Soul Food Celebration: Two festivals combine to support Black-owned businesses in Maryland
BALTIMORE -- The Vegan SoulFest x We Give Black Fest concluded Sunday.
The two festivals combined to produce one jam-packed event at West Covington Park in South Baltimore.
"(It is) a great partnership in bringing two worlds together," Vegan Soul Fest Co-Founder Naijha Wright-Brown said.
Vegan SoulFest is a staple in Baltimore.
But the festival was put on pause for two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It returned this year for its seventh annual event with about 40 vegan food vendors.
We Give Black Fest is a brand-new festival dedicated to supporting Black-owned businesses.
"August is Black Philanthropy Month as well as Black Business Month," We Give Black Fest Founder Jamye Wooten said. "So, we thought it was a great way to tie both of them together."
WJZ is the proud media sponsor of We Give Black Fest, which featured a panel discussion with anchor Vic Carter and Torrey Smith.
The We Give Black Fest was put on by an organization called CLLCTIVLY.
Jamye Wooten, its founder and CEO, said Black-led organizations and Black-owned businesses struggle to get support.
"This is an opportunity to give them a platform so they're visible," Wooten said. "So that folks that don't know about them can come and support them and invest in them the way we want them to survive and thrive here in Baltimore."
We Give Black Fest featured a weekend of giving, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the mission behind the festival.
The founders of both festivals hope that everyone who came out over the weekend will take the time to spread awareness for both organizations.
"We are doing a great thing and we want to be able to provide this to all socioeconomic backgrounds," Wright-Brown said. "So, we need the support of anyone that should be getting involved."
The organizers of both festivals said as soon as this year's event ends, they will start planning for next year's festivities.
