Group Interview: Tim Hall, Luke Blackwell, James Birth, Phyllis Metts, Janice Barnes

Tim Hall, Luke Blackwell, James Birth, Phyllis Metts, and Janice Barnes participated in a group interview led by Anita Gonzalez which explores how food functions in Black communities in Washington, D.C. as a source of health, healing, heritage, and connection. Janice Barnes opened by sharing her family’s generational history with high blood pressure and how food-based remedies like apple cider vinegar and dietary adjustments serve as both preventative health practices and conversation starters within her family. Phyllis Metts emphasized hydration and caregiving around eating in old age, while Tim Hall and Luke Blackwell, both with Pathways to Housing, discussed food as a way to build trust and community with their clients. Hall also reflected on how food choices affect mental and physical wellness. James Birth highlighted the role of food in family bonding, stress relief, and dignity for those experiencing homelessness. The conversation expanded to include passed-down recipes, family traditions, and the role of food in cultural storytelling, with Janice sharing the importance of her grandmother’s corn pudding recipe. The interview closed with reflections on food as legacy, communication, and shared memory within Black communities.