“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”-Hippocrates

What do you think about when you hear the following terms: Blues, Jazz, Hip Hop, Reggae, Harlem Renaissance, soul food, Hieroglyphics, Braids?

Well, all of these things are known, enjoyed and associated globally with people of African descent. What you may not know is that veganism is amongst these concepts that are rooted in the global Black community. September Set sat down with our friend, Tracye McQuirter, to discuss healthy vegan options and tips, but we uncovered so much more from this expert who has practiced veganism for over thirty years and is the author of two popular vegan lifestyle books. Tracye’s journey to veganism began when she returned to her native Washington DC, fondly referred to as Chocolate City, where she was embraced by a community of activists who were focused as much on a healthy lifestyle as they were on human rights’ issues. Tracye was immersed in a world of abundance that came through mentoring, support and ultimately food options. Instead of feeling like she lost something with her choice to become a vegan, she ultimately feels like she gained so much, in turn leading her to live happily with her choice.

So September Set asked Tracye about tips for adding vegan foods into your diet and she opened our eyes to the fact that we all eat vegan food each day, from vegetables, grains, beans, nuts to fruit. The change, she said would occur when adding more variation to the types of vegan food in each category, like changes to the type of grain or bean (black bean or red bean for example). In addition, Tracye talks about the use of herb seasoning, pepper and hot sauce to spice up any meal. All of which are detailed in delicious recipes that Tracye shares with the public to remind us all that satisfaction and good flavor are not lost when consuming a diet that doesn’t include animal products.

“There are vegan options for everything”, says McQuirter. “I can eat anything that I want and not feel conflicted.” She continues to share by describing her mother, who also follows a vegan lifestyle, is now in her 80s and has no health concerns. Emphasizing her zest for life and adventure, “I have a great chance of not getting anything (health issues)” on a vegan diet, shares Tracye with excitement. This facilitates a freedom that Tracye is proud of. As a result, it is her mission to share this ideal with the public from publishing cook books to creating programs to help people. “I want to help large numbers of people and create communities of support in various cities”, for example, vegan cooking classes in schools, hospitals and senior homes. As the first to create a vegan blog in the 90s to publishing a free vegan starter guide on her website https://www.byanygreensnecessary.com , Tracye is well on her way to being a major global influencer on vegan matters. We have no doubt that her work will bring happiness and good health to many; for that we applaud Tracye McQuiter, an innovator in our community at large.

In the near future, September Set looks forward to collaborating with Tracye in the kitchen to prepare simple vegan meals that you can incorporate in your daily life.