The veganism wave for Black Americans
Today.com recently ran a story on the rise of veganism in the Black community. As natural health and wellness solutions have become more popular, African-Americans are making up the fastest growing vegan population in America.
Pew Research from 2016 found that eight percent of Black Americans identified as strict vegan or vegetarian, compared with three percent of all Americans. The number of Black people who dabble in veganism is likely much higher. Aa 2019 Gallup Poll found that nearly a third of people of color in America reported cutting down on meat, compared to about a fifth of white Americans. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the Black community has heightened the importance of a healthy diet to combat obesity and diabetes.nd people passionate about social justice, self-care, animal rights and the environment have found their way to veganism.
As more and more African-Americans begin to take their health into their own hands, understanding the importance of a proper diet — free of processed foods— is vital. There have been long standing barriers in the health and nutrition industry, such as access to proper foods and even the marketing of those foods, that have put the Black community at a disadvantage. The idea of making veganism cool has become a driving force in pushing more African-Americans into the lifestyle.
Pinky Cole, founder of the wildly popular Atlanta- based restaurant Slutty Vegan, is among a growing community of Black vegan chefs, bloggers, cookbook authors, social media influencers and celebrities who are changing perceptions about veganism. Celebs like Beyonce and Serena Williams tout the benefits of veganism, and hip-hop culture has embraced it, too.
In 2016, health and wellness — incorporating plant-based eating, food justice and animal rights activism — was added as the tenth element of hip-hop (putting it alongside elements like breakdancing and beat-boxing).