Knowledge Holders

Alex Patrick Dyck

they/them

  • Alex Patrick Dyck is an interdisciplinary artist, poet, frog man, storyteller, performer & medicine maker; a romantic hoarder of sentimental trash and trampled roses, an altar builder, memory gatherer, a seeker seeking. They see art-making as resistance and as play: in all manners, an act of devotion. They live, work and grow in Hudson, New York on occupied Munsee-Lenape and Mohican land.

  • There is so much divine magic in the natural world that surrounds us, a beautiful way to reverence this magic is to build altars for and with the plant spirits. Through slideshow and discussion we will explore uses of nature and wild materials in cultural, spiritual and artistic practices past and present. Along with the use of provided supplies, we will go on a plant walk to get inspired, gather wild materials and create art and/or altars that honor divine plant spirits.

  • Exploring poetic letter-writing and ways to play with communication and form. Through slideshow and discussion we will delve into the history of epistolary poetry and its uses in visual art and writing both past and present. Letter-writing is a powerful tool for connection and resistance as well as a way for us to bridge personal and collective desire and grief. Using an array of provided materials, techniques and interactive writing exercises we will create multimedia pieces of epistolary art and poetry.

Beverly Littlethunder

she/her

  • My name is Beverly Little Thunder. I am a great grandmother, advocate for the empowerment of BIPOC people, women and LBGTQIA, Two Spirit individuals. I believe as an elder it is my responsibility to encourage and support our next generations in any way we can. I currently live in Huntington Vermont and smacurrent member of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs. I am enrolled at Standing Rock Agency, a Oglala and Hunkpapa band of the Lakota. My life has been that of an activist around Social and Racial injustices, with special attention to Indigenous rights. I worked in the field of medical services as a nurse from 1980 until 2010 when an injury required me to retire. Having served on non profit boards since 1976, I continued to offer my services, most recently with Peace and Justice Center in Burlington. I have published a memoir “One Bead at a Time” and written for several publications. Somewhere out there are films I have been interviewed for and been part of. I have also traveled throughout the USA and Canada speaking on Indigenous issues and Two Spirit identity. I am honored to be a board member for Earth Walk and look forward to working towards providing our youth with skills they can then use to create a better planet for those who come in the future.

  • Indigenous womon have been largely relegated to the sidelines for the past Two Hundred years. When in fact they have been the glue that has held many people indigenous cultures alive. Their knowledge of the herbal medicines of their regions has been put on the back burner while settler herbalist have flourished. Let’s discuss the ways that colonialism has contributed to this and examine how we can decolonize our own practices.

  • For millennia, Indigenous communities have thrived in complex relationships with their lands, fostering unique cultural identities and stewarding vibrant ecosystems.

    "Re-storyation" has signified further evolution in environmental restoration and cross-cultural healing processes catalyzed by revisiting, honoring, and amplifying the stories embedded within a specific place or land by acknowledging the narratives, histories, and cultural connections intertwined with a particular environment or landscape.

    Join the members of the Indigenous Femmes Land Justice “Supergroup” who are leading the way to re-story their homelands to for a discussion on Indigenous land justice, what “rematriation” means, and how sovereignty and co-management of land can coexist.

  • Carmen Mouzon believes that bringing the land home again, coming home to the land again, being part of creations that will uplift our collective power, community and brilliance, that is what their heart beats for. As a Black Queer descendant of ancestors forced into bondage, to labor for free in fields, day after day for multiple generations, who survived the brutal and oppressive systems of North and South Carolina and kept a determination through each generation to never forget the richness of our African ancestry. Carmen is the Strategic Planning Director for the Farm School in Athol, Massachusetts and the co-founder of Blacklove Collective Trust, which aims to empower BIPOC communities (rural, coastal, and diaspora) to achieve land and housing security through cooperative ownership, alternative financing, and building equity. They prioritize meeting individuals' current needs while fostering long-term dreams and community-driven experimentation.

  • Across Turtle Island, BIPOC communities face systemic barriers to land ownership and access. Join community builders who have achieved and sustained deep relationships with the land through an enriching discussion of their innovative approaches to achieving land justice for BIPOC communities, focusing on the growing roles of cooperatives, collectives, and land trusts. Walk away feeling informed and empowered to explore new approaches and finally manifest the resources, legal structures, and governance to build lasting communities!

