Is Veganism the New Black?

May 12, 20233 min read

BALTIMORE, MD – Land of Kush is an award-winning Vegan Soul Food restaurant that has been providing Baltimore City with plant-based food options since 2011. The owners Gregory Brown and Naijha Wright-Brown are changing the perception of plant-based meals one plate at a time.

Land of Kush owner and executive chef, Gregory Brown explains his how inspiration for opening the restaurant with his wife and co-owner Naijha Wright-Brown stemmed from going vegan in the late 90s and his love for cooking. Brown explained, after graduating from Morgan State University and working at a job he did not enjoy, it was best to change paths “I started journaling-- a church elder came to me and told me to write down my questions for God and listen to the answers… in the process of doing that this concept came up.”

The two banded together with their savings to later open the Vegan Bistro on Eutaw Street in the Charm City. Eight out of 10 black-owned businesses fail within the first 18 months. Land of Kush has major support from the community, in return that support keeps a steady flow of business. Many customers say the attraction is the wide range of plant-based options.

A regular customer of the restaurant, Jay Konsciouz says “[Land of Kush] still gives you that soul food feel, that filling feel that you want” according to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey, 8 percent of African American adults are vegan, in comparison to 3 percent of American adults overall.

Brown is breaking down misconceptions about veganism in the black community. He says people are open to trying his food because the soul food element is familiar to his target demographic. He started introducing dishes like vegan ribs and collards at a 2008 AFRAM Festival “The whole objective [was] to engage the community.”

Brown prefers a softer approach when introducing vegan cuisine to new customers. Land of Kush offers free samples to those who are overwhelmed by the extensive menu or apprehensive by plants turned to familiar comfort food dishes. “We don’t try to push things down people’s throats… we just try to engage the community and say hey we have something that may be familiar to you, it’s a little bit healthier.”

Brown and Wright-Brown have a non-profit organization called Black Veg Society that focuses on the education component of vegetarian and veganism. The Black Veg Society is an organization whose mission is to educate predominantly Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities, on the benefits of holistic living, the plant-based diet, and veganism while building a community centered around healthy, accessible, and sustainable food and a focus on compassionate lifestyle choices.

They have established partnerships with businesses, schools, churches, other non-profits, local and state government, health and wellness coaches, chefs, plant-based campaign, and coalition organizers.

The Black Veg Society organize and host special events such as veg fests, vegan restaurant weeks, multi-city hybrid events and webinars. Black Veg Society offers a 24/7 online resource center with access to educational literature, wellness classes, cooking demos, and certified health and wellness coaches.

Brown says the stigma of veganism is not as taboo as it was in the late 90s when he started his plant-based journey. He says his favorite rapper, KRS-One, talked about conscious eating habits which aided in his decision to go vegan, however, the switch was primary due to health concerns.

Brown expressed how the most gratifying part of his career is seeing the look on new customers faces when they try vegan food for the first time, and they come back to try more. “I just think it’s a good thing for people to get outside of the box… there’s nothing wrong with tradition [but] let’s try something different and bring something different and bring something different to our family and friends.”

Land of Kush will be participating in Baltimore City’s annual two-day Vegan SoulFest. A cultural vegan food and music festival that’s bringing together individuals from around the world to celebrate delicious plant-based food, music, and a soulfully diverse community.