Salimatu Amabebe

"This meal is made for you," the artist, chef, and Black Feast Director Salimatu Amabebe writes on the menu of each of his meals. By "you," Salimatu means Black people. It's his direct and tender way of indicating that every one of his meals and events is made to celebrate and center Black people. When Salimatu cooks, it's an act of love - and you not only taste it, you can also see it, and you can feel it. Salimatu is the Founder and Director of Black Feast, a culinary event that celebrates Black artists and writers through food. Before the pandemic, Salimatu worked with Black artists such as Jamila Woods, Madison McFerrin, Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo and others to host events across the country to make Black spaces that wove art with food. When the pandemic hit, Salimatu found ways to support the Black community by creating offerings of love and care. He hosted "Love Letters to Black Folks," where for 8 weeks between Portland, OR and Berkeley, CA, he organized and prepared care packages, filled with free vegan desserts he created, love letters written by Black poets, and items by local businesses that offered care and rest, and gave them away for free to any member of the Black community. He also created the Altar of Black Life project - where altars of flowers and fruit were built in Portland and Berkeley that showed pictures of the family members of the Black community. Salimatu weaves care and love into every meal he prepares and every space he creates.