Atlanta’s Wadada Healthy Market and Juice Bar Celebrates Five Years of Nourishing the African American Community
Atlanta — The Wadada Healthy Market and Juice Bar, the first Black woman-owned health market and juice bar in Atlanta, is celebrating its fifth year of operation within the city’s West End.
As part of their landmark celebration, the market held an event on Saturday, April 6. The celebrations kicked off at 11 a.m. and continued until 7 p.m., featuring a unity ceremony at 2 p.m. Participants were treated to all-day giveaways, a new menu launch, tastings, and discounts on purchases of $20 or more.
Addressing Health Crises through Healthy Food Choices
Wadada Healthy Market and Juice Bar were established in 2019 by Jeanette Sellers, also referred to as Sister Nilajah Ma’at. Sister Ma’at created Wadada as a response to the escalating health crisis in the Black community. According to her, the health crisis is personal, borne out of seeing her family members succumbing to heart disease and cancer.
The establishment of Wadada signaled a shift towards healthier food choices and the adoption of a plant-based lifestyle influenced by the Rastafari movement’s teachings.
“Wadada is here to encourage our community to simplify their diet and make healthier choices. Unfortunately, profit over people is deeply entrenched in American culture, benefiting from disease,” Sellers explained.
“And it’s a fact that Black communities have been neglected the most. I aim to bridge this gap and be a servant to change our state and condition because it can be changed, and it doesn’t take much.”
Overcoming Health Risks
Acknowledging the higher risks that African Americans face, with conditions such as heart diseases, stroke, cancer, asthma, influenza, pneumonia, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS, Sellers’ goal is to bridge the accessibility gap to affordable and healthy food choices that predominantly plague low-income, minority neighborhoods.
Substantiating her claims are reports from Emory University’s Rollin School of Public Health. In this 2023 document, it was found that 52% of residents in 2015 lived within half a mile of fresh produce, which increased to 75% by 2020, thanks to new neighborhood markets and farmers’ markets.
However, these advancements have primarily been observed in neighborhoods with larger white populations.
Health, Wellness, and Community Building
To combat this disparity, Wadada offers a diverse range of herbs, tonics, cold-pressed juices, and vegan meals. Their offerings are meticulously planned and incorporate organic fruits and vegetables known for their health benefits.
Besides providing nourishing food, Wadada has become a beacon for community empowerment. They not only cater to individual health needs through their customized menu but also offer local Black-owned businesses the opportunity to house their products at the store.
Looking towards the future, Sellers hopes to open five more locations within the Atlanta area in the next five years while moving the flagship store into a larger space. “Our health and our wealth — those two things come together. So financially, if we’re not sound and we’re not grounded financially, that causes stress. Then stress causes disease. And so, it’s about creating wealth. It’s cooperative economics.”
Sellers’ commitment to health, wellness, and community building reflects in the customer testimonies. For many, Wadada has become a symbol for positive change and a healthier future, not just for individuals, but for the whole community as well.
