OMOWALE ADEWALE: UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK

UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK

Omowale Adewale is the founder of Black Vegfest, and editor of the recently published Brotha Vegan. Omowale talks to Forca Vegan about his current life in the USA, his community projects, family life and achievements, and the current Western Vegan Movement.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, AND HOW YOU CAME TO BE VEGAN?

In the summer of 1993, I had just begun to return back to school in Riviera Beach, FL. It was my second year in Florida. The doctor told me at age 15 I had hypertension. I didn’t understand the ramifications at the time, but I was a little concerned. Some time during that week I checked in with my older brother Wendell who still lived back home in Brooklyn, New York & I told him. He urged me to go vegetarian and stop consuming animals. I began the journey almost immediately, at a time when I found chicken sandwiches incredibly scrumptious. I am always so proud of my 15 yearold self. In a new state, I had to grapple with being away from my foremost guiding force, my mother, Cleo. She would have helped me diversify my vegetarian options, but instead I ate canned green beans, white rice and cornbread almost daily. My recollection of eating vegan food from the Rastafarian food vendors in Brooklyn was so long ago it didn’t kick in until much later in my life.

It took 20 years before going vegan. When I returned to Brooklyn less than a couple years later I began shedding dairy milk, but I still consumed lactose through baked goods. Through my struggle, of requesting rice and soymilks from bodegas, which were convenience stores in urban neighborhoods, often owned by Dominicans and Puerto Ricans I learned that simply asking for plant-products was not as easy as it seemed. Being young and Black did not earn me opportunities I saw advertised. I heard that you could request store-owners to purchase goods, but that’s not a reality in my neighborhood. It was believed by bodegas, supermarkets, and even healthier shops that if you’re Black you eat whatever is advertised. I could not get support. The lack of guidance and support in my own New York neighborhoods growing up in regards to my vegan journey was greatly apparent. I imagine those who contend that they’ve tried veganism but failed miserably faced the same level of difficulty.

Omowale teaches young Jacob boxing lessons in Brooklyn (2018)

I stumbled through this process onward to a vegan journey and that makes me more compassionate and understanding of everyone’s transition. When I finally, went vegan in the Spring of 2013, I remember the host of Real Meals, Caryn Hartglass had asked me, “why haven’t you gone vegan, yet?” I listened and went vegan recognizing that I was only holding onto a system that wasn’t doing me any good. So, it was good to have that conversation. I realized I could do some good by supporting animals in the easiest but most impactful way possible.

YOU ARE A KICKBOXING CHAMP AMONGST MANY TALENTS – TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THAT.

Interestingly, I went vegan in the middle of my amateur boxing and mixed-martial arts career. Martial arts was a large part of my life growing up. But classes were never consistent and so I had to train myself after receiving support here and there. Bruce Lee’s books on techniques were central. Lee was practical in his methods and believed in dedication. This dedication was strongest in my teens. I followed his style Jeet Kune Do, which translates to the Art of Intercepting Fists. Lee later wished he never made a name for a style. As a student of philosophy he believed a style is not more important than the person who uses it. He also believed that depending upon the situation, a person must adapt. This is why Bruce Lee is considered the grandfather of MMA or mixed-martial arts. He was combining boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, jujitsu, and many others before it was popular and he placed it in his writings. He died prior to the book’s release although in the film “Dragon” based on his life illustrated a different take for theatrics.

Omowale at his MMA Fight Weigh-In with children Aziza and Chisore ponsored by Gardein (2014)

the practitioner than the spectator can understand. It must be experienced. I’ve learned a lot more through defeats than my wins. It’s helped me cope with loss and struggle and has allowed me to adapt and enhance my shortcomings. It’s made me more open and accepting to self-criticism and outside criticism and helped me realize how to ignore the noise and not crave acceptance. Martial arts teaches the best defense is not having to defend, but being prepared at all times. I use it in my life and use it to teach my children and others every day. I am always learning and never full of lessons. Through the practice of martial arts, I learn and teach to be content but never stagnant.

