Community Vegan makes veganism accessible for all through familiar, savory bites

On the corner of East 11th and Lydia streets, the sweet aroma of Community Vegan’s savory bites draws onlookers and customers to the bustling food truck.

The micro-eatery has become a popular food spot in the East Austin Cultural District with dishes such as oyster mushroom wing baskets, beer-battered cauliflower chicken sandwiches, avocado bites and the truck's signature Vegan Lickin' Good Buckets.

Nearly every meal is crafted by co-owners and vegan cooks Marlon Rison and Ericka Dotson, who shape the restaurant’s flavorful dishes to satisfy cravings for nachos, chocolate milkshakes, southern fried chicken pieces and other popular items.

“It’s all about flavor, right? I know we’re bringing that to the block,” Rison said.

As the Community Vegan name spreads through the city's dining scene, Rison's face grows more familiar, too. Inspired by the logos of KFC, Wendys and other food chains, his radiant smile is at the center of the food truck's sign and its branded products. But beyond the logo, Rison's magnetic energy is the heart and soul of the East Austin operation that opened in September 2021. 

Along with its brunch and main menu items, Community Vegan also offers raw, wildcrafted sea moss packages from Dotson's company, Lott’s Herbs & Remedies; Dotson is a certified herbalist. Sea moss is a species of red algae that grows on coastlines across North America, the British Isles and continental Europe. Advocates say when it's consumed in supplement form, it can help improve heart and gut health and strengthen the immune system.

After seeing an advertisement for Community Vegan, North Austin resident Jai'Sun Alexander stopped by the food trailer in March and since has become a loyal customer because of the eatery's variety and Rison's personal touch.

"(Rison) does a really amazing job at engaging with all of his customers, whether they're first-timers, regulars or whoever," Alexander said. "He makes sure everybody's enjoying themselves or enjoying the food and enjoying the atmosphere. He does a really great job at making great food and making an even greater experience out of it."

Success is still a surprise for Rison. 

“We didn’t expect to create a product and service that could grow into this,” he said. “Like yo, let’s pay these bills and have some fun and be responsible. But fortunately, we’ve been able to do more than that.”

Despite the focus on vegan and herbal options, Rison said they are not trying to convert non-vegans to a meat-free lifestyle with Community Vegan. Only about a third of their customers are vegan, Rison said, and the goal is to broaden the minds of patrons by introducing a veggie-based substitute for the foods they already enjoy, including menu items such as Crab Cake Totchos, "I Used To Eat Fish" Filet Sandwich and Chilli Cheeze Fries.

"By no means are we ‘diet food’ and we don't even put it out there," Rison said. "For us, what we want to do is expose as many people as possible to vegetables, and if that means making it comfortable, we'll make it easier to digest."

Community Vegan co-owners wants to inspire others

Before opening Community Vegan, Rison was a radio host in Dallas and weighed upwards of 360 pounds. As a former powerlifter, he ate chicken, fish and turkey constantly throughout the week and consumed 350-400 grams of protein daily. He quit eating beef in 2004 and pork over 30 years ago, and he decided to make a complete switch to veganism after watching the documentary “What The Health” on Netflix in 2017. 

The film, which focuses on the role of food in health, inspired Rison to take his health into his own hands. He altered his diet – cutting out all meats and processed foods – and dropped 140 pounds in the process. 

Under the “Plantbased G” name, Rison started to share his health journey at speaking engagements and posted vegan recipes and cooking demos on his Instagram page. After seeing his audience grow on social media, Dotson encouraged Rison to write a digital cookbook filled with his top recipes.

In 2020, Rison released “The Quarantine 15,” an e-book filled with 15 (plus one bonus) vegan recipes curated by the Victoria-native.

Rison said he was driven to share his passion for plant-based foods and to encourage other people of color to pursue healthier diets, especially people susceptible to high cholesterol, heart disease and other serious health issues.

“We’ve got some of the worst health out of any of the groups that are out there, and it’s because of what we eat and we’re trying to change that tradition in terms of what we eat and how we eat it,” Rison said. “We want to make sure we give (patrons) options that are veggie-based and healthier for you, and hopefully, that will kind of change the way they approach food.”

Months after the release of the ebook, Dotson and Rison started thinking about opening their own restaurant.