  • "Braiding BLISS" explores how Black liberation and Indigenous sovereignty are inextricably linked in the fight for land justice. This panel discussion dismantles the "divide and conquer" legacy of colonization, fostering solidarity to heal historical wounds between Black and Indigenous communities. We'll discuss securing land tenure for BIPOC communities, centering Indigenous sovereignty and reparations, and building a future grounded in ancestral wisdom and relational accountability, all while moving beyond the limitations of the colonial model that thrives on keeping us divided. Join us to weave a just and inclusive future where Black and Indigenous communities thrive together.

any/all

Carmen Mouzon

  • As Sunksq (female leader) of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band, Cheryll Toney Holley advocates for economic and social justice in all aspects of her community including producing and distributing healthy foods, creating, and encouraging connections for Nipmuc artists, pursuing land back opportunities, and promoting cultural education for Nipmucs of all ages including language reclamation. An herbalist, she operates one of three apothecaries within the Nipmuc community. Holley co-founded and currently serves on the board of the Nipmuc Indian Development Corporation (NIDC) – an Indigenous non-profit dedicated to the well-being of all Nipmuc people and the stewardship of Nipmuc homelands. Holley served for ten years on the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs and is the former director of the Hassanamisco Indian Museum located on the tribe’s Hassanamesit Reservation.

    She serves as a member of the Commonwealth’s Environmental Justice Council advocating for equal voice and fair treatment of all peoples with respect to the environment. A member of the Worcester Black History Project, Holley is also a professional researcher, writer, and speaker specializing in African American and Indigenous peoples of New England, a passion she shares by compiling genealogies and written family histories for descendants of New England’s communities of color. A mom of four and grandmother of eight, she currently lives in Worcester where generations of her family lived before her.

  • Join us for a special plant walk led by Chief Cheryll Holley, focused on the native species of Nipmuc territory! Learn to identify and appreciate the plants that have thrived here for generations. Chief Holley will also share insight into introduced species. The walk will be mostly accessible on paved paths, with some optional detours into wooded areas that may be uneven or challenging for those with mobility limitations. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the land and its rich botanical heritage.

  • "Braiding BLISS" explores how Black liberation and Indigenous sovereignty are inextricably linked in the fight for land justice. This panel discussion dismantles the "divide and conquer" legacy of colonization, fostering solidarity to heal historical wounds between Black and Indigenous communities. We'll discuss securing land tenure for BIPOC communities, centering Indigenous sovereignty and reparations, and building a future grounded in ancestral wisdom and relational accountability, all while moving beyond the limitations of the colonial model that thrives on keeping us divided. Join us to weave a just and inclusive future where Black and Indigenous communities thrive together.

she/her

Sunksq Cheryll Toney Holley

Christine Hutchinson

she/her

  • Christine is a veteran teacher and active community member in Newburgh, NY as well as a visionary leader and co-director of the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust (NEFOC), where she passionately advocates for food and land sovereignty. With a profound commitment to justice and equity, Christine leads the Black Land Stewardship Cultivation Program, a transformative initiative focused on supporting Black farmers in the Northeast. Her passion extends to being a Board Member of Black Farmers United of NYS and directing Our Core, Inc., a hyperlocal organization that empowers marginalized teens. Christine's leadership in projects that aim to increase access to land, capital and training for Black and BIPOC farmers and future-farmers in the region, showcases her commitment to a sustainable agricultural future. Through her strategic vision, Christine is not just cultivating crops but also fostering a resilient and empowered community of farmers who honor the land and its diverse stewards.

  • In this workshop, we’ll explore organic growing and certification. What does it take? What does it cost? What supports exist? Is it worth it for me? Make an informed decision about whether organic practices or certifications are the best choice for you.

Danielle Peláez

she/they || ella/elle

  • Danielle Peláez is a queer farmer, educator, and land tender. A lover of plantitas, fungi, human and non-human beings, Danielle dreams of serving her community through facilitating (re)connection to the soil, drawing on her roots in the western highlands of Guatemala. As the Farm Education Manager, Dani co-creates and co-leads earth-based educational offerings. They love being outside in all forms (gardening, hiking, foraging, napping in hammocks) and sharing meals with friends.

