Ahead of the Juneteenth holiday, we sit down with LaTonya Whitaker, executive director of The Legacy Foundation Japan, to talk about plans for the foundation’s Seeds of Hope gala at Tokyo American Club. 

As an entrepreneur, the Mississippi native is well known to many in our community for Soul Food House, the comfortable and delicious oasis of authentic Southern food in Azabu-juban. But her work extends far beyond those flavors. In this interview, LaTonya shares her experiences learning about the history of June 19, the inspiration for the gala (now in its second year), and how the business community can get involved.