Featured
Black Woman Lead, Founded in Memory of Breonna Taylor, Feeds Thousands of Families in Crenshaw
Volunteers with Black Women Lead enthusiastically hold signs to encourage drivers and pedestrians to stop for a free meal. (Brian Feinzimer)
Volunteers working with the Crenshaw YMCA and Black Women Lead, an organization founded in memory of Breonna Taylor, spent Wednesday distributing thousands of meals to the community.
Volunteers gathered as early as 6A.M. to prep five thousand meals donated by BWL, Frontline Foods LA, Joan's on Third, Luv2EatThai, and IT Catering. According to BWL founder Shannon Morton, many of the meals went to children who would typically around this time receive food at school or summer camps which have been closed due to COVID-19.
Black Women Lead formed in Los Angeles after the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and the group says its committed to defunding the police, advocating for anti-racist policy, and investing in the right communities.
Frontline Foods Los Angeles has donated more than 30,000 meals to feed protesters and healthcare workers, and "they are a proud part of World Central Kitchen and the giving leadership of Chef José Andrés."
Black Women Lead
Morton founded Black Woman Lead in the memory of Breonna Taylor after realizing she was born around the same time her late cousin was. It made her think about how Breonna could have been her cousin.
Morton decided to throw a birthday party for Breonna and her cousin that ended up filling Pan Pacific Park with several thousand people. She had Black women speakers lead the crowd and the reception was extraordinary. And that cemented the idea that "Black women should lead us into this next chapter of progress."
“We’re here to amplify Black women and help to preserve Black lives, we’re here to promote the prosperity of Black people,” Morton said. “It’s a tiring job being a Black woman, but if we can help a little bit we can help change our community, start there and together we can change the world.“
According to Morton, Black women lead with how they vote and how the show up for not their own children but for immigrant children. They vote "like their neighbors lives depend on it."
Morton heard that Veda Ramsay, the executive director at the Crenshaw YMCA, had been organizing food giveaways on twice a week in the community for the past 15 weeks, giving out more than 80,000 meals.
“With our platform and our community I can help other nonprofits or organizations, I called Veda and said where are your needs, where can I give?" Morton recalled. "Vida has her Tuesday-Thursday giveaway and she wanted an extra day."
Ramsay came in to volunteer at Wednesday's giveaway even though she was on vacation because she saw the importance of the event. Ramsay said she wanted “to see the beauty of all of us in a dance together trying to end food insecurity in our community.”
The dishes given away included a mango chicken coconut rice, Cajun chicken and red bean rice and multiple veggie and vegan options. Veda said “To see the beauty of all of us in a dance together trying to end food insecurity in our community.”
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from L.A. TACO
Where To Find Don Perico, The Mexican-Owned Brand Bringing Tropical Flavors To Dispensaries
The products, with their festive packaging, tropical flavors, and colorful parrot mascot, are relatable and better yet, they taste great, are fast-acting, and strong.
April 30, 2024
New Date for TACO MADNESS 2024 Event Confirmed: June 15th at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes
After getting rained out, our new date promises to be our biggest and most fun festival to date. Come out and eat all the tacos, drink all the micheladas, dance to the best DJs in L.A., and support our independent journalism! Of course, L.A. TACO members get in for free. Tickets on sale now.
April 29, 2024
An Update On Our Membership Drive: Some Bad News, and Good News
Some bad news, and some good news on our pledge to survive and stay sustainable.
April 26, 2024
Where To Eat This Weekend: Bulgogi Pupusas, Hemp Seed Guacamole, ‘Sticky Rice Sticks,’ and Korean Street Food In Venice
Plus an Roman chef veteran in a Hollywood apartment, chocolate Cuba Libres, Uzbeki plov with lazer rice, and cochinita melts in a Silver Lake yard. Here are the best things to eat around Los Angeles (and San Juan Capistrano!) this weekend.
