Vegan chef and entrepreneur Mykela Jackson recently launched an initiative to support Black-owned vegan businesses and entrepreneurs in creating community events in Minneapolis that focus on the enrichments of Black communities. Jackson’s goal is to work collectively with other Black vegan entrepreneurs to create accessible and sustainable food systems in Black neighborhoods, specifically in Northside Minneapolis. The 22-year-old founder of Keiko’s Kitchen and Keiko’s Electric Herbs has so far raised more than $5,000—25 percent of her goal—through a GoFundMe campaign to fund the initiative. She has also created a group, the Black Enrichment Collective, to plan and organize events. The first event is being planned for the end of July to teach the community about the plant-based diet, sustainable food systems, and holistic health and wellness.
“My mission has always been to inform my people on the benefits of an alkaline plant-based diet and redefine the term ‘plant-based’ because the vegan community hasn’t been entirely welcoming,” Jackson told VegNews. “There’s always been a Black-led plant-based movement happening in Minneapolis; we just haven’t had the support to make things happen. Now is the time. Black revolutions need to be led by Black people, and it’s time to make way for that.”
As part of the initiative, Jackson also hopes to create co-op spaces in low-income neighborhoods that provide essential food resources. “This project will take a lot of capital, so we invite white-led organizations to hit pause on business-as-usual and reinvest their time and resources in defense of Black lives,” Jackson said. “These funds are going to create generational wealth and stability to many families in the very near future.”
JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Shop
