The Institute of Black Imagination.

In today’s conversation, Dario sits with celebrated community activist, restauranter, and poet, Omar Tate. Hailing from West Philadelphia, Omar’s work reminds us of our vulnerabilities when we live in the worlds of whiteness, power, and privilege. Honeysuckle, his fine dining pop-up experience turned community center and cafe, uses food as an antidote to these worlds and a portal into Black and afrocentric ideology, resiliency, and design. 

In this episode we explore the reality of racism in the kitchen with the joys of new babies named Jupiter. Known for truth telling, Omar shares the lessons he’s learned about fatherhood, why he serves every guest his iteration of red Kool-aid, and how he distinguishes between the lies Black people are taught about ourselves from the truths of our own stories.   

We mentioned:

A Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis 

High on the Hog by Jessica B Harris 

The Grey Album: on the Blackness of Blackness by Kevin Young 

Honeysuckle on the interwebs

Honeysuckle on the metaverse of Instagram

Omar Tate 

This conversation was recorded on March 30, 2021.  

Original Music composed by Dario Calmese, Show Art by River Wildmen, Social Art by Stéphane Lab, production Carmen D. Harris, Vicky Garcia, Dario Calmese