DISCLAIMER

This post originally appeared in the “Who Made The Potato Salad?” newsletter. It has been modified for use on the Black Food Fridays’ blog with permission (because DUH, I wrote it). Also: this is a two-part series. In this article, you’ll learn about the inspiration behind this soon-to-be-revealed pizza party. If you want to learn how to plan and prepare your own People Pizza’s Party, read the second article.

Reading is Fundamental.

Not to brag or anything but I’ve already read three books this year.

*pops collar*

The first book was Lies about Black People by Omekongo Dibinga, PhD. I started this book in 2024 but didn’t complete the work until the first week of January. Next was The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin. Easily one of the best books I’ve ever read, Baldwin does a masterful job of expressing his feelings on what it means to be Black in the United States. And the third was Yes, Chef, a memoir written by the award-winning chef and restauranteur, Marcus Samuelsson. I had no clue all he had been through. After reading, I have even more respect for him than I already had.

I’m currently listening to How We Can Win by community activist Kimberly Jones. Even if you don’t recognize the name, there’s a good chance you’ve seen this woman before. Jones went viral at the beginning of 2020’s movement for Black lives for saying the quiet part out loud: “…they are lucky that what Black people are looking for is equality and not revenge.”

While I may or may not have finished Kimberly’s book by the time you’ve read this, I already have my next one picked out: The Strength to Love by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Last week, I re-activated my national membership to Alpha Phi Alpha. And when I went to the chapter meeting, it was mentioned that the Brothers had started a book club. EXCITING TIMES! And, of course, a book written by the most famous member of our organization was their first selection.

But somewhere between thinking about my next book and ingesting the current one, I was struck with inspiration. While cruising the Libby app to see if my library carried The Strength to Love, I saw a book about the famed civil rights campaign Dr. King led, called “The Poor People’s Campaign” (PPC). And that made me wonder: could we remix King’s “Poor People’s Campaign” into something that deemphasized the “poor” part of the campaign AND was more food focused?

About The Poor People’s Campaign.

In November of 1967, King presented the idea for this campaign to the staff at the Southern Christians Leadership Conference (SCLC). Informed by the work of Marian Wright Edelman, King wanted to find a way to create a “…middle ground between riots on the one hand and timid supplications for justice on the other.” His original plan was for 2000 poor people, of various backgrounds, to descend onto Washington, DC and meet with government officials to elevate the economic issues that plagued the majority of the nation. They went to demand jobs, lobby for unemployment insurance, seek policies that would ensure a fair minimum wage, and make sure that quality education was made available for all children.

In 1968, after the untimely assassination of King, Ralph Albernathy took over the PPC. And even though the campaign produced some results, Albernathy felt as if those wins were a far cry from what they were originally looking to accomplish. Things kinda fizzled out from there.

In 2018, a revamped version of the PPC was created. Co-chaired by Rev. William Barber, III and Elizabeth Armen “Liz” Theoharis, this new version of essentially demanded the same provisions. Things like the full restoration and expansion of the Voting Rights Act, the immediate implementation of federal and state living wage laws that are commensurate for the 21st century economy, guaranteed annual incomes, and the right for all workers to form and join unions. The list is super thorough and I recommend you take a look. Cruising through their website and social media accounts, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of traction these days. Which sucks because, like I said, they have a really thoughtful list of demands. Things that, if implemented, would legitimately improve the lives of millions of Americans.

I think it’s safe to say that we have already experienced the wildest first month of any American Presidency. Planes are crashing out of the sky, Federal employees are being laid off without warning, non-profits are scrambling because of the constant threat of losing federal funding, all while ICE is grabbing anyone that doesn’t look white and shipping them out of the country. If there was ever a time for us to put aside our differences, clique up, and kick these Fascist square in the nuts—that time is now. And if I have it my way, the revolution will fueled by pizza!

Pizza Has Entered The Chat

One of the lines in Kimberly Jones’ book that grabbed me by the proverbial collar, was this one:

“When you are poor in America, so much is done to shame you. And to make you feel as though you have failed. And in fact, are a failure. You are made to feel that your definition, as a person, is as a failure.” — Kimberly Jones

“That’s it,” I thought to myself! The shame around being poor hinders people from actually doing anything about it. Think about it: if you’re near the bottom of the economic caste system, are you really trying to hold up a banner, or walk around in a tee shirt, telling everybody that you don’t have any money? That doesn’t even account for the folks who, while their income may suggest they are poor, don’t label themselves that way. But if there is one thing people will convene for, regardless of their social-economic background, it’s food. My work as an organizer has shown me that in real life.

