The Afro-Vegan Society's 'Veguary' Is a Celebration of Plant-Based Eating and Black History
We may be nearing mid-February, but that doesn't mean you should miss out on Veguary! Here's what you should know about the initiative, which marks Black History Month, promotes veganism, and honors plant-based traditions in the African Diaspora.
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Black History Month provides an annual opportunity to celebrate Black culture, history, and innovation. So does Veguary.
The third annual Veguary—an initiative from the national non-profit Afro-Vegan Society—is well underway, serving to inspire the adoption of a vegan lifestyle while honoring the contributions of the Black community within the plant-based space.
What Is Veguary?
Veguary is a month-long program that aims to highlight and further Black veganism. The virtual event consists of a daily dose of plant-based recipes and much more (think educational explainers, workouts, health tips, and more) along with online meet-ups each Friday.
The ultimate goal? A pledge to test-drive a vegan lifestyle for 28 days.
A working community calendar allows participants to submit and share activities in their area, while an online resource library makes recapping the wealth of content an easy feat.
And because accessibility—particularly for those in marginalized communities—is a cornerstone of the endeavor, Veguary is free to anyone who's interested in getting involved.
Plant-Based Traditions and Black History Month
Along with promoting veganism, Veguary honors the role that the Black community has played in the plant-based space. Though social media and plant-based activists have increased awareness around modern veganism, as well as nutrition and health in general which can be hard to come by in the food deserts that often surround marginalized communities, vegetarianism has roots in West and Central Africa.
Forced migration and slavery saw an equally forced change in Black diets, removing fresh, nutritious options and replacing them with cheap scraps of salted pork. Going forward, a lack of autonomy and access to land made life difficult for Black American farmers—a reality that continues to this day.
Vegan and vegetarianism were adopted as an act of resistance by many, including groups like the Black Panthers who, according to , "saw the commercialization of animals for food consumption as a symptom of a larger abusive system,"
Today, an increase in both attention and awareness is helping to make plant-based living a possibility for more, but education remains essential—which is why programs like Veguary are so important.
How to Participate in Veguary
Head to the Afro-Vegan Society's website to register now! Learn, communicate, and help to shift the systems—and ultimately, strive to eat and live well.
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