Diary of a BLACK VEGAN VOL#2

AVOCADO LENTEL SALAD



Eating is single handily one of the most important aspect of living. I often am asked 'WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A VEGAN " well the first time i remember being asked that i had a really profound revelation ! I DID NOT BECOME A VEGAN it became me . Even as poor or as hard as i remember it being as a child my parents always did there best to provide healthy meals. I know that my mind set changed allot when i got knowledge of self , i quit eating pork then in like 1990 and red meat in 1995 then chicken, fish and turkey was cut in 1999 . I clearly evolved and never really woke up with a profound idea as many of my friends had . I am regularly challenged by people who seem offended by the lack of dead animals on my plate. I am a really tolerant individual that refrains from judging those who choose to eat animals. It is single handily the most responsible choice that i have made in my life . I have not had a cold or flu in 7 years (and i have been vegan for almost 10) i don't really even remember what that even feels like. I recently took notice that there really are no health food stores in Ghettos unless you are in a major Metropolis like New York where i live on and off. In the midwest you have to drive well away from the hood to get proper supplies. I wont go as far as to say there is some conspiracy against the black community, but i will say post slavery tradition plays a big part in poor nutritional habits . During slavery the scraps of pork (generally fat ) where given to slaves . So being creative they would take that waste and mix it into stews and vegetables. This led to a traditional way of poor eating which people currently take as "SEASONING". People generally associate eating a Vegan diet as a HIPPIE lifestyle which i will never claim as i am followed around "HEALTHFOOD STORES" just like any other store distrustfully for being African . All and all living life fully by eating live foods that continue life cycle is nothing i will ever apologize for .. never ever ever.....

TALIB KWELI - "EAT TO LIVE"