Peace Asiatics,
It's EARLY Saturday morning (about 6:30AM at the start of this writing), and I've spent a great deal of time in the past 24 hours in the kitchen making scrumptious vegan, vegetarian, and raw eats for the king and I. It started Friday afternoon, with my making my Creamy Baked Ziti (vegetarian) in preparation for a visit from the God's younger brother and his woman. Unfortunately, they never showed and now we're forced to eat this giant pan of bangin' ziti all by our lonesome (woe is us - giggle giggle) - that and my Passion Fruit Iced Tea. I also bought all the fixings, at the God's request, to throw together my Sweet & Spicy Kale Salad that so many in the community out here seem to love. But when bra-in-law never showed, I decided to make "Community Coleslaw" (a recipe I got from Afya Ibomu's "The Vegan Soulfood Guide to the Galaxy), an easy old school raw salad I had been longing for for a couple days now. I took the Queen's recipe and freaked it (as I do all recipes) taking out a couple things and adding a little bit of this and that, that virtually nothing I prepare goes with out - namely, spike seasoning and cayenne pepper. In addition to coleslaw, I made what I can only call "Nutty Coconut Delight", another inspired creation; this one coming from Tassili's Raw Realtiy (a raw catering company out here in Atlanta) based on a Haitian fruit salad they do that is wayyyyyy better than my mere attempt to copy (for personal use only of course). But it was fun to have my go at other people's creations, because when I cater I have a strict policy to only serve me and my partner's own culinary inventions, so I don't delve into bringing to life other people's recipes too often.
I started a catering company some time in 2007, when I realized me and another Earth were quite often catering or vending food at various Nation and cultural community functions. I realized, "everybody else has a hustle, I might as well make food mine." I called it 7th Jewel Vegan Catering, with the idea that it would be a business that the Earths could and would embark upon. After working several events all by my lonesome I realized the Earth I had been working with had no real interest in making a living - or even making a hustle - by cooking and catering food - delicious, healthy vegan food I might add. And I realized that a sista I had worked on numerous community building efforts with was helping me with my catering more and more, taj anwar. And as I saw her become enthralled by serving up "culinary crack" (as she calls it) more and more, I thought maybe this Queen will provide the partnership I thirst for.
See, I COULD bust my butt and go it alone, but I have always been one who cherishes work done cooperatively more so than independently. I suppose it's because I'm not the most self-motivated person (it's not cause I lack ambition, it's cause I'm just so chill - smile - and working for others is infinitely easier than working for self), and having another person that I'm responsible for keeping my word to forces me to get on the job and stay on the job. (This is very much the reason why I love and am dedicated to the collective effort of The 14th Degree and Beyond as well.)
So my sista taj and I decided to partner up on this "food for a living" biz and changed the name to Feed The People Catering, to coincide with the organization that had brought us together - the FTP Movement. And having a partner who is business minded and image oriented has made a vast difference in the progression and gradual success of our small business. I would never have started a website as she did (maybe a facebook fan page, but not actually paid for a website - LOL), she got us a stunning 8 ft x 10 ft banner, matching business cards and postcards, even aprons with our logo on it!
There is just so much that my partner visualized needing in order to garner people's attention and add to our success that never even crossed my mind. So I build on this because working with taj has allowed me to realize that a partnership works best when both entities are complimentary in their differences - rather than having nearly the exact same interests and skills. When each person has the very same skills set and interests, they're doing the same thing and leaving major ground uncovered. On the contrary, when their differences fill in the gaps of the traits or skills one lacks it strengthens the partnership as a whole.
So to all those in business partnerships, even life partnerships, bond with those who allow your differences to compliment and complete, rather than divide, and you'll find you have a much smoother ride on your way to success!
Peace,
Eboni Joy Asiatic
Showing posts with label FTP Movement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FTP Movement. Show all posts
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Bringing Relief to the Aid of Haiti
Peace Asiatics,
Aside from the joys of new parenthood, it's been solemn times in my household as we focus on the hell our brothers and sisters in Haiti are going through - reading news reports and viewing reflections online. All I can say is, I've never been more relieved NOT to have cable because I would be watching CNN all day and existing in a state of depression (as my mother-in-law called us crying and expressed that that's what she's dealing with from watching video footage of the disaster).
Last week I put together a care package of dozens of baby clothes, some sanitary napkins and diapers but didn't have anywhere to send the goods to. If Doctors Without Borders can't even get their surgical supplies and other equipment - as the US Military, who is regulating Port-Au-Prince's single-runway airport, keeps turning away airplanes; calling themselves prioritizing the order in which they land. What could be more of a priority than life-saving medical equipment?! On top of that it's been reported that tons upon tons of food is trapped in warehouses... WTF!??!
Another thing to consider with this apocalyptic-like disaster is how prepared are we - in our households - to survive and struggle through a natural disaster? Would you/we be starving and dehydrated after less than a week because we don't have a stockade of non-perishable food and purified water? Some of the reasons Haitians are in such desperate condition is (1) their poverty is extreme in comparison to ours, so many people were malnutritioned to begin with (2) they're on a small island which means receiving aid is more difficult because it must come by air or sea and only so many planes can land in a particular time frame and from what I've read their seaport was not functioning (3) their infrastructure was weak and many homes and buildings were erected without the supervision of codes or standards (4) many of the aid workers/organizations were instilled with a fear of the Haitian people and are moving like snails to get them aid because they are anticipating that our people act like savages and (5) with a nearly non-existent corrupt government and the corrupt US government vying for dominance among the countries bringing aid, there are no natural born leaders/citizens of that country to lead the way in organizing efforts to save the people.
