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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

As we take stock of our 2018 achievements, I would like to begin by thanking each and every individual who supported BCA Global and contributed to a year of unprecedented progress From Atlanta to the Bronx, from New York City to New Orleans, BCA Global extended our reach and influence to new and more diverse audiences around the nation and indeed, the globe. We developed important corporate partnerships that will help us to grow significantly in the next two years Most important of all, we touched the lives of thousands of people who might never have known the transformative power of food and how it can impact health and wellbeing without our outreach.

Just a year ago, on Martin Luther King Day, we launched our newest platform for change: Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community, which began with a conference in Atlanta and the release of a new book of essays exploring mindful eating from many perspectives. As BCA Global works to empower people of color across diverse cultures through this approach to food, we are creating meaningful connections that further the vision of a beloved community (belovedmindfuleating net) Through the Mindful Eating platform, powerful conversations are happening and more and more people are exploring the historical and cultural shifts that food can represent in communities of color.

That’s why it has been particularly exciting to take our message to local community events in New York City and the Bronx, as well as national and international conferences. BCA Global participated in the National Blacks in Government Conference in New Orleans, as well as the Global Food Summit on Food Security and Thriving Communities in Atlanta, which was funded in part and organized by the Kellogg Foundation

During these events we have been able to talk with people in their own communities about how mindful eating can be a healing social activity rooted in family and faith. At the same time, we brought our message to a wider group of influential leaders, including leaders at Aetna, Raymour & Flanagan, Hobart-ITW, Marriott, the Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance and local colleges and universities. In fact, nearly 200 community leaders, multidisciplinary change makers, funders and subject matter experts from around the globe, including delegations from Africa and Latin America, came together during the Global Food Summit, and BCA Global was among them providing a fresh perspective unlike any other

But of all the things BCA Global was able to do during 2018, none was more important than the work we did with elementary school students in Co-op City, an urban community with more than 140,000 residents Working with young children between the ages of eight and ten, we saw break through understanding evident in the artwork they produced as part of our program Nothing is more important, nor more satisfying than influencing the next generation because the children of today will become the leaders of tomorrow. BCA Global is working hard to inform and inspire our children so they can look forward to a bright future Once again, many thanks to the many members, volunteers and corporate partners who made 2018 such a great success Our unity will define our future during 2019 and beyond. From where I sit today, our future looks very bright.

Alex Askew President, BCA Global

B C A G L O B A L 2 0 1 8 Y E A R E N D R E V I E W

c o n t e n t s

3 . Ou r K e y Me s s a g e

4 - 5 . T i me l i n e H i g h l i g h t s

6 . I n d u s t r y T e s t i mo n i a l s

7 . Wh y B CA Gl o b a l ?

8 . A n n u a l F o o d & Wi n e E v e n t

9 . Me mb e r s h i p s

1 0 . B o a r d & S t a f f

11. Thank you Sponsors

1 2 . T h a n k y o u V o l u n t e e r s

OUR KEY MESSAGE

Overarching

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

Mindful Eating for a Beloved Community Defines the BCA Approach

Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community is a nationwide initiative to empower individuals and communities to address the health crisis in communities across America that have their root cause in poor nutrition.

Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community is a new paradigm within which eating is an expression of identity and a path to self-actualization that has the power to reconnect family, community, culture, faith and well-being through food

This new paradigm provides a foundation and framework for BCA to bring together aspiring culinary professionals, nutritional and food system experts, and entire communities to collaborate on transformational projects, such as urban agriculture and community gardens.

Within this Framework, BCA Addresses Issues of Food Equity & Social Justice

Social justice is synonymous with food justice; BCA encourages learning experiences within the framework of hospitality/culinary training and industry relationships to understand the systems that impede equity in the food space.

Understanding the systemic challenges to food justice, equity and diversity in the food space, creates opportunities to address these challenges and further a vision of beloved community.

And through the Prism of the Hospitality/Culinary Industry, BCA Facilitates Individual & Community Transformation

Although the food industry is vast, aspiring food professionals of color encounter barriers to advancement; BCA facilitates education, training, coaching, social awareness and networking experiences to expand access and increase individual options while furthering diversity within the industry; BCA, which has been a thought leader and change agent for aspiring professionals of color for 25 years, has broadened its mission to serve an even more splendid spectrum of people and ethnicities who are inspired and compelled to explore gastronomy across cultures.

