If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what everyday stuff famous people add to their carts — like hair spray or an electric toothbrush. We asked KJ Kearney, the Charleston, South Carolina–based community organizer and James Beard Award–winning founder of Black Food Fridays, about the heirloom rice, Sharpie, and cross-body bag he can’t live without.
This rice was why the Gullah Geechee, my ancestors, were brought to Charleston. This rice is why Charleston became the richest city in the 13 colonies. Rollen’s Raw Grains is grown by a Black farmer from a rural town in South Carolina, and he’s an hour away from where I live. I eat rice almost every day, and I will go and stock up once a quarter. It’s buttery without having to put butter in it. I can eat it on its own, but I’ll also eat it with seafood, meat, vegetables, anything.
I wear glasses. I have little, tiny baby ears, and these are the only headphones that will fit. My ear canal is not big enough to hold an AirPod, so I need something that will wrap around my ear. These allow me to still wear my glasses while I’m working out or going out. I’m not saying these are the best headphones in the world, but for my situation, they work perfectly. I bought my first pair two years ago, and I’ve bought two pairs since because I left one in a cab in New York City and dropped another off a boat.
This company is based in Charleston and I’ve been riding with them since the beginning. They’re celebrating their tenth anniversary, so I’ve been using their book bag and duffel bag for ten years. They are my bag people. Mine is custom, all black beside their J. Stark tag in red. I asked them for a little pop of red.
I like to write stuff down. I want to be a person who journals. I like my handwriting, and I can remember things when I write them down — though I might not be able to find the paper I wrote them on. I think using other people’s pens is gross. I have some very fancy pens, but I don’t take those out on the streets often. These Sharpie pens are on deck. I like 0.5mm pens, not 0.7; 0.5 is my jam.
Right now, the brand of beanie I’m wearing is Lucky. They have a store here, where I live in Charleston. Charleston is hot all the time, and so these beanies are always on sale. I have a big head and I’m very particular about how many times I can roll it until I get that headband look. They have their logo in the middle, and I fold it first over the logo, then four or five more folds get me where I want to be. Lucky Brand does it right for your boy.
This is from a Black-owned tea company in Savannah. Wayne Ashford is the owner, and I have to give him credit for putting me onto loose-leaf tea. He’s 60 years old, and this guy is fly. He changed my whole outlook on how to age gracefully. He reset my palate and taught me how to enjoy tea without added sugar (this one has pieces of dried pineapple).
This is building upon my love of tea. Wayne taught me that not all teas should be steeped at the same temperature. Fellow had a sale, so I grabbed one kettle, and now I have two. I’ll experiment with pulling different flavors from tea. Green tea needs to be steeped at a lower temperature, but sometimes I’ll steep it for a shorter time at a higher temperature.
This sauce is just outstanding. Lillie’s is local, Black owned, and delicious. I think sometimes hot sauce can fall into two major categories: One is hot for the sake of being hot, and the other is underwhelming in heat but very flavorful. In that Venn diagram, Lillie’s fits right in the middle. It’s flavorful, but it’s also hot. I’m not trying to eat Carolina Reapers here. What are we trying to prove? That I’m willing to put a hand grenade in my intestines? I want to enjoy my food, not suffer.
As a James Beard Award–winning social-media influencer, I would say that audio is more important than visual for me. Active listening is part of my day-to-day work as a community organizer. With this mic, even if you disagree with me, you’ll hear me clearly. I use an iPhone to record my audio, and RØDE has the best microphone at the intersection of price and quality. I’ve been using it for the past year. It works every single time. I’ve never had mishaps.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