I am grateful that one of the Gods out here in Atlanta, Allah Justice Allah, contacted us (The FTP Movement) to join in his efforts to start the Haiti Aid Society (H.A.S. www.haitiaidsociety.com) - as it has enabled us to put in work that will, ideally, EVENTUALLY bring relief to the aid of our people, if only in the most minute way. We're also working with a collective of our comrades to put on a massive concert in order to raise gold. If not for these efforts I would be doing nothing but sitting up watching - via my over-priced computer, my free internet, my comfy couch - and stating my criticisms without doing anything to counteract that which I criticize. And really, who AM I to criticize... I said something snide about the fact that some Earths mentioned watching the Golden Globes on facebook and realized I have the time to bulls**t on facebook - SHAME ON ME, what am I doing that's beneficial to the people of Haiti, what am I doing that's productive period?! That's what I should have been focused on, and that's what I urge you to ask yourselves - because we ARE our brothers/sisters keeper and the civilized are responsible for the welfare of original people period!
I know the Earth Beautiful SeeAsia out in Now Justice is working with a collective to put on relief efforts for Haiti out there. Are there any other efforts being put on or supported by the Gods and Earths throughout the wilderness reading this? I know many of us have donated to Wyclef's organization Yele Haiti via texts - which I definitely support regardless of the media reports that they've mis-managed funds which I see as another way for mass media to divide and conquer us. Others still support the Red Cross (regardless of their mis-management of funds donated specifically to Hurricane Katrina relief - just had to throw that out there).
What can we do to bring relief to the aid of our people? Or have we relegated ourself to the role of mere witness?
Peace,
Eboni Joy Asiatic
Aside from the joys of new parenthood, it's been solemn times in my household as we focus on the hell our brothers and sisters in Haiti are going through - reading news reports and viewing reflections online. All I can say is, I've never been more relieved NOT to have cable because I would be watching CNN all day and existing in a state of depression (as my mother-in-law called us crying and expressed that that's what she's dealing with from watching video footage of the disaster).
Last week I put together a care package of dozens of baby clothes, some sanitary napkins and diapers but didn't have anywhere to send the goods to. If Doctors Without Borders can't even get their surgical supplies and other equipment - as the US Military, who is regulating Port-Au-Prince's single-runway airport, keeps turning away airplanes; calling themselves prioritizing the order in which they land. What could be more of a priority than life-saving medical equipment?! On top of that it's been reported that tons upon tons of food is trapped in warehouses... WTF!??!
Another thing to consider with this apocalyptic-like disaster is how prepared are we - in our households - to survive and struggle through a natural disaster? Would you/we be starving and dehydrated after less than a week because we don't have a stockade of non-perishable food and purified water? Some of the reasons Haitians are in such desperate condition is (1) their poverty is extreme in comparison to ours, so many people were malnutritioned to begin with (2) they're on a small island which means receiving aid is more difficult because it must come by air or sea and only so many planes can land in a particular time frame and from what I've read their seaport was not functioning (3) their infrastructure was weak and many homes and buildings were erected without the supervision of codes or standards (4) many of the aid workers/organizations were instilled with a fear of the Haitian people and are moving like snails to get them aid because they are anticipating that our people act like savages and (5) with a nearly non-existent corrupt government and the corrupt US government vying for dominance among the countries bringing aid, there are no natural born leaders/citizens of that country to lead the way in organizing efforts to save the people.
I am grateful that one of the Gods out here in Atlanta, Allah Justice Allah, contacted us (The FTP Movement) to join in his efforts to start the Haiti Aid Society (H.A.S. www.haitiaidsociety.com) - as it has enabled us to put in work that will, ideally, EVENTUALLY bring relief to the aid of our people, if only in the most minute way. We're also working with a collective of our comrades to put on a massive concert in order to raise gold. If not for these efforts I would be doing nothing but sitting up watching - via my over-priced computer, my free internet, my comfy couch - and stating my criticisms without doing anything to counteract that which I criticize. And really, who AM I to criticize... I said something snide about the fact that some Earths mentioned watching the Golden Globes on facebook and realized I have the time to bulls**t on facebook - SHAME ON ME, what am I doing that's beneficial to the people of Haiti, what am I doing that's productive period?! That's what I should have been focused on, and that's what I urge you to ask yourselves - because we ARE our brothers/sisters keeper and the civilized are responsible for the welfare of original people period!
I know the Earth Beautiful SeeAsia out in Now Justice is working with a collective to put on relief efforts for Haiti out there. Are there any other efforts being put on or supported by the Gods and Earths throughout the wilderness reading this? I know many of us have donated to Wyclef's organization Yele Haiti via texts - which I definitely support regardless of the media reports that they've mis-managed funds which I see as another way for mass media to divide and conquer us. Others still support the Red Cross (regardless of their mis-management of funds donated specifically to Hurricane Katrina relief - just had to throw that out there).
What can we do to bring relief to the aid of our people? Or have we relegated ourself to the role of mere witness?
Peace,
Eboni Joy Asiatic
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