Featured
The West End’s Soul Vegetarian, Atlanta’s Oldest Black-Owned Vegan Restaurant, Bids Farewell
Just days before the closure of Atlanta’s oldest Black-owned vegan restaurant on July 12, TheAtlantaVoice visited Soul Vegetarian as it prepared to close a chapter in its rich history. A woman who had been coming to the restaurant since she was a child fellowshipped over a meal with her teenage son, reflecting two generations that the West End institution has fed. Farouq Dawud, a customer since the restaurant opened its doors, sat in a dedicated corner with a boxed plate of food in front of him.
While the longstanding customers bid their last goodbyes through patronage, Chef Pahroosha Israel cracked open a photo album she’d discovered the day before that chronicled 47 years of Soul Vegetarian. As Israel placed photo after photo on the table, depicting when the restaurant was nothing but an empty building with newspapers across the windows, powered by the vision of members of the African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem, a smile lit her face. The photo album was a parting gift that gave a glimpse of the legacy that she and many others have built.
“We’ve been in the building 47 years, but until you actually see where we came from, you don’t understand,” Israel said.
Since 1979, the goal of Soul Vegetarian has been to bring a healthier diet and lifestyle to the world. For nearly five decades, they’ve done just that, becoming a neighborhood staple and treasured hub where food, health, education, faith, and community thrived. The restaurant first opened at 625 Peachtree St. before later relocating to the West End in 1982. When the vegan eatery opened its doors, it was one of the first businesses to make a home on Ralph David Abernathy and the first of its kind along the corridor. It then became the backbone of the West End, inspiring many vegan journeys and many of the Black-owned vegan restaurants that now dot the city.
“The West End is a very historical place in Atlanta, and we’ve been on this corner and been a part of this community when there was nothing in this community,” Israel said. “There was nothing on these blocks when we got here. Definitely not Black-owned… We are from the Hebrew Israelite community, and in our community, one of the things that we were always taught was to serve and to give, and so that’s what we have done, and whoever caught on, took it further. Forty-seven years is a long run.”
The restaurant announced its decision to cease operations in June. Israel revealed that the decision to close ultimately came down to the building’s aging infrastructure and rising operating expenses, the latter a reality that has plagued many of the city’s restaurants.
“It was a hard decision, and it’s a very emotional one for us, but we’ve held on for 47 years, and we take that with pride. We did a good job, and if we could stay longer, we would,” Israel said. “We are not saying that we’re never going to open up even a little corner, but right now this is what we have to do.
“They’ve said the West End is going to change in a couple of years; we’re not leaving because it’s going to be changed. We would take on that challenge. The world has changed three times since we opened, and we have weathered that storm.”
When Soul Vegetarian announced its closure, members of the community flooded social media with sadness but also with memories that celebrated the institution. They reminisced on moments such as hearing Honduran herbalist Dr. Sebi speak and meeting India Arie while they grabbed a plate. But more than that, they remembered the comforting food and the good people that they held dear throughout their lives. From the BBQ kale that was a Chef Israel creation to the mac and cheese and collard greens, the soul of the restaurant was carried by its ability to feed stomachs and hearts.
It’s a legacy that Israel refuses to let go of. She has been cooking at Soul Vegetarian since 1987, taking after her mother who cooked at vegan restaurants in Israel and helped jumpstart Soul Vegetarian’s journey. Their goal was to help people live longer and live a healthier lifestyle, and she said she feels complete because so many people now know about veganism.
Saint Mica’el, one of the founding members of the restaurant, shared memories of helping to build the restaurant from the ground up in its early days, from running errands to taking out the garbage . He now lives in Israel, like many of the saints who established the restaurant, and called the decision to close a “conclusion.”
“When we were first built in 1979, the word was that one day we’d come to the restaurant, steam table would be on, food would be in there, and no one would be here to serve the food. That day has come,” Saint Mica’el said.
