No More Performing

Stephen Satterfield, Whetstone co-founder

Since our inception, origin has been the central thesis of our work. For us it has never been esoteric; It’s about reclamation and reckoning. What good is contemporary analysis absent historical knowledge? ⁣ ⁣

Historical knowledge, and my lived experience as a Black man, has been a profound education on pervasive inequality and lethal injustice. ⁣ I’m pleased many are speaking out against systemic racism, police violence and affirming #BlackLivesMatter. I’m saddened that it took yet another vile public execution of a Black American to make space for these conversations. ⁣ ⁣ We’re not making any declarations about how “doing better” or “turning our attention” because, although we’ve made it pretty, we’ve also made it plain, in our words and stories, that settler colonialism has always been about exploitative imbalances in labor and power, and always enforced with physical, economic and political violence against indigenous, POC and Black communities. ⁣

When I say, repeatedly, that Whetstone is the only Black-owned food publication in print in the US, I am saying this not with pride, but because that is an indictment on the state of media. It is a commentary on our industry, and white supremacy. But it almost certainly applies to yours too. Look around. Are there Black owners? Black women owners? ⁣ ⁣ Anti-Black racism is pervasive and on a spectrum. On one end there’s hatred, and along the way, privilege, access, ignorance and apathy. ⁣

I hope non-Black people will consider, along w/ the solidarity posts, swapping the 30 minutes of daily scrolling for 30 minutes of research on antiBlack racism. And please: DO NOT FURTHER THE EXTRACTIVE INCLINATION OF WHITE SUPREMACY THAT FEELS MOVED TO ASK A BLACK PERSON HOW TO BEST ENGAGE IN THIS WORK. Study it like your favorite hobby. Google how to be antiracist. Do it with fervor, with duty and with pleasure. Shoutout to @rachel.cargle for this excellent accountability formula: “Knowledge plus empathy plus action. If you take any one away, you’re performing.” ⁣ ⁣ As for us, our existence is resistance! Support our work through purchasing a magazine, or others in our realm, like @fortheculturefoodmag @afrosandknives @blackfoodfolks. No more performing.

In Peace and Revolutionary Solidarity,

Stephen

Discover Black Food Scholarship: Dr. Jessica B. Harris, Osayi Endolyn, Tunde Wey, Omar Tate , Shak Simley, Ashtin Berry, Nicole Taylor Bryant Terry Michael Twitty Adrian Miller