For Marc Shabazz, baking is more than a pastime — it’s a way to give back to the community. The owner and operator of Fortune In the Hood Cookies says combining his love for baking and teaching Black History come's naturally.
“My story begins in Indianapolis. My family always liked to cook and do big gatherings. Most of my skills come from a long time spent with my mother. I definitely learned a lot from her. I would say 90 to 95 percent of what you learn as a baker is self-taught or just from wanting to learn and having the desire to put out a quality product. A real passion for Black history is what separates my cookies from the ones you get at the supermarket.”
“I’ve always had this vision that I wanted to provide Black children a way to learn their history and at the same time, make it fun. Fortune In the Hood Cookies was born out of this vision.” Each individually packaged cookie comes with a Black history fact inside turning snack time into a learning experience. Children as well as adults can learn something while enjoying a tasty treat. There is a place for these cookies in all public school systems, because as we know, there’s always been a push-back when we attempt to infuse Black history and culture into the school curriculum.” Mr. Shabazz said. “Therefore, now more than ever it is imperative that we seize every opportunity to impart this knowledge to our children, by any means necessary!
