COURTESY OF BAKERS FOR BLACK LIVES
Bakers for Black Lives will host its third social justice bake sale this Sunday at Northwest Coffee in the Central West End.
This Sunday, fans of baked goods and social justice are in for a treat when Bakers for Black Lives teams up with Northwest Coffee for a day of food, music, artisan goods and discourse.
The festivities, dubbed "#ControltheNarrative on 314 Day," is the third meet-up of the grassroots social justice event, which was founded by pastry chefs Sharon Harter and Hannah Kerne in the wake of the killing of George Floyd last year. Determined to use their skills to facilitate conversation around racial justice and raise money for community organizations, the two friends have been thrilled with how what was originally just a single event has turned into a growing grassroots movement that has raised several thousand dollars for social justice nonprofits. Now, they hope to keep the momentum going.
"We wanted to do another event sooner, but it didn't seem like the right time to do so because of COVID," Carter says. "We want to stay relevant and be out there. We noticed that the first event was at the perfect time, when everyone was really engaged and wanted to help and do something. We planned it in a week and got people involved without a lot of effort. This time, we have to do more work to get people engaged; COVID has worn people out and they aren't as engaged in the issue, which is why it's so important that we continue to do this."
Though Harter and Kerne are pleased with the way the first two Bakers for Black Lives events turned out, this time, they want to do something a little different. In addition to the donation-based pastries, the event will showcase local artists and makers of color, whose goods will be available for purchase.
"A key value for Bakers for Black Lives is the connection between joy and social justice work," Kerne says. "While the donation-based element has been extremely successful, we want this to equally be a celebration of Black businesses."
Underscoring the focus on Black-owned businesses is the choice of Northwest Coffee for the event. As owner Jason Wilson explains, he is excited to be a part of the event, and is happy that the phrase he lives by, "#ControltheNarrative," is the day's slogan. He's also proud to be a part of an event that remains committed to racial justice even after the protests of 2020 subsided.
"What they are doing really resonated with me," Wilson says. "The success they have had is a testament to their diligence."
Wilson is also excited that two of his musically-inclined employees, DJ AlBizness and Just Rich, will have their talents showcased on Sunday.
As for the food, this Sunday's Bakers for Black Lives will feature over one thousand baked goods by such local businesses as Bulrush, Nutmeg's, Mission Taco and more. Cocktails can be purchased from STL Barkeep.
The Bakers for Black Lives festivities will happen from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., though food tends to go fast. For more information, check out the event's Facebook page here.
