Maame Boakye and Nina Oduro, the cofounders of Dine Diaspora, hosted the Black Women in Food Summit this past weekend and it was a blast. Over 200 women packed out the Eaton Hotel in DC. The flow of the event was smooth. The content was substantive. The attendees’ energy was high. I’ve been processing the Summit for the past couple of days and I’m really in awe of the vision Maame B. and Nina brought to reality. How do they do it? The question brings to mind an inside joke I hear them throwing around, “We’re so FPG!” Over the course of this piece, I will use the FPG framing to offer my observations of the elements that make the Dine Diaspora team so good at what they do.
Dine Diaspora and Black Women in Food
Before I get into FPG, I’ll provide a little context on Dine Diaspora and Black Women in Food. Nina and Maame B. started Dine Diaspora to highlight chefs of the African Diaspora. I attended their second private dinner where I paid the most money I had ever spent on a meal. I wrote a bit about it in No. 57. Fine dining and Black food were two different things in my mind before that dinner. They were one and the same when I left. They went on to expose me to emerging professionals in the space who are now brands – Eric Adjepong, Paola Velez, Kwame Onwuachi, and more.
From their early days hosting private dinners, Dine Diaspora went on to put together a range of programming, from Chop Bar, the wavy day party and tasting menu concept, to Dish and Sip, virtual conversations with food entrepreneurs they hosted in partnership with companies like Facebook during the height of the pandemic.
Over the course of time, the team noticed that men in the food and beverage industry were getting more shine than women. They created the annual Black Women in Food campaign to highlight 31 women doing incredible work across the industry during Women’s History Month every March. They conduct one of the more thorough nominee sourcing and vetting processes I’ve seen. Favoritism and pay-to-play don’t exist in their process, which has enabled them to honor a wide-ranging group of women.
Last year, I started hearing Maame B. talk about taking Black Women in Food to the next level. Next thing I know, she started talking about turning it into a standalone brand. Then, she started talking about putting on a Summit. Uber Eats, EatOkra, and other sponsors were signing on. I heard they were getting Fawn Weaver to be the keynote speaker. Eaton Hotel was going to be the location. The waterfall of movement was flowing.
What is wild is that as much as I have gotten to see and hear about the work the team was putting into the Summit, I was still blown away when I walked into the packed event space on Saturday. Enterprising black women were all over the hotel comparing notes, praying with one another, learning, and re-energizing themselves as they pursued growth in their personal lives and careers.
They’re So FPG!
What enables Maame B and Nina to get something like the Black Women in Food Summit done? Maame explained to me that FPG doesn’t stand for anything in particular. It reminds them of one of their early clients who demanded a high level of precision in their work. Since that time, they’ve used the term as a reminder for them that the standard for their work is excellence.
While I was reflecting on the eve of the Summit, FPG came to mind and I took a shot at capturing some of what distinguishes the Dine Diaspora team in how they work. What came to mind was the following: the business operates with focus, is extremely proactive, and works with an air of grace at all times.
In my view, these qualities have shaped their success. To further understand their impact, let’s go deeper into each of these qualities:
Focused: Maame B. and Nina have a standing meeting every week where they talk through every part of the business and deliverables for whatever projects they have ongoing. That meeting used to go on for hours, which was incredible to witness. They’ve since pushed to get everything done in an hour. They do this every week. By keeping this level of focus, they ensure that their events and campaigns are executed with precision and purpose.
Proactive: Dine Diaspora and Black Women in Food come from seeing a gap in the market and addressing it. One of the things I so appreciate about the team is that they’re solution-oriented at the micro and macro level. They don’t wait for opportunities to come to them; instead, they seek out gaps in the industry and take action to fill those spaces. If there is a problem with a project, they do whatever is required to fix it. Their proactive approach has led to the creation of innovative and engaging events that celebrate the contributions of the African Diaspora to the food and beverage industry and add value to black folks working in it.
Gracious: Maame B. and Nina treat their partners, collaborators, and attendees, not to mention each other, with respect and gratitude. They care about the details to make sure folks feel every dollar they have spent feels worth it. When they have faced challenges, they are quick to take accountability and address them. Their graciousness also extends to their willingness to uplift and support others. You will not see them elevate themselves above others. Their core business is expanding the pie and it shows in how they work.
More Vim
The success Maame B. and Nina are enjoying is a testament to their focus, proactive approach, and graciousness. With these three ingredients, they have been able to create a platform that celebrates and empowers the African Diaspora in the food and beverage industry. Their dedication to excellence, which they jokingly refer to as “FPG,” sets a high standard for their work and I’m sure inspires others, as it does me, to strive for greatness. As their impact continues to grow, we can only expect them to hit new heights. The Dine Diaspora and Black Women in Food story is still very, very early. Pay attention.
Full Disclosure: I am madly in love with Maame B. and her biggest fan. Do with that what you will in filtering my observations.
KWAME 