Embark on a flavorful journey in the Spice Mastery Workshop\, a Black History Month program\, where you'll delve int o the fascinating world of homemade spice blends. This workshop is led by Tom Otieno\, chef and owner of Jikoni Toledo\, a food truck and catering c ompany serving East African fare. Otieno\, a native of Kenya\, will share that Jikoni means &ldquo\;kitchen&rdquo\; in Swahili as he offers tips\, r ecipe handouts\, and spice blending guides for your own home kitchen.
\ nThe Association for the Study of African American Life and History (AS ALH) has selected \;African Americans and Labor \;as the theme of Black History Month 2025. In celebration of this theme\, Toledo Library is hosting programs throughout February that spotlight Black-owned businesse s in Lucas County.
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From the ASALH website (asalh.org):
The 2025 Black History Month theme\, African Americans\, and
Labor\, focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of
all kinds &ndash\; free and unfree\, skilled\, and unskilled\, vocational
and voluntary &ndash\; intersect with the collective experiences of Black
people. Indeed\, work is at the very center of much of Black history and c
ulture. Be it the traditional agricultural labor of enslaved Africans that
fed Low Country colonies\, debates among Black educators on the importanc
e of vocational training\, self-help strategies and entrepreneurship in Bl
ack communities\, or organized labor&rsquo\;s role in fighting both econom
ic and social injustice\, Black people&rsquo\;s work has been transformati
onal throughout the U.S.\, Africa\, and the Diaspora. The 2025 Black Histo
ry Month theme\, &ldquo\;African Americans and Labor\,&rdquo\; sets out to
highlight and celebrate the potent impact of this work.