BIPOC Portraits is a series in which Best of Vegan contributors Val & Mani Latifi of Plant-Based Passport profile one BIPOC vegan creator each week over the course of 16 weeks, to shed light on the unique challenges BIPOCs face in making the decision to embrace veganism. For BIPOCs, the prevailing narrative that veganism is a white-dominated movement can often mean a perceived loss of cultural identity. The hope of this profile series is to make veganism a little less lonely for BIPOCs and to give courage to vegan-curious BIPOCs out there. In the ninth installment of BIPOC Portraits, Natali Eleftheriou of Natlicious Food shares her journey to veganism as a Cypriot with Congolese and Indian roots. She also provides a mouthwatering recipe for Vegan Congolese Poulet au Karanga (“Chicken” in Peanut Sauce).
[The acronym BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color]
Natali is a Junior Software Developer living in Cyprus. Natali’s journey to veganism began in 2017 while living in the U.K. There, she met some vegans and grew curious about what they eat and why they changed their diet. Around that time, she watched Okja and became convinced it was wrong to eat meat; it was akin to eating her dogs. From there, she educated herself about the meat and dairy industry, and the way animals are treated. When she’s not working on NatliciousFood, Natali enjoys spending time with her dogs and being in nature. She also has a passion for traveling and learning about new cultures and cuisines. Natali loves gardening and witnessing the magical process of watching a plant grow from seed to fruit. Natali is currently working on developing an Android/iOS app and creating content for her website, YouTube channel, and Instagram accounts.
Follow Natali: Instagram | Website | YouTube
When you first went vegan, did you see the vegan community as diverse? Did you see yourself as having a place in the vegan community as a BIPOC?
When I turned vegan, I was living in the U.K., so the only vegans I knew were British, to be honest! However, when I created NatliciousFood on Instagram I connected with loads of vegans from different ethnicities and cultures, so this was very interesting!
For me, being vegan is all about celebrating plant-based foods and respecting each other, the animals, and Mother Earth
Coming from a country where the education and health system is equal for everyone, regardless of the color of our skin, I’m not sure I’m in a position to comment on the experience of a BIPOC vegan person in the U.S. However for me, being vegan is all about celebrating plant-based foods and respecting each other, the animals and Mother Earth! While in the U.K., I met loads of vegan people of different cultures and backgrounds and none of them felt that they didn’t fit in the vegan community—quite the opposite. It is nice that the vegan community can be so diverse and that everyone can contribute!
Did you have any fears or reservations about going vegan? Did you feel like you might lose part of your cultural identity in your transition to veganism?
At first, I saw it as a diet, and because I was never on a strict diet before, I was afraid that I wouldn’t last. However, someone told me that veganism is not a diet—it’s a choice—and once you know why you have chosen to do it, then those reasons should be enough to keep you going!
As a Cypriot, a big part of our food traditions has to do with meat, fish, and dairy. However, we also fast before Easter, Christmas, and in the summertime, so as a culture we have a lot of recipes that are vegan anyway. So, I’m holding on to those recipes, and just veganize the ones that are not!
Did you worry about how your friends and family would react to your decision to go vegan? And how did they react?
I did worry, as most of our meals are meat or dairy-based, and the truth is that they didn’t take it very well. I thought they wouldn’t understand why I was going vegan, and they were constantly worrying that I was not getting enough nutrition!
Veganism is not a diet—it’s a choice—and once you know why you have chosen to do it, then those reasons should be enough to keep you going
Did you have challenges finding vegan substitutes to make your cultural dishes? What substitutes did you make?
Not really, I just had to use my imagination a bit and get creative in the kitchen! Once I realised that meat was essentially protein and I just needed to get my protein from elsewhere, everything was easy!
Article Val and Mani Latifi. Recipe and photos by Natali Eleftheriou of Natlicious Food.
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Vegan Congolese Poulet au Karanga (“Chicken” in Peanut Sauce)