The West End’s Soul Vegetarian has closed, but its second location, Soul Vegetarian No. 2, is still open at 652 North Highland Ave. NW. Israel promised the community that while Soul Vegetarian has closed, it still lives on.
“Even though we’re leaving the area, we’re not done yet. Don’t count us out,” Israel said. “Soul Vegetarian was a gift that we gave the community, gave the world, gave Atlanta, and gave Georgia.”
The post The West End’s Soul Vegetarian, Atlanta’s oldest Black-owned vegan restaurant, bids farewell appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.
Based on reporting by Atlanta Voice.
Bakersfield News Observer
Election Day Voting in Bakersfield
Bakersfield voters turned out in force on Election Day to cast ballots, register, and ensure their voices were heard. See how the community participated.
On Nov. 3, voters headed to the election division office in Bakersfield to cast their ballots. Some voted in person after not receiving a mail-in ballot, while others came in to complete ballots they hadn’t signed. Unregistered voters could also register and vote at the office. Staff helped voters throughout the day, and the polls remained open until 8 p.m. Every vote is a chance to make your voice heard.
Reporting: Cecil Egbele
#ElectionDay #Vote #Voting #Bakersfield #CivicEngagement
Featured
Sunnyside Capital Plan
Get the latest updates on the Sunnyside Capital Plan. Watch the full video to see how these developments are shaping our community’s future.
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Featured
What is the plan for success post-midterms?
Wondering what comes next? We break down the strategic path forward and key priorities for success following the midterm elections.
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Featured
Vietnam: A Black veteran’s ‘Soldiers Story’
Vietnam veteran Dr. Richard Watkins shares his harrowing journey of overcoming segregation and surviving combat in this powerful exclusive interview.
In an exclusive interview with The Defender, Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient Dr. Richard Watkins shares his “Soldiers Story,” from fighting racism in Army flight training to surviving being shot down over Vietnam.
Speaking at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Huntsville, Texas, Dr. Watkins, who retired as an Army captain, reflects on the courage, danger and racism Black Americans faced in Vietnam, and on the cold reception many veterans got when they came home. He also shares his views on the state of the U.S. military today and offers advice to young people considering military service.
In this video, you’ll hear about:
• A childhood dream to fly when “there are no Negro pilots”
• Racism and segregation during Army helicopter pilot training
• Being shot down on Dec. 30, 1967, just before the Tet Offensive
• Waiting for rescue as enemy forces closed in
• Coming home from an unpopular war
• His concerns about the U.S. military today
Chapters
0:00 Inspiration to serve and fly
2:20 Racism during training
4:24 Shot down
8:44 Rescued
9:57 After Vietnam: welcome home
12:51 The state of the U.S. military
16:07 A message for those considering service
Know a veteran with a story that needs to be told? Thank them for their service and share their story with us in the comments.
Subscribe to The Defender for more exclusive interviews, local news, and community coverage.
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#VietnamVeteran #BlackHistory #RichardWatkins #BlackVeterans #Houston #Texas #VeteransDay #TheDefender
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Bakersfield News Observer
News Observer Weekly — November 4, 2026 | Top 5 Stories of the Week
We honor the legacy of labor icon Dolores Huerta and break down the top five stories impacting California this week. Plus, vital tips for tracking your ballot.
As usual, Dolores got there first. That’s Barack Obama, on the woman who was saying Sí, se puede decades before he said Yes, we can. Dolores Huerta died a week ago today, at her home in Bakersfield. She was ninety-six.
This week on News Observer Weekly, Marcus and Nia break down the five stories that mattered most to our readers — from Observer Group Newspapers, publishers of the Bakersfield News Observer, the Los Angeles News Observer and Valley’s News Observer, serving Kern County, Los Angeles, and the San Fernando and Antelope valleys.
ONE THING THIS WEEK
Voted by mail? Make sure it counts. Ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 count if they
arrive within seven days. Track yours at the California Secretary of State’s
website (sos.ca.gov). Kern County Elections: 661-868-3590.
PUBLISH A LEGAL NOTICE
Need to publish a fictitious business name, name change, probate or summons in
Kern or Los Angeles County? File online at https://legal.ognsc.com — upload your
paperwork, review the notice, see a flat price before you pay. Kern notices run
in the Bakersfield News Observer; L.A. County notices run in the Los Angeles News
Observer. Deadline: Friday 5 p.m. Pacific for the next week’s paper.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open
0:55 Bakersfield: Dolores Huerta, Farmworker Champion, Dies at 96 in Bakersfield
2:54 Kern County: ‘Don’t Ghost Your Vote’: Young Kern County Residents Say Why Their Peers Skip the Polls
5:21 Long Beach: NAACP California-Hawaii Convention Concludes With Call to Action: ‘We Will Not Be Deterred’
6:52 From the Observer: publish a legal notice
7:48 California: California Big-City Mayors Want at Least $1 Billion in State Funding to Fight Homelessness
10:21 Family Budget: ‘Raising a Child Shouldn’t Break the Bank’: California Is Helping Families Save on Childcare Costs
12:03 What to do this week
THE FULL STORIES
Dolores Huerta, Farmworker Champion, Dies at 96 in Bakersfield
Dolores Huerta, farmworker champion, dies at 96 in Bakersfield
2. ‘Don’t Ghost Your Vote’: Young Kern County Residents Say Why Their Peers Skip the Polls
3. NAACP California-Hawaii Convention Concludes With Call to Action: ‘We Will Not Be Deterred’
NAACP California-Hawaii Convention Concludes with Call to Action: ‘We Will Not Be Deterred’
4. California Big-City Mayors Want at Least $1 Billion in State Funding to Fight Homelessness
California Big-City Mayors Want At Least $1 Billion In State Funding to Fight Homelessness
5. ‘Raising a Child Shouldn’t Break the Bank’: California Is Helping Families Save on Childcare Costs
‘Raising a Child Shouldn’t Break the Bank’: California Is Helping Families Save on Childcare Costs
Read everything at ognsc.com
Subscribe for the top five, every week.
#BlackPress #Bakersfield #LosAngeles #SanFernandoValley #AntelopeValley #BlackNews
Featured
A NEW CHAPTER IN AMERICAN POLITICS 📱
The 2026 midterms bring historic milestones, including the election of the nation’s first Black female governor and a sweeping shift in key state leadership.
The 2026 midterm elections delivered historic victories across the country, including a major milestone for Black political leadership.
For the first time in U.S. history, multiple elected Black governors will serve simultaneously. Keisha Lance Bottoms makes history in Georgia as the nation’s first Black woman governor, while Republican Byron Donalds wins in Florida and Democrat Wes Moore secures reelection in Maryland.
Plus, two FAMU Rattlers, Bottoms and Donalds, make history on opposite sides of the political aisle.
In Texas, Democrats score major victories as Gina Hinojosa defeats Gov. Greg Abbott and James Talarico wins the U.S. Senate race against Ken Paxton.
We’re also covering Ashley Moody’s Senate victory over Angie Nixon in Florida, major election developments in California and New York, and the record-breaking cost of the 2026 midterms.
Join us on BlackPressUSA’s Morning Show as we break down the winners, the upsets, and what comes next.
#BlackPressUSA #Election2026 #BlackGovernors #KeishaLanceBottoms #ByronDonalds #WesMoore #DavidCrowley #StaceyPlaskett #MidtermElections #BlackPoliticalPower
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Vietnam: A Black veteran’s ‘Soldiers Story’
News Observer Weekly — November 4, 2026 | Top 5 Stories of the Week
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Test the Enclave’s Sunroof Before You Buy #shorts
A NEW CHAPTER IN AMERICAN POLITICS 📱
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News Observer Weekly — November 4, 2026 | Top 5 Stories of the Week
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A NEW CHAPTER IN AMERICAN POLITICS 📱
A NEW CHAPTER IN AMERICAN POLITICS
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Defender Election Wrap 2026
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