  • Goats, chickens, and fruit trees can be raised together in a system called silvopasture that captures carbon, self-fertilizes, and manages pests. Soul Fire Farmers Danielle, Maya, and Leah will share what we have learned integrating livestock into our 4-acre orchard. We will cover orchard care, stocking rates, fence rotations, parasite management, and more. In the spirit of "each one teach one" we will ask participants to share their own experience and knowledge.

Dishaun Harris

he/him

  • Dishaun Harris is an urban farmer in New Haven, CT with more than 13 years of experience growing food and educating community members on growing food for themselves. He was born and raised in the city that his business serves & strongly believes that all people should have sovereignty over their food systems, because that leads to greater sovereignty over their lives! In 2018, Dishaun decided to start his own culturally relevant agriculture business that specifically targeted the Black & Brown communities in his city. He founded Root Life LLC which focuses on community upliftment & empowerment through urban farming, urban farm training, food justice education, agritourism, food aid efforts & community focused health events.

    Dishaun currently serves on the Black Farmer Fund Investment Committee, National Young Farmers Coalition's 'Cultivemos' Mental Health Farmer Advisory Board & is also a founding steering committee member of the newly established Liberated Land Cooperative.

  • In our time together, we’ll walk the surrounding areas to identify local edible and medicinal plants to forage. We will learn the basics of foraging safely, using field guides and technology for proper identification and discover the abundance all around us!

  • In this workshop, we will view a presentation on a currently successful Urban Agriculture business, Root Life LLC, and discuss how the company utilizes multiple streams of revenue, from a relatively small farm space, to generate profits.

Freedom Gerardo

he/him

  • Freedom Gerardo, co-founded SEAmarron Farmstead and E&G Community Builders. He built these two businesses with one thing in mind: building people's power in BIPOC communities. Hector has dedicated his life to organizing youth, teaching them about power – the power they have individually and as a collective – and the power and potential of their communities. Throughout his career, food insecurity has been the preeminent issue to tackle. Héctor is now building a multi-layered, long-term agenda to end food insecurity by farming and organizing communities to build power and reimagining a new food system centered around justice and equity.

  • In this workshop, we will learn all things Hemp. Hemp (Cannabis sativa, chemotypes II, III and IV) has been cultivated by humans for over 50,000 years for thousands of uses. Hemp cultivars have been bred for high seed(superfood), hurd, and fiber production - providing for many human uses, including nutrition, clothing, building materials, rope, and netting. Hemp hurd and lime concrete (hempcrete) is a long-lasting (over 900 year old structures are still in use today) and carbon-negative structural building material. Hemp textiles, rope, and netting has been used for thousands of years and were a required crop in the early United States. More recently, hemp oils have been adapted for use as fuels and feedstocks for chemical manufacturing and replacements for plastics. Shifting cultural and legal acceptance of hemp in the United States and globally, is part of a global revolution in shifting to a green and circular economy - whereby land-based products and resources are cycled through numerous interdependent economic sectors - equitably adding value to an ecosystem of human enterprises and co-produced flourishing landscapes. In our time together, we will discuss the resurgence of hemp as a sustain material for clothing, construction, and consumer products, and the social and environmental benefits of Hemp.

    This region's climate is conducive to hemp production, which, if properly cultivated, is a regenerative crop that can rebuild soil nutrients and health.

  • Dive into a condensed yet impactful 90-minute workshop designed exclusively for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) farmers. "Growing Soils" is a dynamic session that equips BIPOC farmers with the composting knowledge to enhance soil health. And we will guide participants in the importance of creating their own compost space, empowering them to embrace sustainable agricultural practices.

Hana' Maaiah

she/her/they

  • Peace! My name is Hana’ Maaiah (she/her/all pronouns), and I am serving as the Food Systems Manager. I am a queer Palestinian-Jordanian farmer, educator, friend, organizer and nature lover. As a nature-nerd, I study environmental science and environmental agriculture, and am in love with farmings’ intersections of energy, climate, race, politics and spirituality. I believe that regenerative communal food is a way to heal our planet, ourselves, and each other while sharing food, remaining curious, and form strong alternative communities. When I am not farming, you can find me in the woods, by a river, and literally hugging trees.