I went from fighting for the love of martial arts to using it in my arsenal to fight for justice. When I won, I realized I had the microphone, and thus could use my voice exponentially more powerful to do a host of things that were more impactful than the simplicity of hitting and dodging another human-being. I raised my voice for Assata Shakur, a political refugee in asylum in Cuba, I stood up for my Black community and other oppressed Peoples and I championed the life for animals through vegan intersectionality.

YOU ARE KNOWN ACROSS THE GLOBE AS THE FOUNDER OF BLACK VEGFEST - HOW DID BLACK VEGFEST COME ABOUT?

Black VegFest came out of my previous work in the Black community. Through the Grassroots Artists MovEment (G.A.ME) a small not-for-profit that believed artists could empower their community with their voices through song. We believed Black and Brown artists were being strangled by corporate radio and media conglomerates to use their voice for exploitation of their own community while being robbed of royalties through the abdication of ownership, lack of healthcare benefits and unfair contracts. As a young 20-something year old, I believed we could support artists and the activists who were joining us with healthcare and fair living wages by advocating for them and consolidating a working union. This was in 2001. Artists like Dead Prez & Immortal Technique were instrumental in that organizing process. As one of the leaders of G.A.ME, I built leadership programs, go-green projects and tours and even organized doctors to treat artists who

were most in need. In one of the poorest neighborhoods in the US, we were in our mid-20’s organizing clinics along with Dr. Marcelo Venegas to treat artist-activists for free and lowcost. The following year, Dr. Venegas trusted me with some boxes of tetracycline medicine which handles a host of infections and I was on a plane to Lagos, Nigeria. My comrade Moyosore Akojenu aka Fleet Militant (RIP) organized Dr. Uche of Jay Alarms Hospital in Lagos to treat young people, artists and other low-come Nigerians. The young members of G.A.ME did this without major funding and zero oversight. The doctors believed in us. During this time I was vegetarian, and hoping to influence many I had came in contact with using healthy ideas.

People knew of my activism in New York City and understood I was vegetarian. By the time I transitioned it was easy for me to receive some support. In 2014, I began vegan parties which targeted the Black community but did not do so explicitly. That year, I registered blackvegfest.org and blackvegfest.com. It would take four more years, until G.A.ME would release funds and support for Black VegFest based on what I had envisioned.

It is important to understand that I am not just a passionate activist or community organizer but I’ve worked in politics in the poorest congressional district in the nation for six years. I actually loved most of that experience, for the lessons in liberal arts, collaborative planning, outreach, addressing constituent concerns, as well as media and governmental responsibility.

Omowale speaking at Hudson Valley Vegfest (2018)

For Black Vegfest to be successful, I needed to learn more about intricate issues of event planning that were specific to organizing a vegan festival. I reached out to the festivals I knew and accepted assistance from festivals that reached out to me. I received guidance and support from VegfestUK, the only non-US vegan festival, since I had spoken there since my first time in 2013. I received expert assistance from Adrienne Lusk at Texas Vegfest. Adrienne had also put boots on the ground and flew me out to Austin, Texas four months prior. She may have saved us that first year. Jessica Schoech of the massive Vegan Street Fair, Naijha Wright-Brown of Vegan Soulfest, NYC Vegetarian Food Fest’s Sarah Gross Feoli, Rebecca Moore of Hudson Valley Vegfest were among the most supportive festivals. I thank them for offering valuable information, endorsement, in-kind support and even funding. This is how Black VegFest turned a first-year event that was almost rained off into a massive gathering on a city block in the summer of 2018. I personally believe in collaborations, listening to criticisms, using my voice, being ambitious but full of integrity. I had to communicate with a number of people who would become partners, including Borough President Eric Adams who’s support was absolutely critical. BP Adams being plant-based was extremely necessary in forming a relationship with the city. New York City would have shut us down, without caution. I had worked for the NYS Assembly, I knew how unforgiving local government was. Eric Adams brought folks together on the local level and made it possible for me to meet with all the necessary departments. I commend him for being at the forefront of NYC’s push towards a better food system where we all win, it wasn’t just about veganism. We want an egalitarian system in NYC that works.

Many in the vegan movement are used to the same people, same concepts and therefore we end up with much of the same problems.

