As the story goes, talk of reviving Food not Bombs in Miami began just prior to the December 2000 Youth Liberation Conference (Gainesville, FL). From there, inspired by conference skill-shares and workshops, the footwork began.

On February 4th of 2001, we shared our first meal. The rest, as they say, is a year and a half of adventures in anarchism and the culinary arts.

Here are some final thoughts on the Miami Food not Bombs experience from those that made it all happen. May the next chapter (our successors, who took up the torch as of October 2002) fare just as well if not better.

in the beginning it was crazy, it was quiet, and though it was only once a week it had a huge impact on my life. most of my dreams while i was involved with fnb, for some crazy reason, were revolved around fnb..the community, the sharing. ive met some of my favorite people in the world there, some of the sweetest people, and even someone i fell crazy in love with. food not bombs was never a waste of time, and it shouldnt end..but all good things must come to an end (damn it.) <3 ali

Ok, so the first time I tried to meet Miami FNB, it was December of 2000, and I stood around the waterfront in Coconut Grove for an hour waiting for all the faces I'd seen on a website.  It was kind of pretty watching the sun set over Senor Frogs, though...

When I finally did find the real crew, the new kids on the block, they were much more beautiful than any stripmall dusk .  That first week for me (FNB's 2nd?)...there were no vegetables but plenty, oh plenty of fake hotdogs drowned in faux-cheese.  I knew then it would all be ok.

The absolutely splendid work Miami FNB has done for the community doesn't need to be extolled here; I think it's evidenced by every man, woman, and child sporting a V-Day t-shirt in downtown.  And the dedication of a few brilliant die-hards combined with the sweat of all of us who stopped by, those are the secret ingredients in every yummy stir fry.  That and bar-b-que powder.

To me, the essential, and therefore ever existent wonder of Miami FNB is the inspiration it fostered.  A lot of people I talk to here in Chicago go, "Miami has a Food Not Bombs?  Wow.  Do they make, like, tacos or something."  That our tiny, anarchic community lives under 2 layers of Bush control and a mayor who was arrested for beating his wife...well, that is solidarity.  That let's all those high school punks who stumble in on Sunday mornings realize that they are part of something larger, something meaningful, something punk as fuck.

On the personal level, Miami FNB has given me much more in return for carrots cut and pasta cooked: vegan meals, patience, and a few amazing friends.  Participating in great group discussions, seeing the dedication, and watching some of the most difficult and important philosophies (consensus decision making, respect for everyone always, total recycling...) has motivated me constantly.  No, it nevered looked glamorous, nor even smelled very good, but I try try try to incorporate those lesson into my life, Chicago FNB, my classroom, anywhere I go.

I am profoundly thankful to everyone who has been Miami FNB.  The world is a better place, and I am a better person.  Big up!

"Revolution is like the tao, if you can name it..." - Nikki Patan

"It's the Revolution bitch...you act like don't even wanna do it" - Eric Elwin

All love
Charlie

Hey whats up. I'm really sorry that the end of Miami FNB may be in the horizon, everyone's really done a good thing by trying to keep it alive all this time. I had fun cooking and sharing with the whole group, transient as it may be.  I met some really cool people, although I really couldn't commit so much time to it due to other obligations/commitments/relationships,etc... Still, I wish everyone the best of luck in everything that they do. -Maria

I remember the day when the skinny, mop-headed boy with funny clothes sitting next to me on the floor of an area bookstore (a bookstore that would, oddly enough, play a recurring role throughout this narrative) first suggested the possibility or reviving FNB in Miami. Fat chance, I thought. But that was the most practical and realistic topic discussed that random winter evening and, well, here we are.

I'm glad I was able to be a part of FNB. I met a number of interesting and wonderful people; I took part in salvaging and sharing loads of food (and books); and I learned many things in the process. At the same time, as part of the group I made some meaningful connections with other struggles here in the city - getting to know, learning from, and often protesting alongside other groups and individuals engaged in far more urgent work.

The scuttlebutt in some corners has it that we're do-nothing sillies and over-analytic sandwich makers. That's understandable. Yes, the project has its limitations, but if you don't get it, well, you don't get it. All things considered, I'm always going to cherish the experience of meeting new people on their first day cooking, or having a great conversation with someone while sharing; the joy of stumbling upon some dazzling dumpster treasure (spices, chocolate, books!) and scurrying off with it before the fuzz or some other ne'er-do-well got wind that anarchists were afoot living for free; and the generosity. What will always linger in my mind is the generosity.