Rethinking his life's path during the pandemic

While Rison enjoyed a career in radio, he said time spent in lockdown made him re-evaluate his life’s purpose. Instead of working for a corporate brand, he wanted to pursue something that added to his family’s legacy, and establishing a restaurant was at the top of his list. 

“For me, I said I have to be more responsible for taking care of myself, my family and my loved ones,” Rison said. “(Dotson) was still hitting me with the idea of the food truck thing, and then I said to myself, you know what, that might be the move for me to take control of my future, my destiny and build something that I can pass down to my kids and grandkids.”

Rison didn’t know whether it would be a traditional brick and mortar space or food trailer, and the only commercial dining experience he had before Community Vegan was as a cook at Popeyes at age 16. Dotson, a native Austinite, saw the potential in a mobile vegan restaurant in the central Texas city. 

The couple scoured the web and saw a listing on Craigslist for a 1973 Winnebago Chieftain in San Angelo. They drove three hours out to the seller, who was willing to lower the price of the rugged 27-foot-long RV once he heard their plans to open a restaurant.

They towed the RV to Austin and spent 10 months and thousands of dollars to gut the worn trailer and replace decades-old appliances. Once the kitchen and other items were installed, Rison and Dotson commissioned local artist Andrew Horner, known as APSE, of the ColorCartelto give the food truck its signature coat and began taking their first orders for food.

To find a home for Community Vegan, Rison and Dotson also reached out to Stuart King, president of King-Tears Mortuary on East 12th Street, who referred them to Austin Revitalization Authority President and CEO Gregory Smith. He directed the two co-owners to the Lydia food truck park.

"We knew we could thrive in the East Austin Cultural District while securing the presence of a Black business on the block," Rison said.

Sharing East Austin’s history, reclaiming the district’s influence

Dotson, the great-granddaughter of Ira Lott and Viola Madison Lott, who built a thriving lumber and housing business in the area, said there’s no better corner for the food truck.

Growing up in East Austin and Round Rock, Dotson said it was an area she used to speed past, as crime was an all too familiar occurrence during the 1970s and 1980s. But she said East Austin also was a community filled with Black and Latino-owned businesses and cultural happenings that reflect the area’s rich history. 

Over the decades, the character of East Austin has transformed dramatically as high dollar residential and commercial real estate companies razed old buildings, priced out longtime residents and crippled the traditionally Black community's past influence.

With Community Vegan’s placement, Dotson said she wants to reclaim the district’s cultural roots and remind folks of the area’s origins. 

“With us being planted here, we can share the story about what was here,” Dotson said. “At one time, it was a happy time. My mom would talk about the time there was a theater down here, and they would all take the bus down and go shopping and all sorts of things. But it’s turned into something very different. So, it’s time to turn over the lead, but with us included. It’s important our faces are here.”

Plans to open second food truck, vegan grocery store

After a year in business with the food truck, Dotson and Rison said the next step is to expand. The duo is working on putting together a second food truck in the fall that is drivable and can directly serve patrons in all corners of the city.

As far as big picture goals, Rison said he's thinking about building a Community Vegan grocery store somewhere in the East Austin Cultural District. That way, more people of color will have access to vegan ingredients and herbal supplies. 

Rison's hope is that Community Vegan becomes a national brand. But right now, he said his focus is to continue advocating for healthier lifestyles and continue putting smiles on the faces of the customers and community members who support the business. 

“We got to represent the block and say thank you,” Rison said. “This is our opportunity to say thank you every day. With every meal, we show our appreciation.”

— Austin American-Statesman

For The Record: How Clipse’s 'Lord Willin'' Established Virginia’s Foothold In Rap

On their 2002 debut album 'Lord Willin',' Clipse’s drug-slinging rhymes and the Neptunes’ pop-centric production established Virginia’s foothold on street rap.

As rap moved into the new millennia, the industry abandoned the antiquities of its past and widened the margins, drawing in musical talents from all corners and elevating them to astronomical heights. Street rap duo Clipse was instrumental in the geographical shift, with 2002’s Lord Willin' establishing Virginia’s foothold on coke rap and a new era of lyrical titans.

