Vegan Action
Brenda Sanders: Community Food Justice
By Amy Dell
The Greener Kitchen sits on a busy street in Baltimore's Pigtown area, an unexpected home for a dedicated vegan deli. The Greener Kitchen is more than meets the eye, however.
This restaurant is also a wholesaler that sells products to local restaurants in addition to acting as a "food incubator" that provides a kitchen space for other vegan chefs in the community to "be supported as they grow their product line and customer base," said co-founder Brenda Sanders.
The idea behind this multi-faceted business was to "expand the culture of plant-based food into communities that don't currently have access to these foods and support other vegan businesses that are doing the same," said Sanders.
Community interaction was important to Sanders.
"We've been working very hard to make veganism accessible, both economically and culturally," she said. By allowing other small vegan food businesses to have a space to develop their brand, The Greener Kitchen is expanding the availability of vegan foods offered to the public.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Sanders is committed to changing the world for the better, starting right at home. Sanders became vegan herself 23 years ago after being motivated to be closer to the Earth. Throughout her career as a vegan activist, she started the Afro-Vegan Society, Vegan SoulFest, and Thrive Baltimore, in addition to her business-enterprise. She has also worked with other organizations such as A Well-Fed World and Food Empowerment Project to advocate for food justice.
The Afro-Vegan Society aims to "inspire black and brown people to embrace vegan living by providing culturally relatable information and motivating people in marginalized communities," said Sanders.
Sanders works closely with this organization to make vegan food accessible to those who may not otherwise be exposed to it.
Starting in 2014, Vegan SoulFest has grown to be the largest one-day vegan festival in Maryland, gathering food vendors, non-profit organizations, musicians, and thousands of attendees each year. Vegan SoulFest was co-founded by Sanders and Naijha Wright-Brown from Land of Kush.
Thrive Baltimore, a community resource center co-founded by Sanders offers resources and support to those who want to learn more about sustainable lifestyles. The center hosts food-tastings, cook-offs, potlucks, film screenings, lectures, and educational events like cooking classes and workshops, all with the goal to "assist people in marginalized communities in transitioning to vegan living by providing education, resources and support," said Sanders.
