BCAGlobal 2021 Year End Review

Y T I N U R S U E N O I E F R E U D T U F R U

O

2021 YEAR END REVIEW

BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Alex Askew BCAGlobal

As we take stock of our 2021 achievements, I would like to begin by thanking each and every individual who supported BCAGlobal and contributed to a year of unprecedented progress for us. We acknowledge that this occurred during a year of extraordinary crisis for individuals and the food industry at large.

Thank you to all of our sponsors and supporters who continue to believe in BCA’s 25 year plus mission as the first organization to create a platform for bringing food, race, and social justice, using a racial equity lens, to the forefront. The COVID Pandemic has brought many teachable moments into the food space. Without question, the community issues that have had the most impact have been food insecurity, food justice, community well-being, social determinants of health, environmental conditions, and the ever-alluding question of "How does the racial equity lens fit into this equation?".

BCAGlobal’s 2021 response included the accomplishment of two major programs: 1. The Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community (MEBC) Interfaith program which successfully trained over twenty faith-based leaders in the Bronx. Using the MEBC framework, and the constructs of community food and health activism, we were able

to show how with leadership training, you can transform the community in a sustainable way and empower its members.

2. The first International Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community Fellowship

program. For the first time in history, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) chefs were trained to become leaders in food systems problem-solving. Community and food systems leadership is critical to advancing the equity equation in the culinary/food service spaces as well as creating health ambassadors in our community.

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

Alex Askew BCAGlobal Our

mission

advancement

and we

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

vision must

are

clear:

create

the

In

order

to

opportunities

promote

career

necessary

to

and

bring

leadership lasting

and

meaningful changes for culinary and food professionals of color.

Despite any challenges in the year ahead, in 2022, BCAGlobal will remain steadfast in its mission and serve as a model for other individuals and organizations with the same goals.

Those that are truly starting to realize racial equity, health and well-

being are deeply connected and food is the medium to create and transform lives on the industry, individual, family and community level will be the changemakers of the future. Most important of all, BCAGlobal continues to touch lives both nationally and

globally

helping

to

develop

and

train

leaders

and

encourage

the

activism

necessary to make a real difference.

I charge each one of you, no matter your background or professional experience, to ask yourself, how you can make a difference? Supporting BCAGlobal’s mission is important, but more pertinent are the core principles we live by that have and will continue to pave the way for the generations to come.

I encourage everyone to ponder, contemplate and move towards action using the signals the universe is telling us so we can leverage the outcomes necessary to bring sustainable change and impact to form a Beloved Community for all.

Thank you so much for continuing to support BCAGlobal and its important mission.

Regards, Alex Askew President, BCAGlobal

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

Table of Contents 1. Mission and Vision 2. Programs Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community- Theory of Change MEBC- Interfaith and Bronx Program 2021 Inaugural MEBC Fellowship TTR: Truth, Transparency and Reconciliation in the Culinary and Food Service Industry Stirring the Pot 3. Community Recognitions National MBA Associations Open IDEO Game Changers Lab Castanea Fellowship 4. Why BCAGlobal?

5. Support BCAGlobal 6. Thank you Sponsors 7. Thank you Volunteers

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

MISSION AND VISION

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

PROGRAMS

Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community: Theory of Change Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community is a new approach to disrupting the current lack of awareness, cultivating a healthy focus on food and creating the platform for systems change in food and social justice in the community. This is an approach to health equity as an expression of dignity, self-respect and selfactualization. The goal is to remind people that our own health investment is a way to care for ourselves, increase our productivity and show we care about everyone around us and the people we love and respect. We are working to reconnect food to family, community, culture and faith.

“The Beloved Community” is a term that was first coined in the early days of the 20th

Century

by

the

philosopher-theologian

Josiah

Royce,

who

founded

the

Fellowship of Reconciliation. However, it was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., also a member

of

the

Fellowship

of

Reconciliation,

who

popularized

the

term

and

invested it with a deeper meaning that has captured the imagination of people of goodwill all over the world. Dr. King’s Beloved Community is a global vision, in which the health of all people from all spectrums are necessary for a productive and well community. Economic and social justices are the twin pillars supporting the

Beloved

Community.