The reality that often amazed me throughout the run of FNB: none of this really had to happen. Yet generous people kindly opened their kitchens and continually gave of their time, talent and resources and made it happen. Such acts are rare in this city/country/world, but FNB is proof that such things can be, and for that I will always be grateful.

So hats off to everyone who was a part of this (and the girl from the Bronx whom I'll always miss). With special affection for the Fab Four (N., T., Bricks & Alligator) who saw it through to the end.  - M.

DAVID: ¡Hola amiga!
MAITE: Hey!
DAVID: ¿Que tal?
MAITE: Hey. What are you doing here?
DAVID: Came back for something to eat.
MAITE: Oh great.
DAVID: I heard you were taking over the cooking.
MAITE: No, seriously. What happened?
DAVID: No, seriously. What's on the menu?
MAITE: Fucking beans!

- Land and Freedom

"Food Not Bombs, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Food-Not-Bombs: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Food. Not. Bombs.

Sincerely,
Blake Blake"

Perhaps The World Ends Here
by Joy Harjo

The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat
to live.

The gifts of the earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it
has been since creation, and it will go on.

We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the cor-
ners. They scrape their knees under it.

It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be
human. We make men at it, we make women.

At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.

Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our
children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as
we put ourselves back together once again at the table.

This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.

Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the
shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.

We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for
burial here.

At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering
and remorse. We give thanks.

Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing
and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.
 

While I was glad to leave Miami I miss M.Food Not Bombs and the kids who created it immensely. I'm sorry it's over, please accept my apocolyptic take. Thank you all.
love, Ruby Des Jardins

......food not bombs..

what can i say? it was great fun. some of my best memories [and friendships] come from those sundays spent in the various kitchens of food not bombs.. ..spilling spaghetti all over justyn's [small] kitchen wall .. making the ice tea too strong .. having fish guts spilled on me in a dumpster ... it sucks that it had to end, and i'm sorry i couldn't be there on it's final day, but i'm glad to be a part of it. i'll never forget miami food not bombs or the people in it.. ..see you around.

thank you,
beth

(these arent really in any order)
1. it was fun
2. it was appreciated and maybe inspired hope in the oppressed (i mean when was the last time you saw a homeless person give YOU money)
3. the youngin's learned more about the world in one day (by discussion over dumpstered donuts and by handing a cup of slop to a man who keeps his whole life in a bag) than they would in a year sitting at a desk [as far as Miami FNB goes, i think this was our biggest success... opening up some of the kids' eyes]
4. some of us who "knew what was up" learned something as well [my mindset has certainly changed. i mean  a year go i too wouldve been like "you got those apples where?!?!?!" (as most people react when i explain to them how we work it miami style)]
5. we got to eat vegan cheesecake on occasion
6. one word...charlie
7. four words... friendships for the future (see you in the streets)
8. the best semi-portable library these eyes have ever seen (too bad i didnt have time to read much)
9. te busto (or whatever that big tea mix was called)
10. memories, man, memories (seriously, im not ever going to forget all this... the no more prisons army march to sunset... taking back the streets (if only for a minute) [just got goosebumps]... the guy from texas kicking the city guys car when he said "only steers and queers come from texas"... i could go on forever, but ill save it for my memoirs)
justyn

G.& P.'s Vegan Cheese Cake

Ingredients:
one container of tofutti cream cheese (found in most health food stores)
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 sugar
1 Tablespoon of vanilla
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 graham cracker crust (Kebler reduced fat is vegan)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy. Add more sugar if needed. Place in graham cracker crust. Bake at 350 for 30 mins. Place in freezer until cool!

Long live FNB!!! Long live Vegan Cheesecake!!!

*****

All Your Base Are Belong To Us

Comrades,
Miami FNB was really a great community; it was more than just serving free vegetarian meals in downtown Miami every Sunday -- it was a space for like-minded people; activists, anti-authoritarians -- in south Florida to get together as friends and play, laugh, exchange info, share experiences and build links, go to events, and meet new people. It was a great experience and I'm glad to have met so many caring and determined folks. I'm thankful to have known so many kind and generous individuals, everyone unique and with their own individual talents.

Projects like these often disband after awhile; it's far from inevitable, but it is quite predictable. Hopefully some other exciting and interesting projects will be created in south Florida in the near future. There definitely should be some sort of community space or get-together for activists and anti-authoritarians (infoshop, potluck/reading-group, collective, another FNB?) since there's quite a void of this kinda thing in our community. Well, that's all for now. I wish allof you the best -- <3 <3<3
In Solidarity,
Marc