Choosing Health with Emani from BlkAndVegan to chat about being a Black, vegan woman. Her website is live at blkandvegan.com, check her out on Instagram (@blkandvegan). Such great energy put into the making of her brand, we see you.

Community breathwork (2:42)

Introducing Emani! (3:47) — She wants everyone to know she’s an Aquarius woman. I asked her opinion on how our friendship works as a Scorpio-Aquarius duo. Short answer, time, and growth.

What was your journey into veggie life? (7:30)— Like most folks who may become vegetarian, CHEESE is what usually holds people back from making the transition to vegan, plant-based, or animal-product free diets. The hormone we spoke about was CASEIN. What sparks this lifestyle is different for everyone, but most have come across a documentary or resource exposing the wounds of the food industry that made us take an honest look at our consumption habits. For some, ignorance is bliss and that’s okay too. We just want folks to question what comes at the cost of bliss. I briefly shared my superficial motivation to make the transition, aka Raven Tracy!

Will this journey be lifelong? (14:05) — YES! Emani also thinks of future ambitions for a maternity shoot and wedding reception ideas. We briefly address the journey to self-sufficiency and gardening. As Black individuals, we have become so disconnected to the earth, so our interest in wanting to reclaim that part of our story is inherently powerful. For now, being plant moms to real or fake plants can be our drive to enhance our green thumbs. Overall, in the plant-based world, there is more innovation and creativity than ever before. With an open mind and imagination, there is no better time to consider a transition with all the resources, information, and recipes available at our fingertips.

Are you “vegan”? (20:40) — Dr. Aris Latham (the mastermind behind Sunfire Foods, Ra (“raw”) Cuisine) speaks on "vegan" as a political term that differentiated the vegetarians that cared more about animal rights in the 1950s. We talked about how we came to realizations that being vegan was deeper than food after our transition. We developed more awareness of our thoughts and decisions. It can also become expensive when wanting to purchase from a quality, ethical, vegan brand and we recognize that everyone comes into these things at their own pace. There’s so much room to question things as we accept this awakening. We also briefly touch on food desert and the challenges that come with wanting to make a shift with few quality resources as a foundation. Baby steps are key! Quotable: it’s kinda poppin over here on the faux fur side!

What other things have you noticed? (30:20) — Our foundations have been structured generationally and we are aware of how that played out in our daily lives based on what we ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At the end of the day, it’s all about flavor! Not many of us would want naked, unseasoned anything - meat or tofu! Through it all, we give ourselves and others grace. We see who’s really open to join the vegan party, but also don’t strictly hold people to their present choices. We've also noticed our energy is definitely more sustainable throughout the day and we see the world with more clarity.

What’s been your experience with family and friends? (40:45) — We both had atrocious cookie experiences as new vegans. We now know that we have to come with our A-game when bringing vegan foods to the table. Getting in the lab is key to creating dishes we are proud of and desire to share with others. More thoughts on inequity in food. And lastly: peace, love, and avocados!

Closing: What is joy? and reciprocal, sisterly, gas (52:00) — Emani: joy is doing what I want, creativity, and reaching potential.