The Gifford Foundation “What If…” Film Series presents Soul Food Junkies in partnership with 100 Black Men of Syracuse and The Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company.

NOTE: This event is NOT at ArtRage Gallery
This event will be held at the South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St.

Ah, soul food. Mama’s crispy fried chicken, creamy mac and cheese and steamy collard greens. Dad’s finger-licking barbecue and pork chops as well as sis’s mouth-watering pound cake. And don’t forget Aunt-T’s sweet potato pie that literally melts in your mouth. Soul food, that beloved staple of many African-American families, has sustained generations and achieved nearly mythological status. However, the health benefits of those comfort food dishes that provided the extra calories to perform manual labor on the farm and in factories are now being called into question in the Digital Age.

“Soul Food Junkies,” by award-winning filmmaker Byron Hurt is a documentary that recognizes soul food’s importance to black cultural identity but doesn’t shy away from its potential health risks. The film deals with the question of eating habits within the African-American community and the often-tumultuous relationship between healthy living and tradition. It is a documentary that deals with the larger question it raises of how, even food, is not only personal, but political, given who has access to healthy options.

The event will feature a skit performed by the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company and specially selected snacks.

Free and open the public. RSVP online is strongly encouraged as seating is limited.

Founded in 2008, The 100 Black Men of Syracuse, Inc. is committed to the intellectual development of youth and the economic empowerment of the African-American community based upon the following precepts: Respect for Family, Spirituality, Justice and Integrity.
Founded in 1982, The Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company, Inc. provides the Central New York community with high quality theatre performances coming out of an African American tradition while at the same time providing opportunities for artists (youth and adults) from minority communities.