Afros and Knives

Hey everyone,

This week on the Afros and Knives podcast, I sat down with the incredible Jamila Norman, the founder of Patchwork City Farms and the star of Magnolia Network's "Homegrown."

Jamila is an urban farmer in Atlanta, but that title barely scratches the surface. She's a former environmental engineer, a community builder, and one of the most resilient people I've ever met. Her story is a powerful reminder of what it means to ...

She Built a Tequila Brand. They Told Her She Couldn't.

Hey everyone,

This week on Afros and Knives, I had a conversation that truly lit a fire in me, and I knew I had to share it with you.

I sat down with the incredible co-owner of Antioch Tequila, a brand she built from the ground up in an industry that wasn't exactly rolling out the welcome mat. She is one of the first Black women to own a tequila brand, and her story is a master...

Jinji is a Baltimore, Maryland native, and alumni of Indiana University. She spent her earliest professional years working in the Non-profit sector and Retail before working as a nutrition counselor in 2012. Shortly thereafter, Jinji studied the craft of chocolate making, opening Pure Chocolate by Jinji with her father; tapping into a decades old ancestral calling she continues to explore today through travel, writing and producti...

Yahshimabet Sellassie, Founder & CEO of Yahshi Bakes, developed her culinary interest at the tender age of four. Born in Oakland as a vegetarian to entrepreneur parents in fine arts, design, bodywork, radio journalism, and the restaurant business, she naturally blossomed into her creative energy field. From an early age, she gravitated towards the arts, later developing a passion for cooking and baking.

Yahshimabet is influenc...

Founder of bespoke event brand To Be Hosted and independent lifestyle magazine While Entertaining, Amber Mayfield. Amber is a consummate tastemaker and is shaping how Black folks celebrate and entertain now and in the future. To Be Hosted has produced events and experiences for brands like Equinox, Facebook, Nestle, Netflix, Bumble, Tinder, Patron Tequila, Bulleit Bourbon, Bain & Company, and more. To learn more, check out www...

What happens when a culinary historian, a professor, an author, and a journalist unite to explore the transformative power of African American cuisine? We were fortunate enough to find out during our incredible conversation with Dr. Jessica B. Harris, whose groundbreaking book High on the Hog has now been adapted into a Netflix limited series. Join us as we delve into Dr. Harris' journey to becoming a food historian, her experience...

In her first-ever interview, Rhonda candidly shares her vulnerabilities, the challenging experiences that have led her to where she is today, and her plans going forward. Rhonda started out her working life as a biology teacher and she has transferred many of her learnings from the science field into the culinary one. This seemingly unlikely combination has been fundamental to Rhonda’s success, as has her ability to persevere...

In this bonus episode of the Afros and Knives podcast, host Tiffani Rozier chats with cultural anthropologist and documentarian Dr. Gail Myers. They discuss the work Dr. Myers has done with her organization, Farm to Grow, as well as her documentary film Rhythms of the Land. This film project will spotlight an array of farmers, rice growers, hog ranchers, dairy ranchers, barefoot farmers, sharecroppers, basket-weavers, shrimp farmer...

The first property Kristin acquired is now the Six Acres Bed & Breakfast, a house in the Underground Railroad Network, which she converted into very successful hospitality business in Cincinnati, Ohio. This was the first in kristin’s brand of boutique hotels that blend the intimacy of a bed and breakfast with the amenities of a first-class hotel. Our conversation begins with the story of how Kristin found the Six Acres pr...

Olive oil goes beyond the brand you find on the shelf. It’s about where it comes from, what it tastes like, and the passion that’s gone into producing it. Very few people have actually tasted ‘the good stuff, and it’s only once you’ve tried it that you can truly understand what olive oil can offer. Today, we sit down with Skyler Mapes, an American architect who reinvented herself halfway across the wor...

In this conversation, we get to hear from Vanessa about her journey as someone at the intersection of Black and indigenous identity, what this has meant for her career in the culinary world, the good and bad experiences she has had, and the lessons she has carried forward with her. Despite having faced hurdles and adversity that many others have not, Vanessa's strength and positivity shine through; she talks about how she decided t...