Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton delivers a powerful speech at the grand opening of the Sankofa Food Market, emphasizing the importance of food access and honoring ancestral ties to land and community-building (Photo Credit: Marshelle Sanders).
The grand opening of the Sankofa Food Market occurred Thursday (Oct. 24) at Imani Village, 901 East 95th Street. The term Sankofa means to retrieve, and this food market reflects the commitment to bringing fresh, accessible food to the community while celebrating its rich cultural diversity.
The Endeleo Institute, in partnership with Trinity United Church of Christ, announced the grand opening of the market, collaborating with the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the American Heart Association in this important endeavor.
African Dance and Music Institute members opened the ceremony by drumming and dancing, highlighting the significance of honoring traditional African culture. They also introduced the institute’s mission, which is to invoke the spirits of the ancestors using proverbs and percussion instruments.
African Dance and Music Institute members performing at the Sankofa Food Market opening (Photo Credit: Marshelle Sanders).
The program centered on the opening of Sankofa Food Market, led by Rev. Dr. Rochelle Michael and Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III with guest speaker Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, along with special remarks from team members and the Imani Village community.
This celebration also marked the transformation of a former property into a dynamic community space that will soon include housing and potential hotel developments.
Moss III, Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, began by acknowledging several individuals and groups present.
“You are in a remarkable space that we call Imani Village. This property once was The House of Kicks (a small indoor amusement park) 30 years ago; it has been transformed through our vision to connect and heal our community from the cradle to the grave, from sunrise to sunset.”
He encouraged attendees to explore the facility, highlighting that it covers more than just space. Plans include housing options and a hotel, “not a motel, a hotel to be developed here,” he added.
Moss also introduced Stratton, who talked about raising four daughters and making moves in her career as the first African American woman to serve as lieutenant governor in Illinois.
She spoke about the importance of food access and the Illinois Grocery Initiative, which aims to address food uncertainty and support local grocers. She thanked the volunteers and acknowledged the hard work of various teams and individuals in making the day possible. Stratton also shared the story of her ancestors, (twins) William and Daniel Stevens, who were given land in Mississippi and built a community.
“My great-great-grandfather and his twin tilled the land, building an entire community from the land. They built a church to feed their souls and a school to feed their bodies and farmed that rich Mississippi soil.”
Stratton also spoke about the harmful racist policy that has historically separated black families from their land and disrupted their ability to grow food and nourish their communities.
With the opening of the Sankofa Food Market, Stratton stated the importance of returning to the time-honored practices of feeding the community, not just physically, but also mentally and spiritually with openness, and a powerful return to those roots.
Community members young and old gathered at the grand opening of the Sankofa Food Market at Imani Village (Photo Credit: Marshelle Sanders).
Ald. Michelle Harris (8th) shared personal anecdotes about the importance of home-cooked meals and the impact of healthy eating on longevity.
“This is a beacon in a dark, white, lighted corner of the world; in the Black community, we’re dying because we don’t have access and because we haven’t been taught. As a kid, I had the lovely opportunity to have all my meals home-cooked. I had breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I had something different many days a month. I cannot tell you that my grandparents, who raised me, were amazing cooks, and they live to be well into their 90s. My grandfather died at 98, my grandmother died at 94, and I want to say it was because we didn’t eat out much; we ate a balanced meal every day.”
Ald. William Hall (6th), also involved in the project, acknowledged the Chicago Food Depository’s leadership and expressed gratitude for the partnership and leadership in creating the Sankofa Food Market.
The attendees were invited to enjoy food samples and take market tours to celebrate the opening. The event conveyed heartfelt gratitude for the partnership leadership that made it possible to complete Imani Village’s role and its goal of strengthening the community. It concluded with an outpouring of love, appreciation for the community, and the collective efforts of everyone involved in bringing this vision to life.