Part of me wants to continue life as usual for my own sanity but that too feels like madness. These issues are not new but new lives have been taken and I, like many feel the burden to discuss this topic publicly to push for change.

Let me begin by saying that I have a black husband and 2 black sons so this topic of police brutality against black men hits very close to home. Over the course of our 9 years of marriage, I have experienced and/or witnessed countless micro aggression encounters between white people and my husband, far more than what I’ve experienced by myself. For a long time, I would try to convince him that he was being defensive when people didn’t treat him in a respectful manner, not understanding that he is always very aware of the biases people have toward tall, dark skinned black men.

These past few weeks have been emotionally draining to say the least however they have also been pretty hopeful in that we covered more ground in bringing the black experience to light than we have in the 3+ decades I’ve been around. It’s about time.

There are so many pioneers that have risked their lives performing courageous acts to make America a better place for black people, I just want to do my part for my children and the next generation. We often focus on the violent and/or historic acts that brought about change in our society however there were always every day black people making history doing extra ordinary things which highlighted their particular expertise. The need for continued expressions of art by black people is still necessary and I would venture to say essential during this time. Sharing black stories through various mediums is part of the process of integrating black history into the fabric of American history.

Since we are in the food realm, let’s take Abby Fisher for example. She emerged in the late 1800’s as a southern recipe developer specializing in pickled items, preserves and foods that serve large crowds. She was one of the first black females to have a published cookbook; she is also known for her peach cobbler recipe which is my favorite. They even make this version of peach cobbler at Epcot in Disney and credit Abby for the recipe. Thankfully the Disney Resorts blog shared the recipe online a few years ago so everyone can make Abby Fisher’s famous peach cobbler. (click on the link for the recipe)

After going through a time of feeling less than inspired, I have finally struck a balance to process in a healthy manner including self development, education, logging off, meaningful conversations and of course prayer. Thank you, Malinda Russell who ran a pastry shop in Tennessee and has the oldest cookbook written by an African American woman. Thank you, Carla Hall for being a contemporary black woman on tv sharing your skill and soulful dishes. Thank you, Jerrelle Guy for giving me the interest in food blogging and letting me see someone in this space that looks like me. Thank you, Aunt Paula, my Godmother and super foodie who is an amazing resource for black films and books, and has supplied at least 75% of my cookbook collection over the years. I’m excited to continue this journey of recipe sharing and I’m grateful to those who have paved the way.