Opening Black Feast Week — designed to promote Black-owned restaurants, chefs, and culinary creativity — by feeding 150 single Black mothers for free was an intentional act of community care, said Joshua “JT” Taylor.
“We’ve always tried to prioritize helping people who are most marginalized,” said Taylor, senior content producer and chief administrative officer at The Kansas City Defender, which organizes Black Feast Week Oct. 6–12. “And the Black woman is probably the most marginalized among us. We try to look out for our people.”
Mili Mansaray and Joshua “JT” Taylor, The Kansas City Defender, inside District Fish & Pasta for Black Feast Week’s second “People’s Buyout” event; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Black Feast Week’s second “People’s Buyout” — hosted Monday night at District Fish & Pasta — continues a growing Kansas City tradition that blends mutual aid, food celebration, and economic empowerment, he said, noting it’s a combination at the heart of the advocacy-focused Black newsroom’s mission.
Click here to learn more about the Kansas City Defender.
The event has grown significantly in just one year, Taylor said, noting both a doubling of participating restaurants and increased interest from local creators — many of whom are eager to expand their audience alongside Black Feast Week.
“A lot of popular influencers in Kansas City actually got their start during Black Feast Week last year, and it helped in building their platforms too,” he said, describing an atmosphere of collaboration that organizers are excited to encourage.
Diners stand in a line that extends outside the front door of District Fish & Pasta for Black Feast Week’s second “People’s Buyout” event; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Black Feast Week 2025 features more than a dozen participating locations, including Orange by Devoured, Vine Street Brewing, and District Biskuits, along with pop-ups, giveaways, and influencer-led restaurant spotlights across social media.
Kiraameen Khalifah, owner of District Fish & Pasta; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News RELATED: Father of Tech N9ne, two of KC’s favorite chefs inspired their drive from his Kansas City hair salon
Among the deals offered as part of the celebration this week:
- District Fish & Pasta — 1 pound of Basa Fish ($10)
- Good Karma Coffee Shop — “Candied Yam Latte” with brown sugar, yam, spices, vanilla, and toasted marshmallow ($8)
- Niece’s — Country fried steak or chicken with two sides plus roll or cornbread ($10.99)
- Brother’s Grill — Six-piece wings ($10)
- Patio Restaurant & Lounge — Patio Pasta: Cajun alfredo with chicken, shrimp and peppers ($12)
- Wah Gwan – Brown stew chicken meal ($12.95) and jerk chicken ($14.95)
- Swifts Cajun Cuisine — Two-piece wings, two-piece Basa Fish, and one side ($15)
- Vine Street Brewing — $10 flights
Click here for more information on Black Feast Week.
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The event’s debut in 2024 made an impact, amassing more than one million social media impressions and coverage from outlets like BET and Black Enterprise, Taylor said. This year, organizers hope to top that through authentic community connection.
“This is all part of our version of giving back,” Taylor continued. “The Defender has community programs. We teach arts and culture; we also have mutual aid; we offer community advocacy, clothing drives, free food programs.”
Black Feast Week’s origins are rooted in both pride and urgency that stem from its broader mission.
A poster advertising the first Black Feast Week in 2024 at District Fish & Pasta; photo courtesy of The Kansas City Defender
After a string of closures in 2024 among Black-owned Kansas City restaurants — including Soirée in 18th and Vine and Privé in the Crossroads — the Defender recognized a moment that required action, Taylor said.
“We definitely saw a need to bring more marketing to Black entrepreneurs and restaurant owners specifically,” he said. “A lot of Black entrepreneurs and business owners are limited in where they can open, and some of those areas don’t offer the same type of revenue flow as some of the more affluent areas of Kansas City. Starting Black Feast Week meant working to combat that with a marketing week dedicated toward Black restaurants.”
That grassroots urgency has since evolved into a cultural movement, he said, adding that it plays into The Defender’s key indicator of success: economic empowerment through awareness.
“The point is getting people to actually spend money with Black-owned businesses and encourage Black economic growth as a whole,” Taylor said.
To keep that momentum going, The Defender is focused on expanding its volunteer base to help sustain initiatives like Black Feast Week year after year.
“We’re always open to new members,” said Mili Mansaray, a writer at The Defender. “We have arts and culture events, movie nights, community events too, monthly. Once you’re in the group, you can choose whatever committee you really feel like you want to join.”
