FLINT, Mich. — On Tuesdays and Saturdays, customers can be found gathered around the kitchen counter at The Sol Section Café and juice bar, lingering to chat and ask questions.
“Y’all got chickpeas today?” asked a customer.
“I didn’t make it yet,” replied the café’s chef, Buffi Clements.
“That was that can you showed me?” the customer recalled, referring to an earlier conversation.
“Those are chickpeas—very high in protein.”
Co-founded by community leader, artist, and activist Mama Sol and her colleagues Clements and Sa’eed Littlejohn, the plant-based kitchen idea grew from their shared commitment to wellness and desire to provide more healthy food options in Flint.
Tucked inside Totem Books at 620 W. Court St., the Sol Section is about more than just food — it’s about creating a space rooted in healing and positivity where people can feel better about themselves and the choices they make, says Sol.
The kitchen also functions as a family space, with staff often bringing their children to work, teaching them that they can serve their community with love and dignity.
“We got our sons being around us, showing them how men work and grow as a family,” Littlejohn said.
The Sol Section’s motto is simple: “Where better begins.”
For Mama Sol, the kitchen is a continuation of her personal healing journey and a way to give back to the city she calls home. She returned to Flint in 2019 after a second cancer diagnosis and began drinking Littlejohn’s juices, which she says made her feel stronger and healthier. Littlejohn had started juicing around 2019 as a healthier option for his children, and after receiving community interest, he launched the business Healthyside Juice.
Littlejohn reconnected with Sol, an old friend, at the Farmer’s Market and learned she was sick again. That’s when he began delivering juices to her home.
“I’m sitting in her house, and she’s like, ‘When I get stronger, we’re gonna start a plant-based [spot]—me and your juices.’ Five years later, here we are,” he said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, as Sol faced surgeries, the community rallied around her—support she remembers vividly and emotionally.
“Oh, man, they healed me,” she said. “That’s why I’m not leaving Flint.”
Both times she was diagnosed, she was living elsewhere, chasing dreams in cities like Atlanta and New York.
“Now I don’t chase, I attract; and I’m attracting from right here,” she said. “Bloom where you’re planted. I’m gonna be planted right here in Flint, Michigan.”
At first, Sol kept her illness private, but once word spread, the outpouring of love was overwhelming. Friends launched GoFundMe campaigns, prayer groups, and fundraisers. Tenacity Brewing even created and sold an “I Love Mama Sol” T-shirt.
“Flint reaffirmed [for] me what love feels like in a large frame,” she said. “I’m always seeking the signs: Where is God present in this? Where are my ancestors present in this?”
“It’s not about the money, it’s about the people. The people in [places like Atlanta and New York City] don’t know you. They don’t value your voice. Flint values your voice,” she said.
The team, more like family, came together naturally once the vision was clear. Both Sol and Littlejohn had heard of Clements separately and agreed she was the perfect fit. They shared the same values and purpose.
“We kind of all had a vision, and what was nice about it is that our vision was all so aligned,” Clements said.
Clements never set out to become a professional chef. Her journey began in 2017 when she was researching ways to help her father during his battle with cancer. Though her father was set in his ways, finding it difficult to commit to a healthier diet, Clements was transformed. Her mission became clear: to help others understand the healing power of food, starting with her children and grandchildren.
“When you know you can’t un-know,” she said. “You learn that food harms or food heals.”
After sharing pictures of her meals on social media, Clements was invited to serve her dishes at 810 Day, an annual Flint celebration. Despite initial doubts, the event was a success. Among the customers that day was Mama Sol, who would later help turn Clements’ innovative meals into a business.
“I have a strong connection with the city. I really feel like my city needs healing in the deepest ways, and even if it can just start with food, if it can just start with the quality of life… So we’re here to provide, to inspire, to instruct, to educate, to enlighten. That’s what we’re trying to do,” Clements said.
The Sol Section serves plant-based, not vegan, food—a key distinction, Clements said. No fake meats—just plants, fruits, seeds, and nuts transformed into dishes that people love from scratch.
They debuted with an event called “A Month of Sundays” in October 2023 during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to test their menu and spread the word.
In the first week of August 2024, they began operating out of the Totem Books kitchen, serving a set menu on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. They also host weekly dinners with a rotating menu at Queen’s Provisions.
They launched with three dishes: chickpea “tuna,” walnut nachos, and the C.L.T. (coconut “bacon,” lettuce, and tomato). Most of their ingredients are sourced locally from the Flint Farmers’ Market.
“We’re not trying to make people vegan or plant-based,” said Littlejohn. “We are just trying to give you an opportunity to have some help.”
Looking ahead, the team hopes to grow, possibly expanding the Totem kitchen, which has worked well as a home base, or even opening new locations in the future.
For more information on The Sol Section, visit thesolsection.com or follow @thesolsection on Instagram. Littlejohn can also be reached via his Healthyside Juice account, @healthysidejuice.