“I realized that intrinsically, allies get to do more without leaning on Black and Brown people to be the inspiration or source of their self-education.” “When we first started, we were at an elementary level and doing a lot of ground level education in terms of, ‘This is how you’re being racist,’” Ouiya said. Past event topics range from fat liberation and its relationship with body reclamation - which are frameworks that respond to racial fatphobia - to addressing racial pay inequities. Since the Food and Wellness Equity Collective was created during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, the group adjusted to hosting virtual events, including a digital summit and multiple panels. Share on Pinterest Photo provided by Yoli Ouiya The gentrification of ethnic foods is not a new trend, but promoting food justice - including the cultural foods of Communities of Color - can be a solution to it. Recently, for instance, Latinx content creators have called out some white TikTok users for consistent cultural appropriation after they replicated agua fresca and dubbed it “spa water.” The industry is notorious for being whitewashed, and it often isn’t reflective of the grassroots organizers that have consistently been advocating for change. Navigating the food and wellness space as a group of Black and Brown folks wasn’t the easiest task. I think most people look at content creators and wellness professionals as service providers, but they also need support.” “We were filling a void that was needed in terms of providing resources for content creators. “We started out with having different events, especially digital events, and it launched at the right time and in the right space,” Ouiya shared. Ouiya and Overhiser had a similar interest in creating a space of safety, education, and resources with others who understood the challenges within the food industry.įor example, Ouiya noticed pay disparities and a lack of representation for Black and Brown content creators within the food and wellness space. The group formed with 20 founding members in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. The collective is a group of content creators, recipe developers, social media influencers, and entrepreneurs dedicated to promoting anti-racism in the food and wellness industry. Challenging racial disparities in the food and wellness industries
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