By the early 2000s, hip-hop’s maturation was in full swing: Atlanta was building towards its future reign, the boom of Houston’s hip-hop scene was on the horizon, and Virginia’s spotlight grew brighter over the decade as Timbaland, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes crafted the era’s most innovative sounds. 

While Timbo went on to guide the careers of Ginuwine, Aaliyah and Missy Elliot, local legend Teddy Riley brought Pharrell and Hugo under his wing. As the Neptunes, the two produced records for the likes of  Ma$e, N.O.R.E. and R&B groups SWV and Total. Eventually, the duo revisited their relationship with two childhood friends who would later chronicle their hometown’s booming drug trade under the moniker Clipse. 

Virginia-based MCs and brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton aspired to leave a life of selling drugs in favor of cooking up hit records. With the help of Pharrell, Clipse signed to Elektra Records in 1998, and by the next year, had an album, Exclusive Audio Footage, ready to hit retail stores. 

"That album was nothing more than friends together doing something they love," Pusha explained in a 2002 interview with XXL. "No outside interference, no arguing. It was all happy times."

Despite a record slated for a 1999 release date, the group’s triumph was short-lived. The album’s lead single, "The Funeral," failed to make a mark outside of Virginia radio, and the project was shelved. While the album was heavily bootlegged for years — and mysteriously released on streaming platforms this May — the two brothers were dropped from the label.

"I’m gonna tell you who was disappointed the most," Pusha recounted to XXL. "That was Pharrell. He was like real hyped about working with [established artists] but he’s always been like, ‘Yo, we gotta show them how we do it.’"

Determined to shepherd their career success, Pharrell build up enough cache to establish Star Track Entertainment with Arista Records in 2001. He brought No Malice and Pusha in as the imprint’s first signees and released their debut album, Lord Willin’, on Aug. 20, 2002. 

Boasting guest spots from heavyweights like Jermaine Dupri, Jadakiss, Styles P, Faith Evans, Fabolous and others, Lord Willin is a mesmerizing journey through the Thortons' roots in the Indian Lakes section of Virginia Beach —  an environment that fed their hunger for life’s treasures and fueled their rap careers. 

"It was really about establishing identity, and, like, putting our flag in the ground," Pusha recalled in a 2012 interview with Life +Times. "We basically wanted people to understand and know where we were coming from — no one had ever seen this side of Virginia before. We knew that this music was a bit newer."

The Clipse were outside of what the Neptunes were doing, Pusha continued. "This was at a time when Pharrell was hot, the Neptunes were hot. He was on every hook from Nelly to Mystikal, everybody" and is the first voice on "Grindin'." "The intro…basically set the tone for all of those maneuvers and moves. It was just like, 'This is what we are, we’re different. This is the streets, this is Virginia, this is new, this is risk-taking.' Playas, we ain’t the same. You know."

Led by street anthem "Grindin’" and radio smash "When The Last Time," the album is laced with sooty tales about the duo’s drug-and-gun dealings and the glamorized corruption of their past hustle  ("Virginia"), a lifestyle sown from the pillars of their own family tree. On the LP’s "Intro" No Malice raps, "Scouts honor, started with my grandmama / Who distributed yay she had flown in from the Bahamas."

All 13 tracks are produced by The Neptunes, who were at the peak of their powers and fresh off collaborations with Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Usher and other artists. The Clipse meld their minimalistic and radio-seeking production with the rawness of No Malice and Pusha’s coke-slinging rhymes on "Cot Damn" and "Gangster Lean."

Along with the riches of big-time dealing on "Let’s Talk About It," No Malice offered a sign of empathy on "I’m Not You," rapping, "To feed poison to those who could very well be my kin / But where there’s demand, someone will supply / So I feed them their needs at the same time cry / Yes it pains me to see them need this / All of them lost souls and I’m their Jesus."

The production of Lord Willin’ doesn’t always match the gravity of No Malice and Pusha’s mountainous themes and enthralling anecdotes, with the pop-ish sounds of songs like "Young Boy" muffling the accounts of their upbringing. But by all measures, the Clipse’s debut placed the military town and tourist city on the hip-hop map — a foray that was driven by the duo’s vivid lyrics and the Neptunes’ generally immersive production.

