By Imani Jackson August 26, 2021

My old Instagram account was @ImaniJackson. But today you’ll find me @JuiceyJew. How did that happen? During a summer of growing pains, mindfulness, and healing, my alter ego emerged. Or maybe just my true authentic self came out to play. I’m still deciding.

A swift change in my diet changed everything. What had happened was two entrepreneurs, a personal trainer and chef, started dating. My boyfriend Tyler (founder of Totally Committed) and I had a moment of enlightenment when we understood the layers of our ancestral medical history. We saw how we could dismantle some of those generational curses— obesity, poor nutrition, anxiety, stress — and rebuild them into generational success for our future family and friends.

It started, of course, with food. We literally become what we eat, and our gut will manifest anxiety, stress, bloating, and more through consuming food that isn’t meant for us. Food our ancestors made follows a fresh and sustainable diet, whereas now we barely know what those two words mean.

We started with a 15 day juice cleanse. That was truly no joke— but now I’m juicing everywhere and juicing everything. Yes, yes I did pack a juicer for my vacation to Arizona this summer. Judge me.

The diet was straight up fresh juice and alkaline water for 15 days. We also had vitamins, minerals and sea moss to supplement our iron deficiency. Lots of research went into this juice cleanse, so we could create the optimal mindfulness and clarity.

How do certain foods store in our body? How do certain foods make us feel? What foods are best for detoxing and getting rid of visceral fat that eventually can create cancer cells?

I’m the type that when I get excited, I want to share. I want everyone and their mama to start juicing — so I started a juice club with me as the chef and my partner as a personal trainer. We meet in person or do virtual. Truly depends on what’s best for the individual. Sometimes I even juice a week’s worth of 12 ounce bottles for folks who don’t have a juicer.

It’s more than just drinking fresh juice— there’s workouts, group discussions, cooking healthy foods together, mindfulness, and so much more. The idea is to create a new culture for our community. And that’s where my alter ego came out: I took it so seriously that I even changed my name on IG to @JuiceyJew. Pretty soon you’ll find my juice in a store near you, freshly made by a Black Jew.

You ever notice how in life when you change inside, the world outside shifts too? The big changes I made in my body and my consciousness all summer brought even bigger changes to my business as fall approached. Chopped and Served, the community catering company I founded, will be moving into a kosher kitchen at University of Minnesota Hillel. We will be their in-house caterer!

Minnesota Hillel just went through an $8 million renovation, and let me tell ya, the building is popping— a complete event center, half a basketball court, a full two-part kosher kitchen. It’s so nice, and I should know: Before the renovation, I lived in the old building for free in exchange for catering their events. Water leaked from the third floor onto the stage like a monsoon and every part of the meat kosher kitchen was slowly breaking down. It was time! Now there isn’t a better place for students to be than Hillel.

This space is more than just a place for students to gather. Our goal is for our kitchen and our food to turn Hillel into a center of comfort, acceptance, excellence, perseverance, and more for our Jewish community. And I believe food will do that. Hosting student Shabbats every Friday, student programs, bat/bar mitzvahs, weddings, private events, speaking engagements — a kitchen is the engine for community.

Our first event will be September 6 for the High Holidays. Which is so fitting, because students will immediately see what I’ve always known to be true: the wisdom of our ancestors’ diet and traditions can help us grow throughout our lives.

Pre-breakfast JuicyJew juice cleanse

This is my go-to juice, perfect as summer turns to fall.

5 Red Delicious apples
6 apricots
3 peaches or plums – you decide

Wash, core and pit fruit. Add to juicer. Drink fresh!

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