Each year, in the week of Nov. 7, DMV Black Restaurant Week (DMVbrw) hosts their annual week of events to promote Black-owned restaurants. This year’s theme is “Embracing Our Diversity Through Food, Beverage, and Music.” The week is packed with a lineup including a cocktail competition and panels on Black representation in the food industry.
According to their website, DMVbrw’s mission is to “increase the awareness of black-owned restaurants and food service providers by creating an ecosystem to support and sustain the community.” By providing support to those in the industry, educating stakeholders and training youth, DMVbrw intends to unify the community.
DMVbrw was founded by chef Furard Tate, Professor at Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies Erinn Tucker and Andra “AJ” Johnson, a bar consultant and author. They launched DMVbrw in 2018, and it has since gained recognition throughout Washington.
In 2019, Ward 5 Council member Kenyan McDuffie sponsored a resolution that honored DMVbrw.
“DMV Black Restaurant Week is an opportunity to support and celebrate our local Black entrepreneurs, while enjoying some of the best restaurant and food service providers in D.C.,” said McDuffie in an interview with Washington City Paper.
Last year, the theme was “The Power of Collaboration: Recovery in the Midst of COVID-19.” Many local businesses have struggled over the past year and a half because of COVID-19, especially minority-owned businesses. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, 41% of Black-owned businesses declined from February to April of 2020.
As Washington has begun returning to normalcy, DMVbrw’s theme for 2021 echoed that spirit and was built around uplifting the community further through food, drinks and music.
DMVbrw chose to celebrate the culture of food because it has been “one of the greatest unifiers of the community,” according to their website. Its ability to connect people of diverse backgrounds was what drew DMVbrw to dedicate their organization to food.
“I believe that as a community, we should make it a priority to celebrate Black-owned businesses,” sophomore Maya Jones said. “It is important to celebrate our roots. DC is a chocolate city, and restaurants help unify the diverse population of the community.”