These

twin

pillars

are

also

necessary

for

a

healthy

society.

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

PROGRAMS

MEBC- Interfaith and Bronx Program The MEBC program, interactive activities including healthy eating tutorials created by

Chef Alex Askew,

open a dialogue about racial equity and social justice.

On July 23rd, our virtual nine-session series, “Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community: Moving Toward Wholeness” was completed. The interactive program focused on strengthening personal, spiritual, and community health through food.

The series was facilitated by St. Helena Catholic Church and co-sponsored by:

New York Community Trust and Clif Bar Family Foundation, BCAGlobal and the Interfaith Public Health Network .

Additional facilitators included: Sara Jolena Wolcott, Eco-Theologian & Director, Sequoia Samanvaya, Robert Pezzolesi, MPH, Convener, Interfaith Public Health Network, Kelly Moltzen, MPH, RD, OFS-Convener, Interfaith Public Health Network Silvia Saberin, School of Global Public Health New York University.

Testimonials capture some of the powerful impact the program had for participants: The MEBC program, interactive activities including healthy eating tutorials created

by Chef Alex Askew, open a dialogue about racial equity and social justice.

Testimonials capture some of the powerful impact the program had for participants: “The teacher and the conversations were inspiring and informative. Food is not just for your body; food includes your mind and spirit and is prepared with love.”

– Flora Goldston

My mission is to now educate individuals about making healthy choices through the sweet community.”

- Lenise Lee-Streeter

“The course enlightened my understanding of the term 'eating mindfully. This program did a great job with helping us to navigate where to start when you want to be an advocate for community health and take action for a change” - Loyce Godfrey

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

PROGRAMS

TTR: Truth, Transparency and Reconciliation in the Culinary and Food Service Industry Through their common core values of racial justice and social equity, BCAGlobal efforts

to

and

the

allow

actionable

Alliance

truth

policy,

and

to

of

lead

Leadership toward

workplace

Fellows

genuine

change

in

are

combining

conversation,

the

culinary

and

and food

service industries. Using a Discord server, the Truth Transparency and Reconciliation project is a platform for industry members, food justice

advocates,

racial

any

interested

person

experiences

both

equity in

professionals,

allies

the

a

positive

pursuit

and

of

and

just

negative

accomplices

food

regarding

system

to

and

share

experiences

in

racial equity in the culinary and food service industries.

Using

Discord

is

vital

to

the

campaign,

as

it

offers

anonymity

to

community members that might fear work place retaliation. It is also useful to cultivate conversation. As BCAGlobal President Alex Askew explains

“Discord

allows

for

seamless

communication

person

to

person, communication and dialogue. It is grassroots organizing in a digital space.”

To join the conversation, create a discord profile at discord.com and send an email to culinaryracialequity@allianceofleadershipfellows.org for an invitation to join the community. We respect the privacy of the members members

of at

this this

community

time.

and

so

we

will

accept

anonymous

Tell your truths, talk to others in the food

service and culinary industry, and help realize systemic changes to inspire a “Beloved Community” in the workplace.

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS National MBA Associations

We are humbled by the recognition of BCA Global as this years recipient of the #UpMixer annual Holiday Soiree donation ! Founder and President Alex Askew accepted this years award upon our behalf for the organizations role in making an impact on the people of color community.

Open IDEO Game Changers Lab "OpenIDEO is an open innovation platform where people from all corners of the world collaboratively tackle some of the toughest global issues through launching Challenges, programs, and other tailored experiences”, This year Alex Askew’s book, Mindful Eating For the Beloved Community, was featured as a basis of OpenIDEO’s push to start a conversation for food equality around the world.

Castanea Fellowship "The 2020 Castanea Fellows were selected as leaders who are ready to take steps to build local and regional food sovereignty, addressing urgent and systemic flaws in the food supply system, which, although most visible in times of crisis, were embedded in centuries old structural racism and colonization, initiated with the nation’s founding.”

This will be Alex’s second year as a fellow and representing BCAGlobal in this prestigious fellowship.

