Abundant Harvest Kitchen Hosts ‘Traces of the Trade;’ Opens Dialogue on Racial Justice

SPRING, TX -- Abundant Harvest Kitchen welcomed 50 community members for a free dinner, film screening and moderated discussion to create a more connected, meaningful dialogue about racism.

“Traces of the Trade,” official selection of the 2008 Sundance Festival, follows descendants of the DeWolf family as they grapple with the reality that their ancestors were the foremost slave traders in the U.S.

Dain Perry, a primary descendant of the DeWolf family, learned of his family’s history 25 years ago.

“I was rocked to the bottom of my soul,” said Perry. “Racism is a cancer that eats away the soul of our country. Our goal is to deepen that national conversation by telling the truth about our shared history.”

Attendees enjoyed a three-course dinner prepared by Harvest Kitchen’s in-house catering team, Exquisite Harvest Cuisine, as they digested the reality of racism and its connection to health.

“Just look at life expectancy,” said Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF) Senior Congregational Engagement Officer Eric Moen. “Racism is a very real product of the institution all of us live in and that institution keeps people of color away from opportunities and stuck in poor living conditions. In those living conditions, life expectancy plummets.”

The free event was one of five this week, sponsored by St. Isidore's Episcopal Church and led by the Episcopal Health Foundation. The EHF is based in Houston and serves 80 counties and 175 churches under the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. Rooted in faith and active in hope, EHF believes firmly that racism impacts health and that all Texans deserve to live a healthy life. That life, according to Dain Perry’s wife, Constance, can be dramatically improved.

“We live our life by moving forward, but we understand our life by looking backward,” said Perry quoting a favorite author or hers. “As a nation, we are polarized. We need to look at our histories with clear eyes, so we can fully understand who we are and what our lives are about.”

Dain Perry’s ancestors were active in the Episcopal church as lay and clergy leaders. Descendants were filmed as they traveled to Ghana and Cuba, reckoning the family’s history with slavery. The screening and discussion touched those in attendance. Following the screening, attendees joined the Perry family in discussing their feelings and critical aspects of racism such as privilege, reparations and what prevents more conversations from happening.

“I think people are scared of offending each other,” said Amy Ward, an attendee. “It’s a topic layered with emotion. Layered with hurt. It requires a huge emotional commitment and bravery. We need more of these conversations. We need more of this kind of open vulnerability.”

Abundant Harvest Kitchen is the outreach arm and primary charity for St. Isidore Episcopal Church. The family featured in Traces of the Trade – ancestors and descendants – are all members of the Episcopal Church. The documentary’s creator is a member of the Episcopal Church and cousin of descendant Dain Perry.

Based in Spring, Texas, Abundant Harvest Kitchen is dedicated to feeding the body, nourishing the soul and transforming the community through a variety of charitable, outreach missions. As needs in the community grow, so does the organization. More information can be found at www.harvestkitchen.org.

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