NightLife: Black Ecosystem

Join us for a night of Black storytelling through food, wine, music, and nature. Hear from local Black leaders and long-standing champions of these spaces as we celebrate the rich histories of the diaspora.

FEATURED EVENTS

Regeneration and Liberation: How Black Freedom and Ecology Intersect
African Hall, 7:30pm

It’s no secret that California's wild spaces have long been under threat, but so have Black bodies in this state and beyond. Are Black and people of color's relationships with nature and the protection of thriving ecosystems linked? Marco Lindsey, associate director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, explores how Black freedom and ecology intersect, looking back at Black histories and forward to thriving Black and ecological futures.

Black Food, Wine, and Beer: The Anthology
African Hall, 8pm

Awaken a deeper appreciation for Black leadership in the Bay Area food and wine scene with a panel discussion featuring local entrepreneurs whose businesses are tapping into their historical and cultural backgrounds. You’ll hear from:

• “Food Socialite” Chef Mimi, founder of Oakland’s annual Black Food and Wine Experience
• Top Chef alumni Chef Nelson German, executive chef/owner of alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa
• Dr. Christine Wachira, winemaker and owner of Wachira Wines, the first Kenyan-American winery in the US;
• Jon Burgess of The Burgess Brothers, a restaurant and food product supplier with a family legacy of over 170 years

Moderated by Chadwick Spell of SOKO Distributors, the discussion will touch on the way panelists’ unique origin stories have influenced their creativity and approach within the industry.