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Phil Lewis's avatar

This is a really interesting newsletter! Glad I subscribed.

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KJ Kearney's avatar

Thank you, Phil! I'm an admirer of your work as well. I appreciate you for stopping by to read and comment.

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Thomas Cleary's avatar

Very educational and with a good helping of humor. It’s the first time I’d heard about the ladies in Gortonville.

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KJ Kearney's avatar

Yeah! Most people haven't heard of them. Fried chicken has been helping Black people in ways most of us can't even imagine. To be unwilling to be associated with this item just shows how many of us do not know our history.

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Kahja Elliott's avatar

This part right here...."there is a level of privilege sprinkled throughout these fried chicken convos that makes me…uncomfortable." Lots of hierarchal nuances here. It's that same tone I hear when the reference"Black Professionals" is used. Professional whats? Jugglers? Ditch Diggers??? It gives a bit of classism, and as a person with some privilege, I've been guilty of it sometimes too.

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KJ Kearney's avatar

Oh yeah! I recognize the privilege because I'm guilty of falling into that trap as well. Not nearly as much as I did, say 15 years ago, but I have to challenge my own biases every so often. This chicken thing is one of the areas I've come around on. Especially being a community organizer, I'm way less likely to judge how someone eats or what someone eats. Except for grits. NO ONE SHOULD PUT SUGAR IN GRITS! LOL

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Wendy's avatar

Wonderful read! Context and historical truth mattered and you summed up both brilliantly.

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Renee's avatar

Thanks for sharing this - your opinion and all of the history behind fried chicken. Great read :) I already follow your IG, gonna subscribe to your substance now

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Susan Lucas Hoffman's avatar

This is why I read what you write. Thank you! You

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Jennifer's avatar

I remember when I was in school we would have potlucks at school and bring a national dish of our country. There were empanadas, and fried plantains, griot (Haitian over here 🙋🏿) and so many other cultures would participate. And then we had to do a presentation about our culture and our dish. Your school idea is meeting me think of that and how it was so impactful. Imagine a whole month of that. As someone who didn't see the fuss about the KFC Canada thing but also didn't know why I didn't care. This gave me some phrasing around the whole thing. Thank you for this really interesting article

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Melody Dare's avatar

Brilliant! Really. So refreshing to read REAL! Bless you and if I could ever be so privileged to taste just a morsel of your culinary talent, it would be a dream come true, well that and taking a cooking class in the Basque region of Spain. It’s such a small world much happiness for you!

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Carrington Lewis's avatar

Awesome!!!

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Terrance P. Elmore's avatar

Really good article. Reminded me of when the company I worked for had a BHM kickoff with fried chicken on the menu. People were so upset that the cafeteria scratched all of their BHM specials, and an apology email went out.

What’s interesting is I found one of my favorite places to get fried chicken at the suggestion of a white woman and an old white guy showed me how to pick out the best watermelon.

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Sep 1, 2023
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KJ Kearney's avatar

Thank you! That means a lot. I want to be entertaining while also giving my opinions. And, in my mind, having factual information to back up my thoughts, is the best way to do so.

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