2023's BWIF Summit Celebration.
I am Woman Hear Me Roar, In numbers too big to ignore, And I know too much to go back an' pretend, 'Cause I've heard it all before.
Helen Reddy’s 1971 anthem is quite apropos as we know that when a group of women come together to accomplish something, there is hardly a doubt that that “thing,” and more, will get done. And, even more thrilling is the reverberation that occurs from the energy existing in one place. The Black Women in Food organization, which was founded by the Dine Diaspora seven years ago, is at it again and shouting from the rooftops about their honorees of the 7th Annual Black Women in Food (BWIF) Awards, and directing their attention toward their 2nd Annual BWIF Summit, happening in Washington, D.C. on April 26-27.
The award recipients, announced during Women’s History Month in March, were honored in a virtual celebration on April 4, but will have their moment to bask in the glow of accomplishment and be honored amongst their peers at the upcoming summit later this month. From a group of 700 nominations, came 31 honorees amongst nine categories. (See all winners listed below).
Forbes had a chance to catch up with Chef Lana Lagomarsini, of Lana Cooks, at Vinatería, in Harlem, after one of her many popular pop-ups earlier this spring. As one of the winners in the Culinarians category, we asked her about the honor and how this recognition in particular stands out amongst other attention she’s received of late.
“To be honored as a culinarian for Black Women in Food is especially poignant for me, a woman with mixed heritage, but raised within my mothers black culture,” she said. “To be recognized and uplifted by my black sisters is all I have ever wanted. My heart is beyond full and I am constantly pinching myself.”
Upcoming D.C. Summit
Bon Appetit, Editor-in-Chief, Jamila Robinson
In addition to recognizing the 31 honorees, the summit—taking place at the Eaton Hotel in DC—will include a variety of panel discussions and speeches by notable women in the industry. The event will be hosted by Chef Vicky V “Queen of Yum,” CEO of Houston Hosts with Bon Appetit’s editor-in-chief, Jamila Robinson as this year’s key note speaker. In a speech she wrote titled “Building a Longer Table” for the 2020 50Best Recovery Summit, she notably conveyed a powerful call to action: “...Look around the room, see who's not there and examine those silences and those absent folks. How can you bring more people in and invest in communities? As we're thinking about how to build up neighbourhoods [sic] and communities, maybe those investments can also go to chefs and women of colour [sic].”
The BWIF Summit is actually realizing Robinson’s call. The table is getting longer; the leaders are diversifying, but there’s still so much work to do. Amongst the many experiences covering the two days of the summit, sponsored by the New Voices Foundation, women will have the opportunity to pitch ideas to potential investors, brainstorm about how to put their ideas in motion, or determine how to help their businesses make more of an impact in their communities.
Ready, Set, Pitch
The pitch competition during the summit is designed to spotlight and support the brightest, most innovative Black women entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry. Exclusively open to summit attendees, these businesses will pitch to a live panel of judges composed of food industry experts.
Contestants will have the opportunity to compete for cash prizes, with the total prize pool amounting to $15,000. The first prize will receive $10,000 and second prize will receive $5,000.
“The summit is not only a place to network and learn,” said Nina Oduro, cofounder of Dine Diaspora, “it's a place where Black women across the food industry can forge connections and brainstorm solutions to overcome obstacles.” She continued, “This year, we've introduced innovative components aimed at tackling the systemic issues of access to capital and market entry challenges faced by these women. Our new marketplace shines a spotlight on their food businesses, while the pitch competition, courtesy of the New Voices Foundation, offers a vital avenue for accessing capital—a hurdle that often looms largest on their path to expansion.”
The awards and the topics at the summit focus on eight major areas of the food industry, from farming and agriculture to media, advocacy, private sector, and restaurants. “From farms to kitchens and boardrooms to restaurants, Black women are making a tremendous impact across the food system,” said Nina Oduro, Co-Founder of Black Women in Food. “[These Awards] not only celebrate their exemplary accomplishments, but amplify their contributions - an opportunity that is seldom afforded to them.”
Other speakers at the upcoming Summit, include, Fox’s Next Level Chef, Nyesha Arrington; Elle Simone Scott, Executive Editor at America's Test Kitchen; Sr. VP/VP Chairman on the Board, Thompson Hospitality, Benita Thompson-Byas
2024 Black Women in Food Honorees
The following 2024 honorees were selected from over 700 nominations by a panel of judges, including farmer and activist, Karen Washington; President and Co-founder of McBride Sisters Wine Comany, Robin McBride; and President & CEO of ONE Campaign, Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli.
Celebrity Chef Carla Hall served as keynote speaker at the 6th Annual Summit in 2023.
The Amplifiers: Ashia Aubourg, Freelance Writer Yolanda Evans, Freelance Writer, Crystal Wilkinson, Author Brianne Garrett, Managing Editor, Sweet July. The Beverage Masters: Alice Achayo, Founder, The Wine Linguist Tiffanie Barriere, Mixologist and Spirits Educator. The Corporate Champions: Angela Bankhead, Senior Director of Brands, Marcus Samuelsson Group, Christian Richardson, Senior Program Manager, Nordstrom Tiffaine Stephens, Marketing lead for Pepsi Dig In, Marina Woodruff, Café Hospitality Strategy and Experiences Lead, Capital One
The Creators: Althea Brown, Content Creator and Founder of Metemgee.com, Toni Chapman, Content Creator and Founder of Tonicooks, Rosalynn Daniels, Content Creator and TV Personality Maya French, Co-founder, Koia Dominek Tubbs, Content Creator and Founder of Dom N' The City. The Culinarians: Ashleigh Shanti, Chef and Owner of Good Hot Fish Fariyal Abdullahi, Executive Chef of Hav & Mar Lana Lagomarsini, Chef and Owner of Lana Cooks, Lyana Blount, Founder of Black Rican Vegan Tonya Thomas, Chef and Co-founder of H3irloom Food Group.
The Game Changers: Ribka Getachew, Director, NY Good Food Purchasing Program, Nikeisah Newton, Founder of Meals 4 Heels Yoli Ouiya, Co-founder, Food + Wellness Equity Collective Clarenda Stanley, Co-founder of Green Heffa Farms. The Innovators: Clarice Owens, Co-founder of Healthy Oceans Seafood Company.
The Restaurateurs: Jeanine Prime, Owner of Cane and St. James, Tiffany Derry, Co-founder of Roots Chicken Shak and Roots Southern Table Subrina Collier, Founder and Co-owner of BayHaven Restaurant Group and BayHaven Food & Wine Festival. The Trailblazers: Dominique Carter, Vice President of Food and Nutrition Affairs, FoodMinds Maya Feller, Founder and Lead Dietitian at Maya Feller Nutrition Fetlework Tefferi, Founder of Chibbo Bar and Grill, Cafe Colucci, and Brundo Ethiopian Spice Company.
Honorees will gain access to the Black Women in Food network, a community of over 1,500 woman around the world, sponsored gifts, as well as networking and learning resources from Black Women in Food.
Dine Diaspora Founders, Maame Boakye and Nina Oduro at the 2023 BWIF Summit.
