GiGi Carter and Alissa Nash are here to discuss increasing the number of Black vegans, the scope of expression of veganism’s compassion (whether - and how - it should extend to human rights), and contributions ethnic cuisines have made to veganism.
Alissa Nash is a published author and founder of ThatIsWhatIDo.com, a strategic marketing firm for small business owners. While she started her career as a Diversity Specialist, this former VP of Learning & Development has spent nearly 30 years gaining knowledge and insight into how to influence human behavior. She firmly believes that the change management, knowledge transfer, brand development and strategic thinking skills of a variety of professionals are crucial to effective assimilation of systemic change initiatives.
Gigi Carter is founder of mytrueself.com, a socially conscious nutrition and wellness practice. She is an author, speaker and consultant. Gigi is a licensed nutritionist in Washington state and a certified personal trainer through National Academy of Sports Medicine. My True Self offers coaching, consulting and courses related to adopting a whole-food, plant-based nutrition plan.
Alissa and GiGi say, “By discussing and promoting veganism in the black community, we can help promote this growing trend in the community, explore how diverse people experience being identified as vegan, and ultimately help more people adopt this healthier lifestyle and reduce chronic health problems. We are trying to turn the tragically disproportionate COVID19-related mortality rate in our community into a wake up call to empower people to regain their physical health and well-being.”
Listen below!
Important topics and points you don't want to miss:
>> Much of what we discuss is very complex, and of course we’re also on a time limit. There are parts of the black vegan experience that aren't covered in our conversation. The lens that we adopted for this discussion was focused on individuals, rather than speaking to larger-scale systemic disparities and barriers.
As Alissa wrote in an email after our discussion, we want to “both acknowledge the systemic and economic reality faced by many, but also the empowerment that comes from addressing issues that are within people's power to control.”
>> Increasing the number of black vegans--quality of life benefits, and cultural barriers.
>> The scope of expression of veganism's compassion: should it extend to human rights? If so, how?
>> Contributions ethnic cuisines have made to veganism.
Connect with Alissa:
Connect with GiGi:
Mentioned in the episode:
>> Article by Alissa: Rations No More: Reclaiming Our Health After COVID-19
Additional resources:
>> Article: The fastest-growing vegan demographic is African Americans. Wu-Tang Clan and other hip-hop acts paved the way.
>> Documentary: The Invisible Vegan: A Movement Toward A New Consciousness
>> Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man (by Emmanuel Acho)
>> Fannie Lou Hamer: Civil rights legend Fannie Lou Hamer is remembered by those who worked side by side with her in the struggle for voting rights.
>> From GiGi: Here is a study about systemic racial bias in the algorithms used to treat sick patients. This type of racial discrimination is highly insidious, literally putting black people's lives at stake. Quote from one of the articles: "...the data showed that the care provided to black people cost an average of US$1,800 less per year than the care given to white people with the same number of chronic health problems."
>> Selma (film). From IMDb: "The unforgettable true story chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement."
>> The Help (film). From IMDb: "An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids' point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis."
>> I Am Not Your Negro (documentary). From IMDb: "Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House."
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