Clipse’s first full-length showing landed at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and sold 122,000 units in its first week of release. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on Oct. 1, 2002, and sold upwards of 950,000 copies as of December 2009, according to Nielsen Soundscan. In validating its classic status, Rolling Stone also ranked the album No. 12 on its 100 Best Debut Albums of All-Time list. 

Lord Willin’ sparked Clipse’s continued success and popularity. Their 2006 follow-up Hell Hath No Fury is now a classic, while the We Got It 4 Cheap mixtape series with Re-Up Gang members and Philadelphia-based rappers Ab-Liva and Sandman is beloved. But in the years since No Malice and Pusha’s third outing, Til The Casket Drops,in 2009, their musical paths couldn’t have grown more detached.

While Pusha has built a stellar solo career with the same coke raps and command he came to the game with, No Malice found solace in his faith. He distanced himself from the rap industry and altered his former moniker "Malice" on Twitter back in 2012.

"Can you imagine how many people went to jail listening to things that I said? Forget everybody else and other rappers and other groups, think about how many times people got pulled over, went to jail (and) my record playing in the car," No Malice told Vlad TV in 2017. "Think about how many times somebody’s head was blown out, and the theme music is still playing."

The brothers have collaborated sparingly over the years, with the group coming together for Pusha’s "I Pray For You," Kanye’s "Use This Gospel" and on the I Know Nigo! compilation cut "Punch Bowl." Every time the duo reunites, fans clamor for another classic from the group, including King Push, who, admittedly, is just as uncertain as the public. 

"I talked to him this morning and he was like, ‘Yo, I’m hearing what people saying,’ but he’s not committing," the "Diet Coke" rapper told The Breakfast Club in April. "Regardless of whatever perspective he wants to attack it from, me and him are creative enough to definitely make it work. That’s not an issue, it’s just him and what does he want to do."

It's been two decades since the release of Lord Willin', but the album has only appreciated in the years since No Malice and Pusha first put the city of Virginia Beach on their backs. While the older Thorton has squared his focus on his spirituality, and Pusha has forged a path as the "Martin Scorsese of street rap," their contributions will remain linked and their legacies forever immortalized.

– The Recording Academy/GRAMMY.com

Beyoncé’s Biggest Sonic Pivot Yet Finds Inspiration In The Past

From the moment Beyoncé announced her seventh studio album, Renaissance, in June, the Grammy-dominating artist sent the Beyhive into hysteria as the fandom clung to every sign pointing to the project’s new sonic and artistic directions. With the release of lead single “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé strayed away from her signature surprise-LP motif, opting for a standard rollout for the long-awaited project that included an internet-shattering British Vogue spread, mysterious box sets, and an open letter published to her website that detailed the gravity of the new release.

Renaissance is Beyoncé’s first solo album since the cultural and visual landmark Lemonade in 2016 and follows the 40-track compilation Homecoming: The Live Album and the soundtrack record The Lion King: The Gift in 2019. She revealed that the July 29 arrival of Renaissance came after three years of recording during the pandemic, a moment of stillness that she “found to be the most creative.”

“Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” she wrote in the letter, which went live the day of the project’s release. “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”

Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world.

Beyoncé dedicated the album to her Uncle Jonny, whom she described as her “godmother” and the person who introduced her to the vibrance of dance music and the transcendent spirit of Black and Latinx queer culture that she captures in Renaissance. She also paid homage to the “pioneers who originate culture… the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognized for far too long.” On “Pure/Honey,” Beyoncé samples the hit songs of New York club icons Kevin Aviance (1996’s “Cunty”) and the late Moi Renee (1992’s “Miss Honey”). She also enlists Nigerian superstar Tems, Jamaica-born rapper Beam, and “Slave to the Rhythm” singer Grace Jones, gifting fans with an electrifying step into dance music that roars with an ultra-femme and self-empowering energy.

While fans and critics praise Beyoncé’s spotlight on legendary dance songs and artists, there’s been controversy surrounding writing credits and samples on Renaissance — a reality when honoring the greats of any musical past by including their work. The singer removed an interpolation of Kelis’s 2003 hit “Milkshake” from “Energy” after Kelis posted a series of Instagram videos and comments saying she was unaware the song would be sampled on Renaissance. Beyonce also changed a line on “Heated” to remove a term that’s considered ableist.

