Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH

Black businesses in the United States continue to persist and leverage their ingenuity to rise above the systemic oppression in the food and beverage industry. From farmers to retailers, local food businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic in the DMV region, but Black entrepreneurs — largely shut out of federal PPP loans — have struggled the hardest facing a syndemic of COVID-19 and structural barriers. Local media have been highlighting the local Black-owned food businesses around them and encourage guests to support them. As a fourth-generation Oklahoma native, our featured speaker Tambra Raye Stevenson knows the resiliency of Black businesses and cooperative economics from stories of her grandfather’s life in Boley, Oklahoma. As a champion for racial equity in the food system, Tambra will discuss the state of the black food economy in the metro Washington area. Tambra is a Mayoral appointee to D.C. Food Policy Council serving as the food systems and nutrition education chair. Having worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency, Tambra knows the value and struggle that black businesses face in America and will provide insights and resources to pivot and thrive during this pandemic. She brings her academic training, professional experience, and public service in grounding this conversation.

WANDA: Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture