Based in East Cleveland, Ohio, Loiter is a non-profit organization that works to uplift the city’s residents by developing successful, community-owned businesses. Through this work, Loiter’s co-founder, Chef Ismail Samad, hopes to address the effects of systemic racial and economic injustice.
Using its 3.5 acres, Loiter provides residents with support to develop and run successful businesses, from food markets to bakeries. Since launching its first phase, the non-profit organization has brought food trucks and pop-up shops to Loiter’s premises. As Loiter expands, they plan to add a physical and online marketplace and cafe to support local entrepreneurs while addressing food insecurity. They are also working to develop a line of herbal teas and honey and will encourage community members to earn extra income by engaging in the production and processing of the goods.
Originally from East Cleveland, Samad launched Loiter in hopes of tackling some of the city’s most pressing challenges. But, he says, he was committed to avoiding a deficit framework in his approach. “The current story is that East Cleveland is the poorest city in the state of Ohio,” Samad told Food Tank.
He explains that he dislikes this view, plagued by the emphasis on the factors that hinder success. Samad hopes others will see “there is so much untapped talent in this community, there are so many underrated resources. How, “he asks,” do we exploit them and actually convert the raw talent, those resources, into something society says they need? “
By channeling this talent, Loiter hopes to facilitate a transformation that is part of a broader vision: a reimagining of the future of black societies centered on economic justice.
“You can not deny the fact that there is definitely a serious intentionality with the usual exclusion of colored communities,” Samad told Food Tank. And Loiter’s model hopes to address this legacy. By developing opportunities for community members to reinvest their resources in East Cleveland, Loiter wants to help lift both current and future generations.
“If we do not really create income streams that actually allow our next generations to accumulate and transfer wealth to their children, then we will only continue to play into this eternal, systemic distribution of oppression,” said Samad Mattank. Instead, he says, “the paying market must be rooted in closed loop systems with circular economies that are tight enough to keep resources and the dollar within smaller, insular communities and cities.”
Listen to the entire conversation with Ismail Samad on “Matprat med Dani Nierenberg” to hear about Samad’s efforts to combat food waste, Loiter’s vision for the future East Cleveland community, and what it means for Samad to live in “hopeful realities”.
Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we trust that you are part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.
