On Monday, June 14th, 2021, the communities in Baltimore, Durham, Denver, Oakland, and NYC will gather for a Keep it Fresh Day fest. June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month so get ready to Keep It Fresh! Celebrate, create, and load up your cups and plates with plant-based meals and beverages full of fresh fruits and vegetables. The Black Veg Society of Maryland, Vita Earth Foundation, and the Plant-Based Network plan to deliver a whole bunch of freshness through its multi-city virtual fest!

The Keep It Fresh Day fest will spotlight the most influential people and restaurants in Denver, CO, Baltimore, MD, Durham, NC, Oakland, CA, and NYC, and more, using plant-based food as a way of advocating for healthy eating, climate change, and animal rights. The free virtual fest program will include plant-based culinary art demos, organic gardening tips, music videos, environmental actions, a panel discussion, and keynote speaker, Koya Webb. Dr. Ietef “DJ Cavem” Vita (www.chefietef.com) put in motion Keep it Fresh Day in 2011 and it officially became a day in Denver in 2014, and in Baltimore, the Mayor recognized Keep it Fresh Day in 2017. We learn more about why this matters so much to Dr. Ietef Vita, a.k.a. DJ Cavem, "I grew up in the five points, breathing in polluted air from local factories. Fresh water has always been an issue, and the freshest thing in my neighborhood was a lemon in a liquor store. I'm really excited that other cities are down with the movement, and my goal is to make this a national day."

Naijha Wright-Brown, Executive Director of the Black Veg Society of Maryland states, "The mission of the Black Veg Society of Maryland is to meet people where they are on their plant-based and vegan journey. Our organization literally does this by reaching out to select physical spaces, one's individual mental space, and now, more than ever, virtual spaces. The summer season is near and we want folks to be educated about the importance of keeping it fresh on their plates, in their cups, and their whole mind, body, and spirit."

What’s different? This isn’t your typical in-person event. Each city will showcase local vendors/people focusing on people of color and their businesses and host special events and activities, which you can learn more about at keepitfresh.org. Several organizations are taking the lead in each city including the Black Veg Society of Maryland (Baltimore, MD), Triangle Vegfest (Durham, NC), and Vita Earth Foundation (Denver, CO). In addition, the Plant-Based Network will be airing all of the interviews with local vendors, as well as live reports from each city, via its PBNet TV app available for free on iOS, Androids, Roku TV, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire at www.plantbasedapp.com. According to Ronnie ‘Tsunami’ Gandiza, CEO of the Plant-Based Network, “We wanted to bring awareness of some of the great solutions cities have for bringing healthier and more sustainable food to communities of color, as well as demonstrate how other cities and organizations can keep it fresh too.”

This is a free event for everyone, donations accepted in each city. Please come ready to eat and support all the vendors who are being highlighted and remember to Keep It Fresh!

Featured Speakers

Participating Organizations and Businesses