Plant-Based Business: Aye Ryze and Kym Alsoomse Bey
Posted in: Activism, business, community, eating vegan, Environment, Health, Plant-Based, Religion, Veg Restaurants, Vegan in ScPA, Vegan Living, Vegan restaurants
Tags: easy activism, Effective Activism, Family, Food, Friends, Health, Plant-Based, Restaurants, Vegan, vegan food, vegan south central pa, vegan york pa, york pa
My name is Kym Bey, the creator and operator of Aye Ryze Plant Based Cuisine. I am a homeschooler, gardener, cook, business owner, a leader, and a Kreative GeneUs. I also have a background in psychology, sociology, human services, and herbal-ism, and am a loctician by trade. I am family. I am love, unity, and building together. My beliefs come from having a spiritual foundation that I gathered through family, experience, and different levels of religious and spiritual teachings. I was raised with a Christian background on one hand and Catholic on the other, as well as being introduced to my Cherokee and Blackfoot tribal heritages at an early age. I developed and stayed with my own sense of Self while remaining true to me and the love that I wanted to share with others that had no color, no religion, no money, just love. My passion is love and healing. Love gives me the fire to keep moving and to stay motivated. Love can speak through so many different ways, and mine was through food. That was why I always had a passion for cooking. My food healed. It made people happy when they were hurting. It made people smile when they wanted to cry. It brought people together even when they were fighting.
Aye Ryze is not just food; we are a family.
I am a native of Baltimore City, Maryland, raised by my mother Doris Washington. As a small child, I watched my mother work hard moving my sister, Winnie, and myself from Baltimore to Howard County, Maryland when I was 5 as she put herself through nursing school. I am the proud mother of five; Kyesha (26), Lante (21), Trey (19), Kalib (12), and Serenity (7). I’m an even prouder grandmother of soon to be six grandchildren; JuJu (3), Luna (2), Kyree & Kyren (8 months), Malachi (2 months), and Ariannis (on the way). My Grandmother, my foundation, Doris Jackson, was a cook, a seamstress, a homemaker, and so much more. We just lost her this past April on my birthday. My Grandfather, Henson Leo Jackson, is a former retired Bethlehem Steele Foreman of 33 years, Army retiree, and carpenter. They stayed together for 60 plus years and took care of our family together. I was given a strong sense of building from them. All of their children and grandchildren have made wonderful lives for themselves and their families to come. They taught us survival, togetherness, unity, and having the ability to operate on our own. Each of us have a strong sense of community and bringing communities together in hopes to bring about a better world around us. When my grandparents came to the age of being unable to host get-togethers, my family unit continued the traditions until we left Baltimore and came to York in early 2012.
Plant based living is not very new to me. My sister introduced me to a vegetarian diet when she went to college in the early 90’s. I was always big on cooking at home and having plenty of fruits and veggies. Being raised with a garden in my grandparents’ backyard was nothing new, either. We had a pretty decent diet growing up. It wasn’t until my teenage years that junk food became my diet. In 2011, I started having trouble with my digestive system. As I would pay more attention to my eating habits, I noticed that pork and beef were no longer agreeing with me, so I slowly eliminated them from my diet, which was not difficult at the time, because I didn’t eat them much anyway. The same began to happen in the fall of 2013 with poultry and fish. When I started having children, I started cooking more and doing things at home more. The transition was easier for me because I did not like the pain that it was causing me or the world around me any longer. As my eyes were beginning to open, I started learning more on all things unnatural to the physical and psychological structure of a human being. Soon after starting the journey, I found people like Dr. Sebi. I began to get more information on DNA healing, and cellular structure and healing. I learned about the body needing more minerals than vitamins, and the ties to food and mental health that were taking a toll on the nation. I discovered not only what was happening to human beings, but also what we were doing to animals, nature, and the planet. My senses had become heightened, and ‘er goes my beginning.
The name “Aye Ryze” (Aye pronounced long i) is French for the word “yes”. I said that to say, “yes, rise up my people, and wake up to a different level of consciousness and awareness”. I see Aye Ryze raising the vibrational frequencies for others to do the same within the family & community around them. I see Aye Ryze being a home away from home for so many. I see Aye Ryze continuing to be a large part of the master plan for sustainable living. Our mission is to continue to bring healthier food options to a well needed urban environment. Aye Ryze started with myself, my children and my spiritual sister, Ellen Eaglin. Ellen came with me in this vision as we had been involved in various community building activities in the City of York, from playing local games of community chess to supporting local youth building programs. We came together and started cooking at various pop-ups in York. We cooked privately for various people in the community (e.g. “Freeway” Ricky Ross), as well as co- hosting a few Summer block parties and events. We worked with Anne Juarez-Clarke at Hope Street Garden and Learning Lab Initiative. We work closely with Erick Negron of Healthy Living Foods, Z Wild Vegans, and Christian Wagman of Penn Market. Our purpose and vision was not only to bring a healthier lifestyle and awareness, but to incorporate family owned and operated small business to a community that needs it.
This business was started for so many reasons. It started because I wanted to see more black women in business for themselves. It started because there was little to no vegan food in the area for myself and my family. Potatoes and salads are not the only things plant-based people eat. I wanted to see people eating healthy on a budget. It broke my heart to hear people say that they could not eat healthy because it’s too expensive, and hence my dollar menu. We want to see people not only eating healthier, but in a nation growing with homelessness and poverty, we also give back by keeping the doors open for our less fortunate brothers and sisters to eat for free at the end of the day. I wanted a place with family structure and the feeling of family when you walk in the door. I made a pact with myself that after years of working outside the house, I needed another business venture that would allow for me to bring my children with me. The younger two of my five children work along side of me with little hesitation or resistance. I wanted to leave my children with a vision to know that no matter how hard life seems, or how bad it gets, they always have the ability to change their circumstances. I wanted to leave them with the doing and not just the knowing.
In the future, we are looking to do more farming and being apart of more than just the York City community. This is the start and the home base to what will be a global market. We are spreading the word with food, however our hearts and the love that we have for building a stronger generation goes well beyond that. Eventually, Aye Ryze will be looking to distribute food globally to low income and poverty stricken communities. We are continuing to build within the community by offering catering, and hosting classes and events, both public and private, on healthier lifestyles and better eating habits, as well as simple survival techniques through sustainable living. After watching so many family members and close friends being diagnosed with different ailments, disorders, and diseases, Aye Ryze will stay in the movement and continue to remain open to those who are seeking a better way.
I’m passionate about self-improvement, self-motivation, and self-love, despite our differences. I’m passionate about changing the world by being the change, instead of complaining about it, and by being compassionate and considerate for others and where they are within themselves. One seed planted at a time, one compost bucket, one voice, a hug or a smile. Being the change the world needs is my passion. So, I take the ups with the downs and continue to allow love to flow. I enjoy life and motivating people to live their greatest life as they go. Cooking brings people together. We came together to bring others to do the same. We manifested a dream and made it reality. This is the healing and rebuilding of a nation. Gratitude to The Most High, and gratitude to my fellow foodies. Thank you all for your love and kindness. Aye Ryze because Oui Ryze. Peace, love, light and blissful living.
Kym Alsoomse Bey
Find Aye Ryze Plant-Based Cuisine and Kym Bey at Penn Market in York, PA. Call (443) 245-2408 and follow Aye Ryze on Facebook for hours and details.
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You have a wonderful story. I hope we can meet some time soon.