Eric Garner & Black Baltimore Grub

Dr. Amina
Dr. Amina
Jul 20, 2017 · 4 min read

Today’s Marc Steiner Show (airing on Thursday July 20, 2017) focused on Baltimore’s Black owned restaurants. A foodie down for Black Empowerment, the show inspired me to share my own little directory of restaurants first curated pre Medium.com involvement. I will share this list (you know that I love a good list); but, at the end of the post. First, I must take care of an urge that emerged while retrieving the list; that is, to share with you the circumstance, thoughts, and moods that ultimately led me to develop it. The circumstance was my newfound consciousness of widespread state-sanctioned murders of Black and Brown people, and, what became for me, a personal tipping point- the December 3, 2014 Grand Jury decision to not indict NYC police officer Daniel Pantaleo for the public lethal lynching of Eric Garner through execution of an NYPD prohibited chokehold.

It was the afternoon of the first Wednesday of the month, which means that I was in our regularly scheduled college-wide faculty meeting. Being December, this would be the last meeting of the semester. It had been a really rough two years, and I was ready for a respite. Still heavy on my heart was the 2012 murder of Trayvon Martin and subsequent July 2013 acquittal of his wanna-be cop murderer, George Zimmerman (my mind can still hear the audio of that hunt and kill), and, the August 2014 murder and public discarding of Michael Brown (my mind can still see his wholly disregarded lifeless body lying in the middle of the street in a pool of his own blood for hours). Then, “ping!” An alert on my phone.

I was anticipating the decision. We were told it was coming that day. I looked down at the screen. My muscles and jaw tightened, my breathing shallowed and quickened, my brow furrowed, my face got hot, my stomach felt queasy (physiological indicators of anger; but, also, confusion, fear, and powerlessness). Did my colleagues know? Did they receive breaking news alerts on their mobile devices? Did they even care? I looked around the large lecture space where we were congregated. Business as usual for all of them, as far as I could tell. They continued to move through the planned meeting agenda and followed all of Robert’s Rules. Should I interrupt the meeting, make an announcement and request a discussion of what just happened? Or, should I disengage from the meeting and seek sanctuary with members of my own Baltimore community (both forms of active coping)?

I needed to get out of there. I needed to be in the company of others who I knew felt, understood, and, cared about this on a deep level. I needed to breathe. I left the meeting and connected with a friend; a fellow Black woman academic.

In the immediate aftermath, I reasoned I could 1. Take up arms as a means of regaining a sense of power and control (because when it comes to the preservation of my life and the lives of my loved ones, I believe all tools of self-preservation are options, and, things were way out of control); or, I could try to do something to starve the monster by 2. Participating in a pilot #NotOneDime 25 Days of Action version of Maggie Anderson’s TEDxBaltimore Black Empowerment Experiment. (C.R.E.A.M., right?) I opted for the latter…that time.

This curated list of Black owned Baltimore restaurants was first birthed December 2014 out of a place of personal power and hope. May it contribute to the nourishment of our bodies, souls, and our communities! ✊🏽💛

Directory of Delicious Black Baltimore Grub (a living document)

Granny’s Restaurant

Dukem

Terra Cafe

Dovecote Cafe

Land Of Kush

GruB Factory

Peace and a Cup of Joe

Teavolve

Ida B’s Table

Island Quizine

Colins Seafood and Grill

Station North Arts Cafe

Connie’s Chicken & Waffles

Southern Blues

St Mary’s Restaurant and Bar

Shereef’s Grill: House Of Wraps

Taste This Baltimore

Fresh Fresh Seafood

Flight American Fusion

Dessert Fantasies

Grind House Juice Bar

Next Phaze Cafe

Cookers Music Bistro

Edible Favors by Denise

Nailah’s Kitchen

Breaking Bread

Koffee Therapy Cafe

Cheat Day Bar & Grill

Water for Chocolate

Noir Restaurant & Lounge

Home Maid Brunch

Crabs Down Under

Grind & Wine

Hollins Place

Cafe 1137

P.S., As I was writing this original post (July 20), I learned that HBO has given a green light to a show called “Confederate” by Game of Thrones’ creators. The premise of the show is a win for the confederacy, and the continuation of slavery. Let that sink in, Family. This is the time in which we live. Power To The People!✊🏽 | One 💛

P.P.S., On the day that I update this post (August 1), Amazon announces that it will partner with award-winning Boondocks creator, Aaron McGruder, and, producer Will Packer to produce another alternative history series, called “Black America.” The premis of that show is a win for reparations through post emancipation construction of a Black Nation on the land now known as Louisiana, Mississippi, and, Alabama. Let that sink in. Guess which show I’ll be watching? Power To The People!✊🏽 | One 💛

P.P.P.S, “Confederate” is no longer in development at HBO. Stay tuned…| ✊🏾 | One 💛

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