I was NOT the only Organizer in Black VegFest, Nadia Muyeeb and Francis Peña made up two-thirds of the team, I am just the loudest voice. They really allow my work to shine through as two incredibly silent but tactical individuals. Nadia was in communication and overseeing the process with all the performers and speakers. And on the day of, she gave leadership to our volunteer team which meant she was orchestrating our first event. If you could not tell, then that’s how masterful it was for her first time. Nadia, being my partner, also worked while I did Black VegFest almost full-time with almost no pay. This meant she supported me and my vision. I wish that kind of support for everyone. Francis provided all our technical support such as electricity, generators and made sure we stayed in compliance. He is also the money person. While I may pay for some items, he handles the bill for 90% of our budget and supports with his own funding should we have any shortfall. We worked like a massive team, because volunteers were super enthusiastic about our promise and we were super grateful. I often provide leadership from the back or from a horizontal group structure. That means I don’t tell people what to do, through my experience and integrity I receive support for my plan while team members pick out the useful and eliminate the unnecessary compo- nents of the skeletal structure. It is an organic style of organizing based in best practices.

Nadia Muyeeb, Omowale and Francis Pena serving vegan food in the Bronx (2020)

WHAT SORT OF IMPACT HAS BLACK VEGFEST HAD IN THE VEGAN COMMUNITY?

The Black vegan community has embraced us and applauded our work. The vegan community, with the exception of the organizers, it has been slower. PETA is not really a fan, and it’s unfortunate that many feel that they are central to veganism in the US. Some white racist vegans are not fans either. Once vegan intersectionality became more embraced and people began to see the impact of more people going vegan more people began to see the positive impact on animals.

Omowale Adewale wins Amateur Boxing Brooklyn Brawl Title at Super Middleweight limit (2020)

When I won, I realized I had the microphone, and thus could use my voice exponentially more powerful to do a host of things that were more impactful than the simplicity of hitting and dodging another human being.

Had I not been speaking about veganism around the US and in some parts of the world, I believe we would have had less traction. More vegan brands are supportive. Brands like Mercy for Animals, Tofurky, Follow Your Heart while not perfect in an way are among the most supportive and supported us early on. Oatly may project this image of being progressive but they sent me a very nice letter like others not wanting to support Black people going vegan. Being progressive is sending at least $1000, $500, or at least 100 measly items to help us attract more vegans. The most supportive was the Black vegan community, especially, vegan vendors who invested hundreds of dollars of their money on this controversial first-time vegan festival. Based on the vegan festivals I had spoke at before, we had more Black vendors than any other festival. I knew the impact based on reserved tickets and Black vendors signing up. I was ecstatically pleased with four months to go!

Organizers Omowale, Nadia, and Francis receive New York City Proclamation naming August 10th “Black VegFest Day” (2019)

DID YOU GET MUCH SUPPORT FROM WHITE VEGAN ORGANISATIONS?

White vegan organizations Voters for Animal Rights, Mercy for Animals and Lantern Publishing and Media were supportive out of the gate.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ‘UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK’?

Being Unapologetically Black means transparent about both my love and support for a totally self-determined Black People. It’s a transparency that cannot be understated in its apex at integrity. It means without being rich and powerful, I take this firm stance in struggling for Black self-determination knowing that it may motivate wh-te supremacy or white liberals through their entities, can snatch or curtail my funding and resources, disturb my living and distort my message. In the face of all this I am projecting Black liberation in defiance.

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR NEW BOOK ‘BROTHA VEGAN’.

“Brotha Vegan” is a collection of stories, teachings and poems by Black vegan men. Some of us teach from various angles. Some like the medical doctors Milton Mills and Anteneh Roba do so from an angle of exposing Western Medicine’s flaws with nutritional information and love for animals. The artists you know like M-1 and Stic of Dead Prez are not new to veganism and have inspired many tens of thousands since Be Healthy in 2000. Ietef “DJ Cavem” Vita, PhD addresses climate change and what our community can do and chefs Bryant Terry and Planthero bring a variety of flavors to the conversation. Stewart Mitchell’s activism around animal welfare and Brandon Morton’s love for horticulture, and Eric Adams speaks to his process of going vegan and how he will implement a healthier system in NYC should he become Mayor. I decided to have Kezekial McWhinney-StLouis interviewed, who is a transgendered man, because they’re absolutely brilliant. Read the book and understand why. As a masculine presenting cisgendered-heterosexual who is a fighter, I’m into destroying social norms and constructs.

