Blog

The beauty, elegance, and strength of the women poured out as we were getting ready to start.

I am not there to control the room. I am there to witness it, to honor it. A teacher? No. A facilitator. A conduit for the Art of Soulmaking.

I see people standing up, taking off those masks, and finally letting the world see who they really are, flawed, but still worthy, broken, but still here. And I am one of them.

Bringing women together, serving nourishing food, being of great service to others, honoring my hospitality skill set, growing and nurturing sistership, and helping create safe spaces for shares, all feel like a form of self-flourishing.

This isn’t just another dinner; it’s an experience enriched by conversations on food justice, art, and community, featuring community activists, artists, and the perspectives of everyday people touched by this initiative.

by Jeffrey Yasmine My name is Jeffrey Yasmine and I am from South Carolina, Lexington, South Carolina to be exact, which is a small town outside the capital city of...

The thing that I see is women feeling relaxed and free and open in a way where their inner beauty and genius can express and come out. This is vital in the world right now. Women must remember their power.

The chefs and kitchen interns of Free Food also have their own stories. Our justice-impacted interns come to us at first as a way to reduce their sentences due to crimes committed, but I hope they also will find something else for themselves while in the kitchen.

Just because someone did something wrong, hurt someone or committed some crime, does not invalidate them as a fellow human being with all the innate goals, hopes, and dreams free world people have.

For me art is much more than a poem, drawing, painting, sculpture or any one specific design. Art is a sanctuary where the mind is quieted and the core self can be met. Art is a place of healing, connection and service to others, where I have learned to be accountable to my actions and as a means to make amends to the communities inside and out of prison.

After being away from Harlem, NY for eight months, I had the fortunate opportunity to come back and be the photographer of the Refettorio Harlem Holiday Soiree.

On December 9th, Women Over Dinner (WOD) hosted its very first dinner in a prison at the Taconic Correctional Facility. On that same day, 100 women around the world hosted dinners in solidarity with the incarcerated women at Taconic.