BCAGLOBAL 2023 IMPACT REPORT
BRIDGING CULINARY DIVERSITY, FOOD, RACE, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
President’s Message
Let me begin by thanking all of our donors, sponsors, and volunteers for a successful 2023 Your support has enabled us to continue our important work
At BCAGlobal our recent focus on connecting culinary diversity with issues on food, race, and social justice has proven to be impactful not only to the industry but also to all the communities we have worked in We want to especially highlight that we were able to accomplish more of our goals in 2023 than in our entire 30+ year history We did this through our program, Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community (MEBC)
Now I want to share two things with you that will help you understand the work we are doing and why it is important.
First, my best and fondest childhood memories are cooking with my dad, who passed away eight years ago, and by the way, was an excellent cook. He was from the deep South and everything he did with food was with the best intentions while simultaneously honoring the land. He put love into everything he cooked and taught me that it was important to be intentional about whatever you cooked and to have a deep and meaningful relationship with those ingredients. To me and my extended family, he provided a great example of how to bring the relationship with food that much closer to the family table.
Second, on a recent visit to Durham, NC, while presenting our MEBC program to the local community I met with many people working to feed the hungry and rescue food from local stores. One woman told me that she spoke to a young boy, a hungry boy, who when asked, told her, "today is not my day to eat.” In America, in 2023, this is a travesty. While we are not a food bank, our work concentrates on educating community members on how to utilize healthy, low-cost ingredients to create meals that are not only delicious but nourishing. As the old adage goes, we are not giving someone a fish, we are teaching them to fish.
We face a compelling crisis at the moment, between hunger and food insecurity, lack of nutritional wellness and food literacy, as well as climate change We need to mitigate the crisis now so that we can avert disaster and insulate our communities for optimum wellness Our Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community program is addressing these issues We have traveled to communities across the Eastern seaboard and the Caribbean and with your help we will reach even more communities in 2024
I am proud that BCAGlobal is continuing this mission and I look forward to developing more relationships that can support building models to uplift these communities
I invite you to stay connected via our social media posts and newsletter to find out how BCAGlobal is continuing this important work With your support, we can have more impact in communities of color, both nationally and globally In 2024, we will continue to build bridges toward food service excellence, community wellness, and culinary diversity
Sincerely,
WHO ARE WE
BCAGlobal empowers BIPOC individuals in the food system (including the food service industry) through a framework of mindfulness, sustainability, social justice, and food sovereignty and helps forge meaningful connections to further our vision of a beloved community
MISSION
Our Mission is to empower BIPOC individuals in the food system (including the food service industry) through a framework of mindfulness, sustainability, social justice, and food sovereignty and helps forge meaningful connections to further our vision of a beloved community.
"Elevating BIPOC voices and talents in the culinary world, one recipe at a time."
Our Impact in 2023
The notion of mindful eating is really taking that sense of awareness; where our food comes from, how it is grown. When you import food from four to five weeks away, you have to eat it almost immediately.”
-Alex Askew
TESTIMONIALS TESTIMONIALS
“MEBC is important because it serves as both a resource and a movement offering a culturally relevant framework that is inclusive of a full course meal consisting of Food Equity, Compassion, and Social Action.
-Kim. B
“This event helped me understand the importance of better, healthy cooking for my family.”
-J. Rosanet
“The program has helped my 4-H teen students understand the importance of Food and Nutritional literacy.”
-Dawn Marie
“I gained a clearer understanding of food security and why it is important for community wellness.”
-Fayshia
“I now know I can eat healthy and enjoy great tastes at the same time.”
-E. Santiago
“I learned how culture and history can affect food insecurity in different communities and by bringing awareness to these issues we can implement a change.”
-Saudi
Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community
Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community, also known as MEBC, is a national platform to promote awareness and inspire dialogue about the past and present impact of food in our lives. Food is a powerful force in healing and bringing people from all backgrounds together for the common good of the beloved community.
This program explores mindful eating methods, connects health with career success, helps produce positive, more inclusive work environments, and fosters leadership and social accountability for role models and mentors.
Mindful Eating for The Beloved Community offers strategies to strengthen connections between diet, culture, faith, the environment, and community wellbeing with a focus on mindful eating, racial justice, and sustainability. The book was written by a diverse group of chefs, nutritionists, and food-health activists from multiple regions in the United States.
US Virgin Islands MEBC Graduation
This year, Chef Alex Askew, led an online course through the University of the US Virgin Islands, teaching students about the significance of mindful and healthy eating. He had the opportunity to visit the class in person for their graduation from this program in April.
2023 Culinary Medicine
Conference
BCAGlobal President, Alex Askew, was honored to speak at this year ’ s Culinary Medicine Conference, which was held in Orlando, FL in May. He spoke on our community’s wellness, food, and culinary medicine as well as offering an actionable framework that must be implemented now.
MEBC Feature in NNLM
Roger Anderson, a journalist with the National Network Library of Medicine, interviewed Alex Askew about BCAGlobal’s MEBC program.
Durham, NC Event
This October, Alex traveled with fellow BCA Chefs to Durham, NC for a Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community Event. This free event featured food, giveaways, mindful movement, and health screenings.
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2023
