Sistah Vegan Explores Veganism, Race, Feminism and More

If you're into philosophical thinking on food, feminist or racial issues, Sistah Vegan: Black Female Vegans Speak on Food, Identity, Health and Society, edited by A. Breeze Harper, is an anthology you'll want to check out.

The anthology offers a unique look at the way veganism intersects with identity, sexuality, anti-racism, animal rights, feminism, decolonization, health, sexuality, decolonization, and other issues.

Printed on 100% recycled paper, the book "is the first volume of its kind to address the racialized-sexuaized-gendered vegan experience in the USA," according to the project's early website.

Harper's idea for the book was born from a discussion forum on BlackPlanet.com, which was debating the validity of a PETA campaign that juxtaposed human and animal suffering. Though many forum posters criticized PETA's use of Black Americans in the ad, Harper writes that she understood PETA's intent was not derogatory. And she also realized that the one poster on the forum who identified as Black and did not have a problem with the ad also identified herself as lesbian. This prompted Harper to wonder if marginalized groups within the Black community are more likely to support ethical eating. This line of thought expanded over the course of the next two years, and Harper eventually launched the book project, inviting submissions from Black-identified women.

Rather than preaching veganism, the book forms a narrative focusing on "how a group of black-identified female vegans perceive nutrition, food, ecological sustainability, health and healing, animal rights, parenting, social justice, spirituality, hair care, race, gender-identification, womanism, and liberation that all go against the (refined and bleached) grain of our dysfunctional society," the publisher, Lantern Books, states on their website.

For more on the book and the Sistah Vegan project, visit SistahVegan.wordpress.com.