See You At THE COOKOUT, RIDC’s Community Fundraiser to End The Year
By Abigail Sharpless, Program Manager, and the RIDC Team
To our communities of color and our allies, we cordially invite you to THE COOKOUT on November 29, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm CST in Austin, Texas, located at The Riley Building on 315 Lavaca Street. Grab your plates of flavorful food, and enjoy rhythmic music, networking, and more, all while helping fundraise for the RIDC. The event is free to enter with a cash bar.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Stride Leaders of THE COOKOUT for their generous donation: Superfeet, Brooks, HOKA, Altra, New Balance, GU, Saucony, ASICS, and Feetures.
THE COOKOUT isn't just a celebration—it's the launchpad for our year-end fundraising drive, aiming to deepen our impact within the industry. Can't make it to THE COOKOUT? No worries. Your support is still pivotal. Donations of any size contribute significantly towards our fundraising goals, ensuring the continuity and expansion of our community-driven initiatives.
Black and Native Origins of THE COOKOUT
The name, THE COOKOUT, carries a rich history deeply rooted in Black and Native American communities. Elements such as barbecuing, Black southern cuisine (including the iconic mac ’n’ cheese popularized in the US by James Hemings), music, dancing, and games have long been associated with what we now recognize as a cookout. Although phrases like “being invited to the cookout” have become increasingly popularized in the US since 2019, the origins of the cookout, particularly the barbecue, date back to the 1400s. The original term, barabicu, later translated to barbacoa, can be traced back to the indigenous Arawak peoples of the Caribbean and Florida (Brownspice).
“Due to the origins of the practice, Europeans associated this method of cooking with savagery and barbarianism” (Brownspice). Nevertheless, the Black community managed to transform this culinary skill into not only a means of communal gathering but also one of the few avenues for economic advancement following the Civil War (Roller). The cookout remains a sacred space for the communities that have upheld this long-standing tradition, serving as a means to protect the seemingly simple act of celebration and fellowship.
An invitation to the cookout carries both a literal and figurative sense of trust and allyship, to share a seat at our table. Over time, this action has evolved into a highly politicized colloquialism used to determine which “outsiders,” or non-Black and non-Indigenous individuals, can be trusted to enter our community, turning an invitation into a responsibility, and an esteemed honor. It is important to note that receiving an invitation is not an opportunity to appropriate or “observe” these communities; rather, it is an extension of kinship and familiarity.
THE COOKOUT, by the RIDC, is intentionally rooted in this historical context. This occasion extends a warm welcome to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, as well as to our allies who are committed to actively working towards the mission of the RIDC.
To be invited to THE COOKOUT signifies being entrusted with a valued place at our table, within our community, and alongside our family. This invitation comes with a responsibility to respect the cultures present and to nurture connections that extend beyond this singular occasion.
For a deeper understanding of the history, cultures, and significance behind the cookout, we invite you to explore the resources below.
Brownspice. “You’re invited to the Barbecue”. Medium. October 14, 2019.
Roller, James. “Beneath Its Whitewashed Veneer: The Darker History of Barbecue”. Destination BBQ. September 30, 2021.
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