  • Bees are our ancestors, pre-dating human existence on the Earth by tens of millions of years. When we host bees on land, they teach us about communal living, positive environmental impacts, and how to dance and make sweet treats. The goal of this workshop is to make bee keeping as possible as possible, so by the end of it, you will know how to manage your very own backyard hive! In this hands on workshop, we will:

    • Learn about the history of bees

    • Understand honey bee biology

    • Discover pests and diseases that impact the hive

    • Learn where and how to install a backyard hive, plus how to connect with a bee mentor

    • Explore how to source bees, hive materials, beekeeping equipment and other related start up costs

    • Be introduced to the honey extraction process

Kenya Lazuli

she/they

  • Kenya is the Co-Founder of Radical Imagination, an organization dedicated to creating space for Black, Indigenous and all people of color to commune with one another and the land, including running an arts residency, hosting skillshares and workshops and feeding residents and visitors from her unruly garden. Kenya owned and operated an educational urban farm in Portland, Oregon and taught the basics of building soil health, caring for bees, ducks, and goats prior to moving back to her home in Vermont. Her current work is focused on the Every Town project with the primary goal of permanent land access and stewardship for BIPOC in Vermont.

  • "Braiding BLISS" explores how Black liberation and Indigenous sovereignty are inextricably linked in the fight for land justice. This panel discussion dismantles the "divide and conquer" legacy of colonization, fostering solidarity to heal historical wounds between Black and Indigenous communities. We'll discuss securing land tenure for BIPOC communities, centering Indigenous sovereignty and reparations, and building a future grounded in ancestral wisdom and relational accountability, all while moving beyond the limitations of the colonial model that thrives on keeping us divided. Join us to weave a just and inclusive future where Black and Indigenous communities thrive together.

Kristen Wyman

she/her

  • The wampum Kristen (Nipmuc, Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective) creates honors the traditional use of the quahog shell and its powerful influence in New England history. Her art is relationship based and inspired by the network of ecological and social connections of Native peoples in the northeast. The ways she acquires, holds, and distributes wampum respects its traditional properties of good medicine and protection, as well as its power to transform and balance social relationships. Kristen harvests materials from the bays of Southern New England and, most often, the food derived from the shell is distributed to tribal families and community members in need.

  • For millennia, Indigenous communities have thrived in complex relationships with their lands, fostering unique cultural identities and stewarding vibrant ecosystems.

    "Re-storyation" has signified further evolution in environmental restoration and cross-cultural healing processes catalyzed by revisiting, honoring, and amplifying the stories embedded within a specific place or land by acknowledging the narratives, histories, and cultural connections intertwined with a particular environment or landscape.

    Join the members of the Indigenous Femmes Land Justice “Supergroup” who are leading the way to re-story their homelands to for a discussion on Indigenous land justice, what “rematriation” means, and how sovereignty and co-management of land can coexist.

Leah Penniman

all pronouns

  • Leah is a Black Kreyol farmer, mother, soil nerd, author, and food justice activist from Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, NY. She co-founded Soul Fire Farm in 2010 with the mission to end racism in the food system and reclaim our ancestral connection to land. As Co-ED and Farm Director, Leah is part of a team that facilitates powerful food sovereignty programs – including farmer training for Black & Brown people, a subsidized farm food distribution program for communities living under food apartheid, and domestic and international organizing toward equity in the food system.

    Leah has been farming since 1996, holds an MA in Science Education and a BA in Environmental Science and International Development from Clark University, and is a member of clergy in West African Indigenous Orisa tradition. Leah trained at Many Hands Organic Farm, Farm School MA, and internationally with farmers in Ghana, Haiti, and Mexico. She also served as a high school biology and environmental science teacher for 17 years.

    The work of Leah and Soul Fire Farm has been recognized by the Soros Racial Justice Fellowship, Fulbright Program, Pritzker Environmental Genius Award, Grist 50, and James Beard Leadership Award, among others. Her books, Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land (2018) and Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists (2023) are love songs for the land and her people.

