Bed-Stuy Cafe Refused Black Trick-Or-Treaters Candy, Says CB3 Rep

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT, BROOKLYN — A Bed-Stuy community leader watched in horror as a local cafe worker refused candy to black trick-or-treaters but handed it out to white ones, she said.

Community Board 3 co-chair Oma Holloway was waiting for her order at the Strand Cafe at 492 Nostrand Ave. on the afternoon of Halloween when she saw the barista turn away three groups of trick-or-treaters — all of whom were African-Americans of different ages — saying he had no candy to give, Holloway said.

But when a young mother with two white children walked into the cafe and asked for candy, the employee picked a jar up off the counter and dropped treats into their bags, Holloway said.

“I don't understand how that could happen,” said Holloway. “The black kids get nothing? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

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Holloway approached the cafe employee and asked him to explain himself, but he remained silent and eventually Holloway walked out without her order, she said.

She was outraged, Holloway said, because the children who had come seeking candy had asked nicely and left quietly when they were refused.

“I'm an advocate for young people and I'm not one to condone it if there was inappropriate behavior,” said Holloway. “But these young kids were polite.”

Strand Cafe did not immediately respond to Patch’s request for comment, but a man identifying himself as the owner wrote on Facebook that the candy Holloway saw on the counter was only available for sale.

"We didn't give out no candies yesterday to anyone," Poran Chowdhury wrote in his response. Chowdhury added that the employee was not able to explain the situation because his English was limited.

Said Chowdhury, "It was just a big misunderstanding."

But Holloway told Patch the cafe owner's explanation did not ring true because the white children were in costumes, holding out bags, and never gave the employee money.

"I had a pretty clear vantage point," Holloway said. "That’s not what was going on.”

That afternoon, Holloway decided to take action.

She rallied a group of volunteers from MY BASE — the youth civic engagement group she runs through the Bridge Street Development Corporation — and her 11-year-old daughter Athena, then headed back to the Strand Cafe.

The group of kids stood outside and gave out treats to anyone who asked — regardless of race or age — and eventually the cafe closed its doors, Holloway said.

Holloway has since reached out to the city’s Commission of Human Rights and fellow board members at Community Board 3 to discuss future actions, she said.

“I'm not here to hurt businesses,” Holloway told Patch. “But it’s situations like this that perpetuate tension and we all need to be held accountable.”

Photo courtesy of Oma Holloway