What comes after the marching? The Potluck Protest wants to keep the movement going through food

One of the biggest questions that has surrounded the resurgent movement for racial equity and police reform is: What’s next?

“What do we do after the marching and after the protests? What can we do?” asked Deah Berry Mitchell of the Potluck Protest, which held its first event Saturday afternoon at Reverchon Park in Dallas. She and founder Jeziel Jones, a 29-year-old software designer from Denton, say food is a way to expand the movement and keep it moving forward, providing actionable, impactful steps that people can take without actually marching.

A crowd of about 200 gathered in the shady grove behind the recreation center on Saturday afternoon, many bringing picnic blankets along with their protest signs, face coverings and Black Lives Matter T-shirts.

Many attendees walked over from the Next Generation Action Network protest earlier in the day across the street. But the Potluck Protest felt more potluck than protest, with a relaxed, convivial atmosphere and tables stacked with fried chicken, vegan tacos and Cajun sweet potato bowls. And while most attendees and vendors were masked and practicing social distancing, it felt intimate, welcoming and very laid-back in contrast with the intensity of the marches.

Protesting is not for everybody, Mitchell said. “For some people, it’s just not their thing. … It’s important to have different types of events to appeal to different people. And it still fits the overarching theme of progress within the black community and funneling money into restaurants and helping farmers.”

Jones, whose arrest and quick release during a protest on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge on June 1 prompted him to launch Potluck Protest, said his organization is about bringing people together and talking through how each person can find their own way to contribute.

“The dialogue you can have over food can give you a sense of control and give you ideas about how to best spend your energy,” he said.

Black-owned food businesses at the event included Bam’s Vegan, Hardeman’s BBQ, Avery’s Popcorn, Hall’s Honey Fried Chicken, Frosty’s, One Love Lounge, Cooking with Carmen and more. Val’s Cheesecakes donated all the bottled water and the food was paid for through a fundraiser Jones set up earlier in the week on GoFundMe.

Mackenzie Hall, owner of Hall’s Honey Fried, showed up with her father John Hall, bringing fried chicken and French fries. She said that when Mitchell contacted her, she agreed to be involved before she even knew what the event was. “It’s important to be here and see how many people are coming out to support the community and move forward in stopping police brutality,” she said.

Friends Nikki Gafford, Candace Brown and Erin Lindstrom said supporting black-owned restaurants has been a big part of the movement. A few had attended previous protests, including one at Dallas Police Department headquarters, but said the potluck was something different that brought them out. “It’s about keeping money in the community,” Brown said.

“Food and music bring people together,” said Tiffany Lum of Dallas, another attendee who came with three of her co-workers. “This creates a safe space for people to ask questions.”

Dialogue was part of the plan at the event. The Potluck Protest brought in the Dallas-based Peace and Conciliation Project, an anti-racism organization founded by Robyn Short, to lead the crowd through an exercise.

Short, who teaches in Southern Methodist University’s dispute resolution program, specializes in peace-building and mediation. Her organization is focused on “repairing harm” through dialogue and restorative practices. She and her team asked attendees to choose a partner and answer a series of five questions, from “What do you love?” to “What unique skills do you have” and “How are you uniquely prepared to create racial equity and what is your next step?”

For the Potluck Protest, which just formed this month, their next step is to raise more money for black-owned food businesses and expand within Dallas at themed popups and farm-to-table dinners, as well as at larger gatherings around the country in cities like Austin, San Francisco and Denver.