My mission with Brotha Vegan is to encourage my Brothas to communicate the best of us. I chose to advocate for a strict Unapologetically Black function of Vegan Intersectionality. This way, we don’t leave anyone behind, including animals. This way I can sleep sound at night.

‘BROTHA VEGAN’ WAS INSPIRED BY ‘SISTAH VEGAN’ - HOW DO YOU SEE BROTHAS TODAY ALIGNING WITH FEMINIST PRINCIPLES?

We are destroying the patriarchal notion that men are just these physical masculine beings that are here to provide. We are upending this idea that men are not supposed to exhibit sensitivity, emotion and care. This is in large part due to women and feminine beings. Men are craving a balance.

According to the Men’s Health Foundation in Great Britain 75% of all suicides are by men. Since 1950, the U.S. Health and Human Services Dept. reported that men are also three times more likely to commit suicide. We are the producers and purveyors of war and conflict, the primary predators and rapists and perpetrators of violence against ourselves, women, and non-binary folks. Men design systems of greed, cultivate unbalanced systems of wealth gaps, and point fingers at themselves and others. We foster distrust, hate, and vilify anyone who intervenes and only alter the system after we feel its ire. This is the patriarchy. It is difficult to break because men laugh and ridicule other men who begin to embrace femininity and the concept that gender is a construct. Not sex, but gender IS a construct. It is in our minds that men must behave like what you think a man is to behave like. This construct is what we use to demean and intimidate any ‘weaker’ binary and/or non-binary person.

'Brotha Vegan: Black Men Speak On Food, Indentity, Health & Society' is out now

Nadia Muyeeb and Omowale Adewale in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Juneteenth (2020) Alexander often points out. If men are not prepared to make drastic changes, it will undermine our society and continue to destroy everyone based on an idea that we acquire as much power as possible.

We are experiencing transformation in the world. Not only are Black and Brown people rising like heat in a pressure cooker, but women like Stacey Abrams and Kamala Harris are too. Not only in western culture, but also Dalit women within the caste systems of the Desi community. Universally, women are hearing and learning from other women what feminism and womanism means to them. Feminism tends to scare men, but so does the threat of being fired, losing your home, or your spouse dying from cancer or Covid-19. We must upend what Bell Hooks refers to as the “imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy” a point my contemporary comrade LoriKim Alexander often points out. If men are not prepared to make drastic changes, it will undermine our society and contin- ue to destroy everyone based on an idea that we acquire as much power as possible.

Nadia Muyeeb and Omowale Adewale in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Juneteenth (2020)

YOU ARE A FAMILY MAN – WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS?

Although I love my children and children in general, it is my children’s choice to have children. Do children have enough hope as it stands? I hope so. There is a price I pay daily being immersed in the struggle for liberation. If I am physically present at home, I am not always presently aware. It’s tough to do this work and have children, especially as I see fit. The great thing is that my children love and appreciate me. They witness me struggle for an egalitarian society and I only hope that hope is contagious. My hope is that my eldest child who has traveled 1000 miles with me back and forth between New York and Atlanta for 15 years has not experienced a blur but a set of lessons, cultures, and love. I hope she sees and values my love and admiration for her. She really is my very first love. To see her grow up and adult like she does and continue to consider her father’s recommendations gives me hope. She’ll be 20 this year and she values and requests me in her life all while learning and being responsible. There’s no greater feeling. I hope my middle child acknowledges my truth to her that she is a prodigy at 14, but I do not wish to pressure her. Her awareness is beyond her years. She, like her older sister love themselves and have not allowed the outside or domestic forces to make them feel small. Her courage to speak up even when it’s her parents with logic and rationale is truly a lesson to me in patience and recognition of my own patriarchy. A national honor student, but that doesn’t begin to underscore how brilliant this young Black girl is. She like me, has an idea of what she wants to be in life and I hope she knows it’s ok to reassess what you want to do for a career. My youngest, and my only boy I hope he knows the love I have for him is boundless and endless. He doesn’t need to do anything, except fathers need to recognize their words are pressure. The boy is fearless. I hope he continues to recognize that there is more to young Black boys than being strong. I hope he understands he doesn’t have to learn it all at once because dad will remind him. He is my 11-year-old self. My hope is that the world treats them kind and that they revisit veganism as a path toward understanding the world, not a way to define you.

