 2,700 Virginians aged 25-64 died between 2005 and 2010 because of a lack of health care coverage. Roughly 20 percent of uninsured Virginians are African-American, according to the Virginia Health Care Foundation. Those percentages may be higher when looking at specific diseases, according to Rodney Lofton, the Deputy Director of Diversity Richmond, who spoke at the Controversy/History event about the racial disparities in health care that still exist in Virginia today.

“African-Americans make up roughly about 13% of the U.S. population, but account for almost half of the reported HIV/AIDS cases,” Lofton said. “So we ask, what did we do wrong, or what is wrong with the system?”

Valentine Director Bill Martin and Coffee with Strangers host Kelli Lemon took the crowd through 400 years of Virginia history and the development of racial disparity in the healthcare system.

“Influential speakers like Thomas Jefferson perpetuated the belief in an inherent biological difference between the races,” Martin said.

Martin quoted Jefferson’s 1785 book Notes on the State of Virginia, saying, “Whether the black of the negro resides in the reticular membrane between the skin and scarf-skin, or in the scarf-skin itself; whether it proceeds from the color of the blood, the color of the bile, or from that of some other secretion, the difference is fixed in nature, and is as real as if its seat and cause were better known to us.”

Martin also condemned the acts of J. Marion Sims, the father of modern gynecology, who used enslaved women as test subjects for his surgical procedures. At the time, pseudoscience perpetuated the idea that people of African descent had a higher pain tolerance than white people, which Sims used to justify not using anesthesia on his victims.

The African-American people of Richmond faced similar eras of scientific experimentation. In 1994, construction on East Marshall Street in Richmond uncovered the remains of at least 53 individuals, mostly of African descent.

These were bodies stolen from graves in African-American cemeteries” Lemon said.

Nineteenth century body snatchers would take corpses fresh from their graves to be used as cadavers for anatomy students at Richmond’s Medical College of Virginia. Sycamore Cemetery in Barton Heights on the North Side and Oakwood Cemetery in the East End were frequented; however, it may not always have been corpses medical schools were after.

“According to some accounts, African-American children were warned against going near MCV at night out of fear of being kidnapped and dissected,” Lemon said.

The atrocities faced by the African-American communities only made healthcare access more difficult. Early in Virginia history, black healers and doctors lived within slave communities, but were often forbidden by law to practice healthcare. Slaves fell to yellow fever, malaria, and dysentery, but were often provided no treatment, and no time off to recover, Lemon said.

Over time, access to healthcare in slave communities from black healers and doctors worsened, while whites benefited from work done primarily by African-Americans.

“African-American women played a critical role in nursing and midwifery,” Lemon said. “Black women worked independently on plantations or assisted white doctors, making them an integral part of healthcare, until nursing became a white institution which denied black women access.”

A shortage of black health care providers meant that African-Americans had to receive healthcare from white professionals, healthcare that Lemon said was often “biased and inadequate.” Richmond’s own MCV didn’t even allow students of color to enroll until 1962.

During the influenza pandemic of 1918-19, a call for volunteers brought Richmond icon Maggie L. Walker to John Marshall High School, which was acting as an emergency hospital. Walker found ailing blacks confined to a windowless room in the basement. As the hospital continued to crowd, Walker convinced the governor to open Merchants Hospital in Gilpin Court, to be run out of Baker School by black doctors and black nurses, Martin said.

Karen Legato, the Executive Director of Health Brigade, was also in attendance at the Valentine event. Health Brigade started in 1968 as a small community clinic, known at the time as the Fan Free Clinic.

“Our response to the AIDS epidemic in the ‘80s and ‘90s was what Fan Free Clinic really became known for,” Legato said.

Echoing Lofton’s account of the response to AIDS, Legato told the crowd that providing care for AIDS patients was “very much a white gay movement at that time.”

“We did not have a sense of what that disease was in terms of race, and we were not paying attention to it,” Legato said.

Now, Health Brigade’s mission is, according to their website, to “provide quality health services, especially to those least served, in a compassionate and non-judgmental environment.”

“All of the patients who come to us are low-income, 18 and over, uninsured, underinsured, people of color, immigrants, LGBT, and other stigmatized populations,” Legato said.

The pursuance of intersectional access to healthcare was a common theme in Legato and Lofton’s goals for Richmond’s future.

“We’ve come a long way, but we’ve got so much further to go in order to make sure everyone in this city has access to affordable healthcare that is culturally appropriate, that’s culturally sensitive and provided in a respectful way,” Lofton said.

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