Ashley La Russa Builds Community Through Food & FLAVA

I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Ashley La Russa through a few different events over the years, and I’ve always known she was the real deal. But watching what she’s built — and how she’s kept at it, year after year — is honestly something special.

Some might look at what she’s built and say it’s a niche. But they’re missing the point. What Ashley has created isn’t just a directory or an event series. It’s a full-on cultural force — one that’s grown in size, reach, and impact while staying grounded in its original mission: to uplift Black-owned businesses and create space for community, celebration, and connection.

Rooted in Food, Powered by Purpose

Ashley launched Blax Friday in 2020 to spotlight Black-owned businesses across Arizona. What started as a grassroots response to a moment quickly became a long-term movement. Today, Blax Friday is the largest Black business directory in the state, with 2,000 businesses listed and counting.

She’s behind some of the most joyful, welcoming events in Tucson:

• Soul Food Wednesdays, which brings together 40+ vendors in rotating downtown locations like Playground, MSA Annex, and Proper Shops
• Soul Food Sundays, co-hosted with Cooking With Court, which blends comfort food with open mic nights
• BOB Fest, a full-day block party packed with food trucks, music, and Black-owned vendors from across Arizona

And she’s been doing this kind of work for a long time — Ashley produced 500+ events since 2008, including arts, food, and culture programming with major partners like Arizona Theatre Company.

FLAVA: Real Food, Real Talk

This past weekend, I attended FLAVA, a new event from Ashley La Russa that felt like the start of something special — and one I hope becomes a regular fixture in Tucson.

Held at the Carriage House downtown, FLAVA brought together a packed room for soul food and a conversation with some of the most compelling Black chefs and food entrepreneurs in the state.

The panel featured chefs Cortnie Smith of Cookin wit Cort, Anthony “Ant” Ingram and Kareem Hopkins of On The Fly Concepts, and Patience “Patty” Ogunbanjo of Lasgidi Cafe — each of them sharing honest, often emotional stories about how food shaped their lives, their identities, and their paths forward.

Smith spoke to the crowd about turning meal prep in her one-bedroom apartment into a full-time catering business.

“I love to eat, and I cook how I love to eat,” Smith said.

Ogunbanjo shared how, as a Nigerian kid growing up in New Jersey, no one would sit next to her in the cafeteria because of the smells coming from her lunchbox. Now, she teaches that same jollof rice recipe to sold-out cooking classes and serves it at festivals across the country.

The On The Fly crew had the room laughing and nodding with stories of hustle, brotherhood, and rediscovery. One of them grew up embarrassed to love catfish, but is now proudly all in.

Then came a moment that grounded the entire room. A man stood up and said, “I’ve lived here for 20 years. I’m from Memphis, and when I moved to Tucson, I felt like the only Black person here. Seeing this? This is healing. We need more of this.”

That’s what FLAVA was — not just a panel, not just a meal, but a moment. One that felt overdue and full of momentum.

A Milestone Moment

Ashley has been at this for years, pushing forward without pause, always putting in the work. And right now? It feels like things are hitting a new level. Her events aren’t just consistent; they’ve become milestones with big turnouts, high-quality vendors. Strong partnerships. Deep community roots. They’ve always been professional (she’s always been professional), but now they’re unmistakably next level.

And the numbers back it up:

• 2,000 Black-owned businesses listed on Blax Friday
• 500+ events produced since 2008
• 5 years of continuous growth and impact

This was the first-ever FLAVA — and it won’t be the last. Ashley told me the next one is happening in August with another lineup of chefs.

If you haven’t been to one of her events yet, now’s the time.

Follow her work and the folks making it happen:

📱@blaxfriday

📱@rouxeventsllc

📱@queer.af.az