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

PROGRAMS

2021 Inaugural MEBC Fellowship On July 23rd, our virtual nine-session series, “Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community: Moving Toward Wholeness” was completed. The interactive program focused on strengthening personal, spiritual, and community health through food.

The series was facilitated by St. Helena Catholic Church and co-sponsored by:

New York Community Trust - Clif Bar Family Foundation- BCAGlobal Interfaith Public Health Network

Stirring the Pot Our BCA Youtube Series: Conversations on food, race, & social justice

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

WHY BCA GLOBAL? WORDS FROM OUR MEMBERS

Why is being a BCA member important to you?

Since 1998 BCA has been changing student lives and it stands the same today. As an active member for the past 10 years, their passion for food justice, mindful eating, and health wholeness through food have aligned with my agenda. It wasn’t until sickness in the form of diabetes darkened my door that all their lessons, lectures, and mindful conversations began to transform my state of being.

BCA has created a platform where the real questions on health and wellbeing are discussed in our community. It is these knowledge-forward discussions that have saved my very life.

Chef Brealynn Lee BCAGlobal Advocate Why is being a BCA member important to you?

Being a BCAGlobal member is important to me because it helps foster meaningful connections that further a vision of a beloved community. This organization helps empower people of color in food and wine space, while also advocating and bringing knowledge about the beloved community.

Jason E. Flagg BCAGlobal Advisory Council

Why is being a BCA member important to you?

BCA is important to me because of the awareness it brings to the topics of food, race and, social justice in the culinary world. The teaching of Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community (health and wealth), wanting to eliminate food deserts, and the passion to bring equity to people of color, not just equality.

Aundre Blasingame World Food Champion Owner: Heavenly Catering

Why is being a BCA member important to you?

I’ve been a big supporter of the BCA for over 15 years through mentoring, running BCA’s food events, and being an Advisory member. Mindful Eating is so important, particularly to the black and brown communities where quality and healthy food don’t always exist. We have the highest rate of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and death due to poor eating habits and/or poor choices. As a member of the BCA, I have gone into some of those communities and done cooking demos to illustrate how to use some of the same ingredients in their neighborhood and have made the foods better and healthier without substituting flavor. As the BCA’s Executive Chef and Culinary Director, I will continue to promote and educate how to EAT TO LIVE!

Tim Pitts BCAGlobal Culinary Coordinator

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

BCA SUPPORT

Donate to BCAGlobal & help us cook up social change around the globe Whether you have just enrolled in culinary school and are looking to explore your career potential or are a seasoned industry professional with years of experience and looking to broaden your network or a person who is passionate about Food, Race, and Social Justice, our advocacy program offers numerous benefits.

All BCAGlobal advocates benefit from: -Inclusion in advocate directory -Access to exclusive career opportunities and networking -Access to online-only events featuring industry leaders -Access to discussion forums -Advertising discounts in our event journal publications -Personalized business cards (Optional)

Advocate Supporter Monthly: $35/month Designed for individuals who would like to support BCAGlobal on a sustainable level (equivalent to $1.15 per day).

*In addition to the highest level of benefits, VIP Sustainable Advocates receive free admission to all BCAGlobal events

Requirements: Have a deep commitment to advancing food and racial justice Provide a career and/or business biography Support education and training Agree to comply with BCAGlobal’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Advocate Supporter Annually: $250/year Designed for mid-level professionals with expertise in culinary arts and the hospitality industry, this level of membership includes chefs, business owners, regional directors, design consultants, management consultants, business services, architects, interior designers, etc.

Requirements: The applicant must provide a career and/or business biography (e.g., resume) and a company profile.

The applicant must have a minimum of five (5) years of experience at the professional level of their trade and expertise.

The applicant must provide two (2) letters of recommendation.

The applicant shall agree to comply with BCAGlobal’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

THANK YOU

CORPORATE SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

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BCA GLOBAL 2021 YEAR END REVIEW

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS

BCAGlobal salutes all of those who volunteer their time and talents to support our mission.

BCAGlobal empowers people of color across diverse cultures through a mindful approach to food, coupled with practical skills in the hospitality & culinary industries, leading to meaningful connections that further a vision of a beloved community.

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