The collaboration between chef Selasie Dotse and Brundo Spice Company came from a shared goal of creating more opportunities for Black and African chefs in upscale dining.
ByZack Harber The DEEP Grocery Co-op worker owners (left to right) Daniel Harris-Lucas, Jameelah Lane, Yolanda Romo and Erin Higginbotham stand at Acta Non Verba’s Youth Urban Farm Project in deep East Oakland. Photo taken by Fox Nakai in October, 2020.
The four worker owners of a new grocery store in deep East Oakland want to bring more healthy food options to the area through a cooperative model. The DEEP Grocery Co–op opened for online sales on April 7. By Fall, the worker owners plan to open a storefront.
“We’re coming together for the cause of changing food access in the deep East Oakland community,” said worker owner Daniel Harris-Lucas. “We’re trying to create social change and not necessarily getting into it for profit.”
Akoma Market brings equity, wellness and great food to deep East Oakland
The Sunday market features local Black and brown-owned farm stands, food vendors and other small businesses.
Liberation Park, 7101 Foothill Blvd. (at 73rd Avenue), Oakland
Akoma Outdoor Market is a farmers market in deep East Oakland that features local Black and brown-owned farm stands, food vendors and other small businesses.
Created through a partnership between the Black Cultural Zone, a nonprofit promoting Black cultural traditions, arts and local businesses in East Oakland, and the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, Akoma launched last September, running on the first Sunday of every month. Since February, Akoma Outdoor Market became a bi-monthly event, now taking place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., first and third Sundays. (In May through October, Akoma Market will transition to a weekly Sunday event before returning to its first Sunday schedule in November and December.) The next event is this