This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.

Meet the Activists Bringing Urban Farms to Cleveland.

Photo via The Guardian. 

Hey guys! Instead of not posting this week, we’ve decided to take this time to educate ourselves, read, listen, and share ways the black community is thriving. I want to use this platform to share valuable and unique information.

“People of colour are constantly under attack, and not just by guns and the police, by all sorts of structural violence like corruption, food deserts, educational and health inequalities” – Amanda King, founder of Shooting Without Bullets.

As someone who writes daily on food, I want to highlight a Cleveland based organization that I found to be really incredible, Rid-All Green Partnership.

“Food is the longest relationship you will ever have, and we’re trying to help people make it a good one.”

This is a quote from Keymah Durden III, one of the founders of the Rid-All Green Partnership. I wanted to highlight an amazing organization lead by incredible black voices from a town I grew up in and have family in. They strive to change eating habits in a city where health inequalities disproportionately affect African American communities.

Rid-All’s ethos is community building through education and experience. They transformed a desolate illegal dumping ground into a lush, eight-acre agricultural innovation site with greenhouses, fishponds, and a composting facility – creating a community of pride and economic opportunities along the way.

How you can learn more.

Please take a few minutes to do a little deep dive and learn about why farming and healthy eating habits are essential to not only black-dominated communities but to all of us together.

You can learn more about the activists bringing urban farms to Cleveland by watching this video below. I personally found this video to be so inspiring. By the end, I just kept saying, “wow, this is amazing”.

YouTube video

You can also go to Rid-All’s website, greennghetto.org This is a collection of great information not only their organization, but on backyard farming, eating healthy, podcasts, and so much more.

And lastly, this informative article highlighting their organization on The Guardian. 

A Few Other POC Owned Cleveland Restaurants.

Since we’re talking all things Cleveland today, I thought I would also highlight a few other black Cleveland based business owners. If any of my Cleveland readers have others you feel should be noted, please let us know in the comments!

Open Pitt Barbeque

Said to be the best BBQ spot around. Ask for extra sauce on everything…yes, please. All about the sauce…always.

Beckham’s B&M

Recommended by my brother, Creighton. Beckham’s B&M has been in the Beckham family since 1958. Beckham’s son Greg and his wife Sonya now own the restaurant today, which has expanded into four locations and a food truck.

Sauce The City

Home of the Original Cleveland Hot Chicken.

Black Box Fix

Said to have the most creative sandwiches in Cleveland. This Legacy Village spot is owned by Chef Eric Rogers. Rogers also owns the bakery The Sweet Fix and the health-conscious restaurant The Fresh Fix.

The Vegan Doughnut Company

Ohio’s first and only 100% Vegan Doughnut Shop. This place looks so delicious!

You can find more black-owned Cleveland restaurants here.

Related Reading: favorite black-owned restaurants around the US.

And with that…

I’ll be back to regular posting soon, but I’m looking at this time as an opportunity to share something impactful and important with you guys. It’s fun, it’s different, and I love learning!

Question: I’d love to hear from you. Are there any organizations run by people of color that I should be learning about and highlighting this week? I always value your feedback and suggestions and would love to hear from you guys!

This post was originally published on June 3, 2020

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Thank you fir using your platform to spread awareness! These are wonderful organizations and I shall be checking them out to donate! I hope you and your family are well, best xx

    Reply

  3. You always have such beautiful serveware and pottery. Possibly an Etsy or e-commerce resource where we can support black owned artists/ceramicists in our kitchens!

    Reply

  4. Tieghan, please ignore Scot and his comment and any others like it. You’re where you are doing what you need to be doing. We all need to listen, learn, do, and change now. It’s not a time to complain about being saturated with upsetting information. This needs to be on the front burner (no pun intended).

    Reply

  6. Ignore the tone deaf reply about staying in your lane. You’re doing the right thing here. Far too often people with a platform or celebrity presence are told to keep quiet and not speak out. People like Colin Kapernick. When you have an audience you should speak out. Valuing people equally regardless of their race should be normal but it’s not, and I applaud you for doing your part to highlight positive stories from the black community.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dee. Thank you for this, I completely agree. I have the ability to reach a lot of people, and I think this is an important time to do so. xTieghan

      Reply

  8. Thanks for highlighting others this week!
    And thanks to Susan’s comment, I was inspire to make a donation to Soul & Smoke today so they can help feed those in need.

    Reply

    1. Wow that is so amazing and I love that you are all supporting each other and sharing ways to support the cause! Thank you Michelle. xTieghan

      Reply

  10. Thanks. Really enjoyed the soil brothers post. Takes something special to bring about a change like that.

    Reply

  11. I look forward every morning to seeing your email containing a recipe or a couple of adds for some nice home appliances or decor. What I don’t understand is social commentary on a food blog. I, for one, see, hear and am forced to absorb more than I need from regular media. I appreciate your concerns and am not making lite of former or courant situations, but I need and want a little normalcy.

    Reply

    1. Hi Scot. Thank you for your feedback on this, as I really do appreciate hearing from you guys. This is the time that I personally need to take and write about. I think that we are all seeing so much of this information, but it is not a bad thing. xTieghan

      Reply

  12. The Soil Brothers are amazing! I, too, am a hometown Cleveland kid. So am always thrilled to read about people investing in their community.
    I am going to give a shout out to Soul and Smoke, a gourmet BBQ and Southern crusine restaurant in my current home of Evanston, IL. Soul and Smoke found a way to make their delicious food accessible to everyone. Customers can donate the cost of a meal, or meal and snack, and Soul and Smoke cooks and delivers it to any community member in need. (People can sign up for this list.) Since March, Soul and Smoke has offered customers the ability to donate a meal to a front line health care worker. They have bundled these donations and fed entire departments at local hospitals.
    The folks at Soul and Smoke represent the best of us. Finally, OMG, their food is delicious. https://soulandsmoke.com/

    Reply

    1. Wow that is such a beautiful way to give back to a community! Thank you so much for sharing them as well Susan. xTieghan

      Reply

  15. Tieghan, this was uplifting. Thanks for posting about Soil Brothers. Their work to take back their health and teach others how to is inspirational.
    xo

    Reply