Oakland Juneteenth festival opens with A.I.-powered dinner celebrating Black heritage

The Hella Juneteenth festival in Oakland will kick off with the Futureproof Dinner on June 18, hosted by the Hella Creative collective. This unique five-course meal at the Oakland Museum of California will feature prominent Black chefs utilizing artificial intelligence to create dishes inspired by the African diaspora. Co-founder Ryan Royster highlights the festival's theme of future-proofing the Black community, emphasizing the dual focus on heritage and future impact. The chefs, including Nelson German, Byron Hughes III, Michele McQueen, and Mariya Moore-Russell, plan to infuse their personal culinary styles into the dinner, showcasing their cultural backgrounds. McQueen aims to elevate her veggie-based dish, while German focuses on celebrating Afro-Latin influences.

Moore-Russell, the first Black woman to earn a Michelin star, views her participation as part of a broader liberation project. The integration of AI, developed by Samer Dabra, will transform spoken stories into visual representations, enhancing the dining experience. This innovative approach sets the Futureproof Dinner apart, underscoring the importance of Black voices in shaping the culinary landscape.