Why Did You Go Vegan?

Oluko

I became a vegan for many reasons. The reason that is my most concern is health. See, my mother died of a stroke when she was 47 years old. She was the typical African American Southern Women: a great cook, and a great mother. She wouldn't think about making her favorite collard greens without a smoked ham hock bobbing throughout the pot. If I had even suggested a Thanksgiving without a dead baked bird on the table, I would have been thrown out the house on my butt. After she died, I did some research on my family. I discovered that my grandfather died of the same disease and the same age. I decided that it was time to change the deadly diet that had been passed down by my family.

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At first, I stopped eating pork and beef. But before long, I stopped eating all meat. I began to use meat substitutes and more beans. However, something was missing. It was that old passed down southern African-American flavor that I grew up on. I couldn't get with tempah and gluten. So, I sat down and wrote all of the recipes passed down by my mother. Except this time it would be Karma free food. I made fried tofu, with vegan potato salad, meatless collard greens and vegan herb spiced corn bread. Or recipes like beet loaf, mashed sweet potatoes, sauteed kale, and vegan peach cobbler. Soon, everyone started eating my food.

For Kwanzaa I made dishes like Ground Nut Stew, and Doro Wot (ethiopian dish). As I discovered a new way of making old recipes, I was encourged to start my own catering business. With my partner Skai (a native of St. Croix), we started Empress Catering. We will open our Cafe called the Yabba Pot soon. I am very excited about this life change. My prayer is to influence the change in diet in the African American community in order for familys to stay together.

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