  • Goats, chickens, and fruit trees can be raised together in a system called silvopasture that captures carbon, self-fertilizes, and manages pests. Soul Fire Farmers Danielle, Maya, and Leah will share what we have learned integrating livestock into our 4-acre orchard. We will cover orchard care, stocking rates, fence rotations, parasite management, and more. In the spirit of "each one teach one" we will ask participants to share their own experience and knowledge.

  • Across Turtle Island, BIPOC communities face systemic barriers to land ownership and access. Join community builders who have achieved and sustained deep relationships with the land through an enriching discussion of their innovative approaches to achieving land justice for BIPOC communities, focusing on the growing roles of cooperatives, collectives, and land trusts. Walk away feeling informed and empowered to explore new approaches and finally manifest the resources, legal structures, and governance to build lasting communities!

Maya Hector

she/her

  • My name is Maya and I am a first-generation, Caribbean-American born and raised in The Bronx. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had an interest for the Earth and her relationship to all life. And after nurturing that interest through activities such as: studying animal medicine at university, growing my own herbs and vegetables in my backyard, and living a more holistic life, I realized that I had laid the path to my purpose.

    I believe that to be born human, comes with an obligation to defend and protect the Earth and her natural resources and to educate others of her value, not only to humans but to all living beings. In my spare time I enjoy language learning, (Spanish and my native language Kreyol), being a handy-woman and traveling. My hope for the future is to build community that can live in synergy with our only physical home.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.

Michael Del Rio

they/them

  • Michael is a farmer, Teacher, Land Steward, Earth & Water protector, and Community Mushrooms Educator. Forever a student of Mother Earth and people, and love to share the gifts that were passed onto them.

  • In this hands-on workshop, we will learn in theory and practice how to cultivate Shiitake Mushrooms on hardwood logs, from Inoculation to harvest. We will also discuss how to make powerful shiitake medicine in the form of a tincture, from our harvests.

Pui-ling Lew

they/them

  • Pui-ling Lew (they/them) is your friendly neighborhood stroller, sticking their head in jasmine, journeying through arbors, watching the oh-so mysterious crows, dreaming of our neighborhoods as public spaces for story, play, care, and community. They are stewarded by unceded Lisjan Ohlone land, finding their way towards wholeness and stitching themself into a movement of healing and transformation for collective liberation. Their main medium of movement is the power enacted in relationships—caring for relationships to each other, beings, and to the places we call home. Food has been a powerful entry into relationships.

    As Co-Director at Food Culture Collective, they have facilitated a number of communities of practice on cultivating liberatory power to activate ourselves as cultural stewards through stories, relationships, and dreaming in foodshed communities. Pui-ling is also inspired by the power of dreaming as a necessary and important part of world building. Pui-ling’s cultural work has opened up a journey into their own cultural revitalization with their Chinese culture, where you will find them building community with Asian diasporic community, and exploring traditional and cultural arts and healing, including Daoism and tai-chi, and cooking as their one of their deepest forms of love.

    Pui-ling is a student of many: Norma Wong and Jovida Ross, Afrofuturists, trees, water, cats, queer friendship, to name a few.

  • To create a food future that breaks free of cycles of extraction and exploitation, we first have to envision it. The Food Futures Dream Lab is a creative process that harnesses the transformative power of dreaming with community. We'll listen to stories to spark our imagination and immerse ourselves in a guided visioning session to help us get specific on the futures we want to create, and grow our collective capacity to bring those dreams into reality.

Rishona (Rishi) Hines

she/they

  • Rishi is an Afro-Indigenous land steward, medicine steward, environmental justice advocate and entrepreneur. Guided by her multi-racial ancestry she has journeyed throughout the Global South; from North Carolina to New Orleans through; Latin and South America to Africa to connect the Diaspora through arts and culture, agricultural practices, and land based ceremony and ritual. Rishi has utilized Afro-diasporic dance as a way to share her uniqueness, connect authentically with community, and learn the stories and songs of her ancestors.

    Rishi credits the Indigenous communities from around the world and infuses her knowledge of the forest, the medicines from Global South, and how our innate connection to land is our greatest gift. Rishi is passionate about mycology, perennial food forests, documenting Afro-Indigenous legacies in agriculture, and building full-circle agricultural solutions in community.