The album — which boasts credits from heavy-hitters like The-Dream, Syd, Honey Dijon, Hit-Boy, and others — is lush with dazzling grooves and a liveliness made for the enchanting dance floors of the clubs, ballrooms, and kiki houses to which Beyoncé pays homage in what is only the first act of a forthcoming trilogy. Little is known about the two future albums, but Variety reported one or both will feature country-leaning tracks, and many fans predict a further descent into dance music or a return to her R&B and pop roots.

The momentum surrounding Renaissance was nearly squandered when the album leaked online two days before last Friday’s release, but the Beyhive remained patient, awaiting its official drop, and have since basked in the project’s house, disco, Afrobeat, electronic, and techno-driven sounds.

Had to re listen to Beyoncé Renaissance…From the Album title i expected a project w/ in-depth story telling though it’s only act i of a trilogy & w/ great assumption she giving a play theme,so act ii should be story/climax & act iii would be the resolution. https://t.co/zRAvUDM2F4

— SaintRoyll⚜️ (@SaintRayon) July 31, 2022

Renaissance is Beyoncé’s first full venture into dance music and arguably the biggest sonic pivot she’s taken in her career. Inspired by the legacies of disco queens Donna Summer, Robin S., and Teena Marie, Beyoncé conjures hip-swinging tracks like “Cozy,” “Virgo’s Groove,” and “Move.” She pierces the sharp riffs and sensual euphony of “Plastic off the Sofa” with ballad-level vocals.

While the creative direction of Renaissance seems novel for Queen Bey, a few songs in her catalog may have hinted at the eventual artistic shift. They aren’t as bold as her recent effort, but “Blow” and “Haunted” from her 2013 eponymous album have inklings of dance and techno tucked in the background. Featuring production and writing credits from Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, J-Roc, James Fauntleroy, and Justin Timberlake, “Blow” is emblazoned with a funk and disco flare later heard on the new album’s “Summer Renaissance” and “Cuff It.” “Blow” even managed to peak at No. 1 on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Songs chart in 2014.

The songwriter behind “Haunted,” New York musician Boots, said the song was partly inspired by the music of Aphex Twin, who’s known for his ambient and techno styles. The song has a largely minimalistic composition, but its more upbeat moments hint at an atmospheric and darkened electronic sound later explored on the pulsating and thudding “Heated.”

There are other parallels to dance music within Bey’s oeuvre before Renaissance, like the techno-inspired “Radio” and “Naughty Girl,” which interpolated Summer’s 1975 classic “Love to Love You Baby.” Those records illuminated what was to come from the artist, and the direction of Renaissance is in line with the 28-time Grammy winner’s desire to explore exciting new creative passages.

With Beyoncé and Lemonade, the Houston-born singer-songwriter inspired other artists to seek new visual bounds and abandon the age-old album rollout for the wonderment of a surprise drop. She centered her music and 2018 performance at Coachella, later dubbed “Beychella” by fans, on the culture of historically Black colleges and universities, incorporating a marching band, J-setting choreography, and a step show.

Before then, Bey and her hubby, Jay-Z, released the collaborative album Everything Is Love in 2018, with the duo clearing out the Louvre in Paris to film the music video for lead single “Apeshit.” Beyoncé later followed that up with The Lion King: The Gift as well as the 2020 musical film and visual album Black Is King, which saw her step into the world of Afrobeats with “Find Your Way Back,” “Already,” and the Saint Jhn, WizKid, and Blue Ivy-assisted “Brown Skin Girl.”

In all its glory, Renaissance stands on its own as an alluringly fresh artistic dive for the legendary pop star, and its projected (and unsurprising) success is a testament to how well she’s maneuvered creatively. The album is expected to take the No. 1 Billboard spot in its first week. The new dance-forward release has further cemented Beyoncé’s place as an international fixture and luminary artist, and with two other installments reportedly in the works, there may be more achievements to come.

– MTV News

A passion forged: Founder of Austin Warrior Arts shares love for martial arts

At 9 years old, Da'Mon Stith knew his life's purpose. He was going to be a ninja, and there wasn't an invading kick, sword or blade powerful enough to stop him. 

When Stith was 8, his father gave him a toy sword with a bright red ruby on its hilt and a streak of jewels that led to the plastic white blade. It was about as sharp as a cafeteria spork, but once he got his hands on the flimsy dagger, no other toy in his collection mattered and his young, swirling mind was fixated on the world of martial arts. 