BCA 2018 GLOBAL

JANUARY

Launch of Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community in Atlanta on Martin Luther King Jr (MLK Day) in Atlanta

January- Culinary Pioneer Jefferson Evans Passes on

FEBRUARY

BCAGlobal tribute event to Black History Month and honors the Life of Jefferson Evans

APRIL

BCAGlobal and President Alex Askew are confirmed for contributions to people of color in the History Makers

MARCH

BCAGlobal Celebrates Mindful Eating Author Book Signing Event in NYC

MAY

2nd Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community Event NYC

BCA 2018 GLOBAL

AUGUST

BCAGlobal presents Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community at the National Blacks in Government Conference, New Orleans attended by over 4000 people

NOVEMBER

BCAGlobal presents Mindful Eating Culinary Diversity and Sharing a Mindful Meal at the Global Food Summit, Atlanta GA

JUNE

BCAGlobal Celebrates the Local Community with Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community in the Bronx NYC in partnership with Raymour & Flanigan

OCTOBER

BCAGlobal Celebrates Mindful Diversity and Eating at the 14th Annual Food and Wine Event Click the button to watch

ECEMBER

BCAGlobal Celebrates the Local Community with Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community in the Bronx, NYC in partnership with Raymour & Flanigan and Aetna

TESTIMONIALS

P A R T I C I P A N T S F R O M T H E M I N D F U L E A T I N G F O R T H E B E L O V E D

C O M M U N I T Y

I w a s e x p o s e d t o d e l i c i o u s c o m b i n a t i o n s o f i n g r e d i e n t s t h a t I w o u l d n o t h a v e

h a d a c c e s s t o p u t t o g e t h e r m y s e l f . T h i s M i n d f u l E a t i n g e v e n t h a s i n s p i r e d m e t o

r e t h i n k m y h e a l t h a n d o p t i o n s . I a m g l a d I w a s h e r e t o d a y .

- H e n r y M

M i n d f u l E a t i n g r e a l l y h e l p e d m e t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f h e a l t h y E a t i n g a n d h o w h e a l t h y f o o d c a n b e d e l i c i o u s .

– W i d a l y D

T h i s M i n d f u l E a t i n g E v e n t m a d e m e u n d e r s t a n d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f w h a t w e p u t

i n t o o u r m o u t h H e a l t h y e a t i n g i s g r e a t f o r y o u r h e a l t h , f a m i l y a n d c o m m u n i t y

– J o a n M u n o z

M i n d f u l E a t i n g i s s o i m p o r t a n t f o r t h e H o l i d a y s !

– G a y B r o w n

M i n d f u l E a t i n g f o r t h e B e l o v e d C o m m u n i t y i s s o e n j o y a b l e , I w o u l d n o t m i n d

c o n t i n u i n g t o e a t t h i s w a y – P a t r i c i a G u i n n

N o w I k n o w y o u d o n ’ t n e e d h e a v y f a t t o h a v e a M i n d f u l M e a l , t h i s m a k e s s e n s e t o e a t f o r l u n c h a n d d u r i n g t h e d a y b e c a u s e i t d o e s n ’ t w e i g h y o u d o w n . - S h a n i t a G

M i n d f u l E a t i n g i s t a s t y a n d d e l i c i o u s ; y o u d o n ’ t h a v e t o s a c r i f i c e t a s t e o r

y o u r s e l f T h i s i s v e r y i m p o r t a n t t o k n o w e s p e c i a l l y f o r c o m m u n i t i e s o f c o l o r

- C o m p t o n B e l l e

M i n d f u l E a t i n g i s a b o u t B e t t e r f o o d c h o i c e s f o r t h e c o m m u n i t y

L e t ’ s B r i n g H e a l t h B a c k ! – M a x i n e C l a r k

I g i v e i t a n A + , M i n d f u l E a t i n g n e e d s t o b e i n t h e c o m m u n i t y

– J a c q u e l i n e F .