World’s First Black VegFest Debuts in August

Event organizer VegFestUK announced last week the premier of Black VegFest in Brooklyn, NY on August 11. The gathering—the first of its kind—will be produced with the help of nonprofit Grassroots Artists Movement (GAME), a group dedicated to addressing socio-economic and political issues affecting the black and Latino communities. Founded by vegan author/social justice advocate Omowale Adewale, the event will “address food sovereignty in poor communities of color, women’s rights, unhealthy food in our neighborhoods, gender bias, environmental pollution, gentrification, and animal suffering,” event organizers said. Black VegFest is expected to attract 7,500 people and will feature various workshops that promote critical thought about societal issues and America’s food systems. “Veganism is a global movement, and for too long too many vegan events have not addressed the many issues that stand in the way of veganism becoming accessible to all,” organizers said. The promoters explain that the term “black” in “Black VegFest” is intentional and not meant to be divisive but, rather, a way to bring attention to the experiences of communities of color and oppressed people in order to unite the public in the fight for animal-rights. “Black VegFest is still vegan for the animals,” the organizers said. “However, we’re not educating animals. We’re consciously and carefully educating human beings to address the plight of animals by any means necessary.”