What was once a young boy's dream has grown into a lifelong passion, and Stith has explored every corner of it through his practice, his teachings and his own armory. He discovered his true identity in the process.

Growing up with Bruce Lee and Taimak as idols

Before then, Stith idolized martial arts legends and movie stars like Bruce Lee, whose high-flying kicks, rapid strikes and cosmic-level charisma drew the young padawan in. He imitated Lee's moves and tried his best to embody his effortless swag. 

Stith's obsession with martial arts culture grew once he started studying karate at age 9. But with his passion came confusion and, for a time, a sense of self-loathing and displacement. As he was going deeper into East Asian art forms, he was unknowingly pulling away from a culture of his own. 

Without any notable Black martial artists in movies or on TV screens during the era, Stith said he clung to the Asian actors of classic action films and shows of the 1970s and '80s.

"I would tell my mom and other people I was Asian, and I don't look any part of Asian," Stith said. "It was different, but things happen in pieces and in stages. When I found my inner-self, it was like holding my breath for a long time and finally being able to breathe."

It wasn't until Stith saw 1985's "The Last Dragon," which starred Taimak as Leroy Green (or Bruce Leroy), that the 11-year-old Austin native saw a martial arts hero that looked like him and shared his affinity for the combative arts. 

Taimak's Bruce Leroy character became a figure of inspiration for Stith, who started studying karate more intensely when his family moved to Okinawa, Japan, for his stepfather's job on a military base. Okinawa — the birthplace of karate — is also where Stith first recognized African history as his second passion, a discovery that later led to a 25-year career of teaching and practicing African martial arts. 

Through the teachings of his eighth-grade teacher Ms. Gross, Stith learned about the kings and queens of ancient Egypt and the leaders of African empires who ruled the continent and conquered neighboring lands. 

Stith discovered his love for capoeira, African warrior tradition

Stith was struck by his teacher's history lessons, and he started researching warrior traditions rooted in Africa and throughout the diaspora. His curiosity grew after he was introduced to capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art that was created by enslaved Africans in the South American country in the early 16th century. 

Stith, who was studying Jeet Kune Do at the time, began studying capoeira after watching the 1993 film "Only the Strong."

As with "The Last Dragon," Stith was enraptured by the sweeping movements and high-flying kicks in the movie. But more anything, he was drawn to the art form's ties to Western and Central African culture.

"People who looked like me were doing a martial art that I felt I had a kinship to," Stith said. "It wasn't based in Asia or Europe, it was an art form that was very Black and African in its presentation and it filled that void for me.

"I didn't understand the art. I just heard the music and saw the movement and it connected with me."

After moving back to Austin at age 17, he became a capoeirista and began studying the movements of Detroit-based martial artist Kilindi Iyi. He saw an advertisement for $80 worth of Iyi's videos in Black Belt Magazine and watched his instructional tapes for hours on end.

From there, Stith adopted Iyi's deceptive kicks, Zulu and Egyptian stick fighting techniques and sweeping takedowns from historical African martial arts and incorporated them into his form of capoeira. 

Stith said the art form opened up his stiff frame, allowing him to enter a state of free flow he never experienced in other disciplines. But capoeira also debunked the thought that African people willingly gave up their bodies, their names and their cultures during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

He began practicing and teaching his own style of the historic art form

As he dove further into African history and martial arts, Stith recognized how many Black men and women fought to obtain their freedom and retain their heritage, often times using the combat skills they learned as warriors of battle. 

"What we're told is they brought us over, we were slaves and lost everything, but capoeira shows that we resisted what was happening to us by taking up arms and passing on our DNA and culture," he said."We tried to retain what we had in this motherland to the new land, which would become the breeding ground for new martial arts found in the diaspora."

By 1997, Stith was teaching to students capoeira da rua, or capoeira of the streets, which is a more practical form of the Afro-Brazilian style that he and his training partners developed in Austin. 

Stith started teaching alongside other martial artists at various sites around town and on the University of Texas campus, including the Anna Hiss Gymnasium and an undisclosed space they nicknamed "The Boiler Room" that a faculty member opened up for his group.

