Feeding the Black Market
It took studying food apartheid in communities around the globe for abolitionist Shauntrice Martin to find the inspiration to address the problem of food access in her hometown of Louisville. In the process, she ignited a movement and opened Black Market Kentucky, a Black female-owned sustainable grocery store in the Russell neighborhood.
Her desire to address food access kicked into high gear nine months ago when, during protests over the police slaying of Breonna Taylor, David McAtee was killed at his business, YaYa’s BBQ, which was located across the street from the Kroger store on West Broadway.
Because of looting during the unrest, Kroger temporarily closed the store and Martin shifted into overdrive to create #FeedTheWest, a volunteer effort to raise food donations and funds for residents suddenly without food access. Little did she know the Louisville community would answer her call with a resounding show of support—and funds.
“Through the nonprofit Change Today, Change Tomorrow, we started #FeedTheWest thinking we would feed a few dozen families for a short period of time. Instead, we had hundreds of people in need,” says Martin, founder of #FeedTheWest and Black Market Kentucky.
As #FeedTheWest gained momentum, a bigger dream emerged: a community-driven and Black-owned grocery store in West Louisville that offered healthy, organic and locally grown produce. That dream came true in November 2020 when Black Market Kentucky opened in a former Domino’s Pizza building at the corner of 23rd and Market streets.
“We are finally breaking down a barrier so residents can have access to healthy food for free or at a reduced cost,” says Martin. A lot of the products are from local Black farmers and business owners and include essential items like meat, fresh produce, eggs, beans, shelf-stable products, cleaning supplies and more.
Customers can either buy at the store or order online for pickup or delivery. Bundles are also available and include a collection of products. Bundle themes include: veggie, essential, Black list, classic and a #FeedTheWest donation bundle. The market accepts several methods of payment and is awaiting approval to accept WIC/EBT cards. Until then, according to Martin, families who use WIC/EBT receive a free #FeedtheWest Bundle.
Martin also wants to remove employment barriers by hiring ex-offenders to work at the store.
In the nine months since Martin began her mission to fight food apartheid, which she defines as the social and racial inequalities of food systems that make it difficult for people living in low-income areas to access fresh, healthy food, over 50,000 residents in West Louisville have received free groceries and 10,000 free meals have been given to Jefferson County Public School families.