When I was the Field Director for a non-profit organization that focused on environmental policy, I hosted “Postcard Parties” that created opportunities for action. The premise was simple: supporters would show up to write postcards to their state representatives outlining why they were or were not in support of a specific policy. I provided the contact information for their elected officials, a few scripts for them to remix at their leisure, and the ultimate community engagement magnet—free pizza! Now, mind you, the people who were serious about our legislative efforts were absolutely in a position to pay for their own food but very few people turn down free pizza! We would crank out so many postcards, after while, the Post Office cashier would start asking me what the hell we had going on.

These were not expensive events, either. The majority of the cost came from buying pizzas and refreshments but after a while, people would volunteer to chip in. Some meetings were completely sponsored by previous postcard party attendees! Remembering those days, combined with the amount of frustration and anger I see online as it relates to the current state of political affairs, led me to create this outline for The People’s Pizza Party.

Why “The People’s Pizza Party” Could Work.

Before we move on, I need y’all to understand: I don’t consider The People’s Pizza Party a replacement for the PCC. There is no need to throw away decades of excellent research, groundwork, and institutional knowledge just because I don’t like the PPC’s name. In my mind, this is just one tool in the toolbox of the liberated. So please don’t feel as if you have to pick a side. You can add this concept to whatever movements or political actions you are already involved with.

Now that I’ve made my intentions clear, here are the six reasons I feel that The People’s Pizza Party has an opportunity to galvanize the nation:

1. “THE PEOPLE’S PIZZA PARTY” IS AN AWESOME NAME. Like I said earlier, people aren’t trying trying to wear tee shirts announcing they are poor. In contrast, the “The People’s Pizza Party” is name people of all ages can rally around, without the potential for economic-status shaming. Also, I use the word “party” for two specific reasons. One, because in my dream of dreams, the People’s Pizza Party would become a viable third-party option. And secondly, because pizza parties are tight AF!
2. PIZZA ACTS AS A CONVENER OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. With pizza, you can find ways for everyone to be involved. For example, a few weeks ago I was helping babysit a nephew and niece. We made pizzas and painted protest signs. The sign I made said “DON’T TALK TO COPS WITHOUT A LAWYER”. My niece loved it and asked if she could keep it! Believe or not, it led to some interesting conversations around their rights as individuals. But this is not limited to kids. From Senior Citizens to the formerly incarcerated, trans individuals to military veterans, literally anyone can get with the program!
3. PIZZA IS INCOME INCLUSIVE. Whether you can shell out $12,000 for a pizza or need to hit up Little Caesers for the $3.99 Crazy Puffs, pizzas can be purchased at a wide-range of budgets. Not to mention, you could just buy your own pizza supplies and make your own pizzas. The point is, money is not a huge barrier to hosting a People’s Pizza Party.
4. PIZZA IS DIETARY RESTRICTION FRIENDLY. Got Celiac disease? No problem! You can eat gluten-free crust. Don’t eat pork? There are a plethora of other meat toppings you can choose from. Oh wait, you don’t eat meat? Load that bish up with veggies, then. And even if you’re one of those weird “fruit on pizza” types, you can still get down.
5. PIZZA BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER. No matter of your income level, education accomplishments, employment status, or even political affiliation—pizza is the culinary glue that binds us. If this Harris Poll from 2023 is to be believed, pizza is already America’s favorite food so we should leverage that societal goodwill into a force for positive change.
6. SHARING PIZZA IS A LITERAL BREAKING OF BREAD. A friend recently pointed out to me that sharing a meal with other people is a significant part of many cultures, around the world. It’s a major tenet of the Christian faith (I only bring that up because the United States considers itself a “Christian Nation”) and even outside of the framework of religion, it’s often used as a metaphor for safe discussion.

Next Steps.

As an organizer, I meet people all the time who have a lot of energy yet have no idea how to harness it for good. This is an idea that has been rumbling around my head for a while now and with all of the recent boycott talk, I figured that this was as good a time as any to present it to the world. Whether “The People’s Pizza Party” takes off, or not, is not my main concern. I just wanted to create a fun, delicious, and accessible way to encourage people to get involved. But now that I’ve explained the why, it’s time I show you how to put one of these pizza parties together. In next week’s newsletter, I’ll share a step-by-step guide for those interested in hosting their own People’s Pizza Party.

By the way, if you enjoyed reading about The People’s Pizza Party and know someone who would also be into the concept, share this article! If you’re looking for ways to implement this idea, read part two, “Planning The People’s Pizza Party” right now.