He taught students of all ages and backgrounds the footwork, bladed weaponry, counter and defensive strikes of capoeira. And ever since then, Stith has dedicated his life to teaching the art form. 

"I felt I had a purpose and a destination I was heading toward," he said. "I'm the best when I'm doing teaching and sharing my practice. Seeing them grow, being a part of their lives and giving them a piece of their culture makes me feel good." 

Stith began making the weapons he spent years wielding

In 2012, Stith formed the Guild of the Silent Sword, which includes his group of students and experienced capoeiristas. Even before then, he and fellow capoeira practitioner Jeffrey DaShade Johnson started making African weapons under the Street Forge Armory name. 

At first, the duo wanted other companies to make their weapons, but when they saw how costly it would be, they started crafting them on their own.

Stith and Johnson make sickle swords, short and long takoubas, filipino swords, nimcha sabre and other items under the armory brand inside of Co.lab, a creative space that's free for residents of color. They have shipped custom pieces across the country and as far as Australia and Germany, with items priced between $30-65. 

"I love using swords, and now we have the ability to create and make these instruments that can be used for destruction but also require skill, math and science," Stith said. "It's a good feeling to have a skill nobody can take from you. As long as I have access to material and tools, I can provide for my family and there's something very empowering about that."

While the brand has been official for some time, Johnson said Street Forge Armory really got its start when he and Stith were kids.

When Johnson was 9 years old, he also idolized the martial arts icons of the time and began making his own swords from hacksaw, duct tape, hammers and a screwdriver as a chisel. In Japan, Stith created his own weapons by hammering down old golf clubs and shaving them down into make-shift katana swords. 

The two Austinites didn't know each other then, but their passions would bring them together in 1999. Johnson trained under Stith and years later he decided to go into business with him, hoping to enlighten others with the skills that come with capoeira and the confidence that sprouts from the knowledge. 

"What we're finding is people want to be more healthy and more confident in themselves, but when they go to a mixed martial arts gym, they don't see people like them, or the people that look like them don't identify or think like them," Johnson said. "We're trying to make it accessible to everybody in the community."

While Johnson was aware of the martial arts rooted in Africa and the diaspora, he said there are few people as well-versed on the history and are able to pass it on to students as seamlessly as Stith. 

'It's honestly been a healing space for me'

Four days a week, Stith teaches hand-to-hand combat and stick and sword training to students as young as 8 at his Austin Warrior Arts studio at 9705 Burnet Road. On Saturdays, the groups meet at Mueller Park to trade friendly blows with Ancient Egyptian, Ethiopian and North African weapons. 

Student Natalie Joy, whose been working under Stith for a year, said she's found community in a city she's long felt isolated, especially in the martial arts world. 

"It's honestly been a healing space for me," Joy said. "I've always loved martial arts, but I always felt in those spaces kind of 'othered.' But in this space, I feel very included and very accepted. It is healing to do something that my ancestors did way back, and another way I can connect with them and that's very important and impactful for me."

Beyond learning the combative stances, student Erika Crespo said Stith has lifted her confidence and opened her heart at times when she's needed it most. 

"Coming to these classes has helped me learn how to get close to somebody and trust them," Crespo said. "When you come from a trauma history or you're anti-social, you don't get close to people. But in this case, I had to learn how to go with the flow and trust that I don't react too much out of fear or anxiety. I'm really doing something that's making me feel whole and it's been a hard but really beautiful journey."

In continuing his practices and weapon-making, Stith's dreams as a ninja have taken shape in other ways. While he's far from an agent of espionage, he's dedicated his life to education and craftsmanship, and he's looking to amplify everything with the opening of his own studio.

Having taught at local schools, community center, daycares, fitness centers and other spaces for 25 years, Stith said having a place fully dedicated has been his ultimate goal, and he's been living it for the past three months. 

Stith said he has the studio, but they need help keeping the doors open until they can build up their student base, so he and the Austin Warrior Arts team started a GoFundMe  to help pay for the space's rent. 

So far, the group has reached $9,115 of the $12,000 goal from current and former students of Stith and community members, which Stith said is a testament to the support and importance of African martial arts and history. 

"It's like mind-blowing to be honest," Stith said. "I can't describe what it feels like having this space and knowing it's dedicated solely to this is really humbling."

– Austin 360