This group interview with Velgene Eastman, Ora Roberts, Kimberly Smith, and Janice Barnes took place at the United House of Prayer in Washington, DC. The conversation centered around the significance of food in Black communities, particularly its role in spiritual grounding, cultural preservation, and family connection. The women reflected on the joyful reactions of patrons experiencing traditional dishes like macaroni and cheese and yams, highlighting how the church kitchen serves as a community hub welcoming people from all backgrounds. They discussed the legacy of “Daddy Grace,” founder of the United House of Prayer, and how food and fellowship are deeply embedded in the faith. Janice Barnes shared how dietary changes such as adopting a Mediterranean diet improved her health, though she noted the financial and logistical challenges of eating fresh, healthy food. The group also touched on topics of food-based healing, dietary modifications within cultural cooking, and the memory and legacy tied to family recipes. Reflections on gardening, changing food accessibility, and teaching the next generation to cook emphasized food’s evolving role in community resilience. The interview concluded with personal stories of neighborhood fish fries, backyard cookouts, and how cooking traditions—particularly among elders—continue to shape identity, memory, and togetherness.
Group Interview: Velgene Eastman, Ora Roberts, Kimberly Smith, and Janice Barnes
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Accessibility, Adaptation, Black Joy, Community, Cookout, Cultural Food, Faith, Family, Fellowship, Food Justice, Gardening, Gender, Healing, Heritage, High blood pressure, Intergenerational knowledge, Legacy, Mediterranean Diet, Memory, Neighborhood, Resilience, Self-sufficiency, Spirituality, Storytelling, Tradition, United House of Prayer, Washington D.C.
