If it is only my perspective, is it?

I created Pure Grit BBQ with inclusion in mind. A BBQ place where everyone is welcome. My first thought for a tagline was, “You’re Welcome.” I thought it was clever and inviting. 

The concept of Pure Grit is plant-based and gluten-free. We intentionally created the brand to be approachable for BBQ lovers, meat-eaters, and vegans. As a predominantly plant-eater, my point of reference was feeling excluded from BBQ culture and judged for being vegetarian (you know the eye roll), while also being "not vegan enough.” I wanted to create a brand that was inviting to everyone, with a delicious BBQ-centric menu for all palettes. By also making the menu gluten-free, it really felt like BBQ for ALL. But it was only “BBQ for all” from my point of reference. I was only thinking about my feelings of exclusion. What about the legacy of the Black and Brown community in BBQ? BBQ in this country would not exist without those traditional roots, yet my BBQ references were all white. 

I was raised not to talk about race, to be polite, and to treat everyone equally. Racism was someone else, somewhere else. I see now that that mentality is the problem. 

I have spent the last few weeks reading and listening. White privilege and racism exist and are pervasive. So pervasive and ingrained in society that they are hiding in plain sight. I don’t see myself as racist but I benefit from a system that was created for my white skin. I want to be part of the solution. It’s time for me to challenge the status quo, question what I was taught, and continue to push myself to engage in difficult conversations. I want to strive every day to be anti-racist.

Pure Grit is committed to equality and inclusion. We always have been—but now we see what that truly means. We intend to build our brand with eyes wide open, and take this opportunity to do it right. 

We busted into BBQ to shake up the male-dominated, animal-eating norms with femininity and vegetables. We honor BBQ’s heritage while forging a new path, one that is authentic to us. “Authentic” is a loaded word in the BBQ community, often used to describe the cooking process and the meat. We intend to exemplify it in our words and actions. We will continue to keep you updated in subsequent posts on our progress as we grow. 

BBQ is about gathering, sharing stories, listening, and belonging. As we launch Pure Grit, I challenge myself, my team, and our partners to build a brand that is truly for ALL. We are only as good as the seats at our table. I hope that when we open, you will pull up a chair. Let’s share a meal and talk.