WHAT FRUSTRATES YOU MOST ABOUT THE CURRENT VEGAN MOVEMENT?

The vegan movement can be stale and trite with dogma and very white. Just because there are many white people in one space does not suggest we make all the educators white. It will only foster a society of ignorance. People going vegan for a variety of reasons will still save farm animals, furry animals, sea animals and zoo animals.

For too many vegans, it’s too much of a complex idea for humans to recognize vegan intersectionality where I can support and protect animals while still defending myself. It’s a dogmatic idea and this is why there is little creativity. Many in the vegan movement are used to the same people, same concepts and therefore we end up with much of the same problems.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE OF FROM YOUR WHITE VEGAN BROTHAS?

Ahhh, the vegan brotherhood. If white vegan men are my brothas let them understand white vegans need to listen to the most Unapologetic BIPOC communities for the most transparent conversation about race and gender. Black VegFest introduced the global 7 Points of Allyship to address white veganism and white privilege. Our vegan Brothas can visit

BlackVegFest.org

and fill out the form and make themselves available to do some of this work. It is not about simply saying you want to make change or giving the appearance. You have to embrace the application of addressing systemic racism and sexism over a long period of time. How long? As long as it is necessary, otherwise your commitment is lip-service and you’re just resting on the work of oppressed peoples, who also give their energy to addressing animal welfare. Make a long-term commitment in using your resources: funding, in-kind support and your voice in your community.

If white vegan men are my brothas let them understand white vegans need to listen to the most Unapologetic BIPOC communities for the most transparent conversation about race and gender.

Omowale Adewale thanking Organizers, volunteers and speakers at the “Black VegFest Rally” in Crown Heights, Brooklyn (2020)

You have to embrace the application of addressing systemic racism and sexism over a long period of time. How long? As long as it is necessary, otherwise your commitment is lip-service and you’re just resting on the work of oppressed peoples, who also give their energy to addressing animal welfare”

THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE SHIFT IN THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM IN THE USA – ARE YOU HOPEFUL? OR SCEPTICAL?

Optimism and love for the People keeps the community organizer engaged in community work, not funding, not white allies, not U.S. politics, and definitely not the change of U.S. presidents. The testament to this skepticism is found in the acquittal of former president Trump during his second impeachment trial. There are more symbolic aesthetics taking place in the form of U.S. politics than tangible systemic change. I am hopeful because some entities based in the community are raising their voices. The People raising contradictions are giving me hope for a fair egalitarian system.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

If you support my work, please be become a patron

Patreon.com/ omowaleadewale

as I continue addressing conditions through an Unapologetically Black Vegan Intersectional lens. My partner Nadia and I are lending our farmland and other resources towards affecting organizing sustainability within Black liberation work. This work will create food justice opportunities for people who need quality healthy food sources, education of new organizers and support for veteran organizers to address retention in long-term BIPOC organizing.

Omowale Adewale in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn (2018)

Support 20 years of Community Organizing by donating to the Grassroots Artists MovEment (G.A.ME). In December of 2001, Omowale Adewale (then Lawrence James) connected with Mutulu Olugbala, Francis Peña and Neneh Jalloh to later found G.A.ME. Over the years, programs, projects, albums, concerts, protests, tours, festivals, retreats and chapters were created and/or supported to address artist rights, affordable healthcare, food justice, youth incarceration and youth leadership in Black and Brown communities from the Bronx to Lagos.

We remained small due to low-funding and the promise to remain independent. Now’s the best time to support G.A.ME.

G.A.ME sustainability is the Goal.

Copy and paste this link to donate:

https://checkout.square.site/merchant/5ZGFHHNZZBA0X/checkout/NSGYWTBFOOFB6LJY5W3Y37WU

Omowale & Nadia at VegfestUK Bristol (2018)