My name is Dr. Amie Breeze Harper and I am the founder of the Sistah Vegan Project. (http://www.sistahvegan.com ) My birthday was yesterday, and my wish for this year is to transform the Sistah Vegan Project into a passion that sustains me spiritually as well as financially. I am going to take a bold, exciting, and awesome step and turn the Sistah Vegan Project into into an official non-profit organization; it would be my full-time work. What would we do? Here are a few goals:
- Investigate and report how USA plant-based dietary philosophies and animal compassion are impacted by racial/ethnic experience.
- Provide webinars and workshops that teach about plant-based dietary philosophies with special emphasis on cultural, racial, ethnic identity in the USA. For example, a workshop about becoming vegan that acknowledges the realities of how racial health disparities and environmental racism significantly impact food access and knowledge of low-income communities of color.
- Publishing scientifically based online materials about plant-based nutrition and health for varying demographics, but in particular, pregnant and lactating girls and women.
- Create yearly Sistah Vegan Healing Conference/Retreat for females of color and allies. This event would enable us to share knowledge and build our leadership skills around plant-based dietary philosophies, but rooted in anti-racism, decolonial activism, and animal compassion that reflect the collective needs of females of color.
- Publish 2 seminal media projects that investigate alternative black masculinities within the sphere of vegan food politics:
- Brotha Vegan! Black Male Vegans Speak On Food, Identity, Health, and Society. This would be an anthology collection similar to Sistah Vegan.
- “Living Bling, Going Green”: Alternative Black Masculinities, Hip Hop Eco-Consciousness, and Decolonial Vegan Nutrition. This would be a social-science based book which will investigate how plant-based philosophies are being reshaped and reformulated by Black men of the hip hop generation. How do they engage pedagogies of hip-hop, educating and mobilizing people of color about health disparities, as well as environmental and institutional racism, and animal cruelty?
- Create Android and Apple smartphone apps and media that help you make more informed decisions about food, health, social justice, and eco-sustainability.
I ask you for your help to make this non-profit possible. The primary resources I need are monetary and would be used for the following:
A Social Media Intern. I would be seeking the help of a part-time social media intern who knows how to use the latest social media apps. Duties would include promoting the book Sistah Vegan and notifying people about my new speaking events and blog posts. Ideally, I would want to pay this intern, but would need to do it through donations. This would be a tele-commuting position.
An Android and IOS 5 App Programming Intern. I would need funding for a smartphone app programming intern who can create apps and digital media for our organization.
I’m a poor graduate student making about $10k a year teaching (ugh!) and can’t do anything to help financially, but I’d love to help out with the journal (or anything else really) if you need me.
What do you have in mind for Sistah Vegan Project as a 501c3 nonprofit? What would it deliver?
Thanks Anastasia! DUH, I never thought about what it would deliver. 🙂 I have updated it to included your suggestions, so thanks so much!
Reblogged this on Vegans of Color.
You’re far beyond brainstorming. Your multi-level structure will require start-up and modest momentum before the goal is reached and exceeded. I will do what I can to support you. I have none of the skills your need. I will be able to contribute small monetary amounts periodically. You know I’ve just signed a book contract, and will be pursuing my own PR-marketing. You are keep in mind. If my miracle occurs you are in the vision.
“Many Happy returns of the Day,” the way I heard birthday congratulations in my old neighborhood.
This one and MANY more.
Breeze, I want to donate some money, but I usually do that through Paypal. Where is your Paypal portal?
Sandra, thanks so much for whatever you can donate. My paypal link is on the right of the screen, towards the top.
Thanks,
Breeze
Peace Breeze,
You have my full support and I would love to help out once I begin working again (sept.) but if something small will help sooner let me know, I can use school loan money.
I am assuming “plant-based” diets include fungi and bacteria? Just wondering about that and figured it means most of the nutrition is coming from plants but that doesn’t mean all of it.
Also, since you are launching an organization I would personally LOVE it if you would participate in the Food Justice Organization Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FJNS
Since your organization is just beginning a lot of this might still be TBA, but it might help with the thought process for the future or you could fill it out for another organization of which you are already apart. I am really excited about your new initiative and also have non-anthropocentric perspectives represented in my survey.
happy belated birthday – shout out to your mom for making it happen
Congratulations Breeze.
I cannot contribute financially, but if you need a massage therapist for the retreat in the future, please keep me in mind.
Good luck. I’m looking forward to reading all the progress of your non-profit.
Beautiful contribution. Thanks. I will keep you in mind.
Breeze,
Email me, please.
eric@thanktankcreative.com
Thanks!