KJ Kearney is a community organizer and the founder of the 2024 James Beard Award winning social media account, BLACK FOOD FRIDAYS (BFF). BFF is a call-to-action, encouraging all to be intentional with their support of Black owned food/beverage businesses by purchasing from them each and every Friday.
His work highlights food history, news, information, and humor throughout the African Diaspora and includes hosting events, tours, dinners, and fireside chats for organizations such as the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, Charleston Wine + Food Festival, the Charleston Visitors Bureau, Amazon, and the Culinary Creatives Conference.
A Community Organizer for Charleston Promise Neighborhood, KJ wrote the proclamation for “Red Rice Day” adopted by the City of Charleston in 2018, creates community resource nights for the community, and has had appearances on the hit Food Network show, “Delicious Ms. Brown” and Peabody Award winning, Netflix documentary series “High on the Hog”.
Black Food Fridays has been featured or mentioned in a wide range of publications including TodayShow.com, Mic.com, Gastro Obscura, Bet.com, the Washington Post, The New York Times, and Good Morning America.
2:00 pm - 5:30 pm