  • Explore the roots of somatic therapy through an African Diaspora lens. Learn basic foundation of African dance through ethnomusicology. Every BODY is welcome and invited on this journey. Rishi will guide us through an active warm-up based in Afro-Caribbean technique, building heat and releasing stagnancy through explorative somatic dance and African dance technique, and exploring community learning and engagement through relational dance experiences. We will explore dances from Congo, Angola, Mali, Brazil, Haiti and Jamaica, giving substance to our dance as prayers to ourselves, our past and future ancestors and to the earth we commune with.

Sabrina Beydoun

she/they

  • Sabrina Beydoun is a chef and storyteller of the Lebanese diaspora. Her work explores themes of interdependence, traditions liberated from colonial influence, and gathering as a tactic of both resilience and resistance. Her food honors the culinary wisdom of the Levant, while using cooking as a bridge for ancestral remembrance.

  • In this hands-on workshop, we will cook a few recipes from the Levant including grape leaves, and "mouneh" or local preserves of the region. Together, we'll explore how using our hands alongside others to transform harvests from our ancestral lands can be a bridge into remembering our own cultures.

  • In this hands-on workshop, we'll go through the practical skills of selecting and maintaining a good knife, as well as practice our chopping skills. We will make and enjoy a traditional Palestinian salad as a way to learn these skills together.

Sabina Cecilia Ajcot Sosof

she/her

  • Sabina Cecilia Ajcot Sosof was born on October 27, 1992 in the town of San Lucas Tolimán, Sololá in Guatemala, she belongs to the Maya Kaqchikel People. In the year 2017, after graduating as a teacher of intercultural bilingual education she decided to join an Organization that works terms of Mesoamerican Permaculture and its Ancestral knowledge, she realized that it is a career she wanted to pursue for her professional and personal life, her focus is to learn and teach.

    She dedicated herself to learn at the University Social Sciences, now she teaches about the Resistance of Indigenous Peoples in an integral way, she also studied a degree in Educational Administration, to better understand education and now does educational programs with topics of permaculture, agroecology and self sustainability, now she teaches in Guatemala and to people who request it and who want to make a different life change, not only for individuals and communities but for mother earth as well.

    Today, she is taking the education of self-sustainable ancestral knowledge to different spaces to create life strategies for everyone based on food sovereignty.

  • In this knowledge share, we will talk about the rights of Indigenous peoples to consume their own products both nationally and personally, and discuss the necessary resources that must be taken into account for a vision of production, as well engage in dialogue about climate change, its cause and effect, and the health of the ecosystem (Mesoamerican blanket and its history).

    Through lecture and demonstration, we will learn about the conservation of different nutritional foods through various cultural techniques and community work, and discuss the optimal nutrition for human beings.

  • In this introduction to Traditional Mayan Medicine, we’ll explore what is the Mayan Cosmovision and the connection it has with traditional medicine. Through natural medicine based on Mayan ancestral knowledge, we will learn about the various energies of the human being and the cosmos, and begin to learn how to identify our personalities in relation to the cosmos and how to be in harmony with the environment.

    We will learn techniques that help the body to eliminate or alleviate different pains and diseases that occur regularly in daily life, such as: situations of stress, fright, eye (strong energy in children), and will identify different areas in the body that we must work and heal through herbs, syrups, and lung treatments.

Sav Thomas

they/them

  • Sav Thomas is a landworker, herbalist, fiber artist, and spiritual toolmaker who preserves traditional Afro-indigenous skills and crafts. They live, grow, and make in central vermont on unceded Abenaki homelands. Taproot Goods is their prayer to mama earth that colonized people are touched by their creations and are inspired to connect to the land and their ancestors in a liberated way.

  • Most of us use brooms to sweep our floors and knock down cobwebs, but in the Hoodoo tradition, brooms are so much more. Hoodoo practitioners use brooms for spiritual cleansing, bringing in good luck, and more. And while we love our brooms, few of us know how to make them ourselves.

    This workshop will guide participants through the process of weaving their own hand brooms and participants will leave with tips on how to use their brooms as an old school spiritual tool.

  • Do you knit, crochet, weave, spin, hand sew, or some other amazing fiber craft? Bring your preferred craft and join other fiber lovers for a fiber crafting session. This is a space to ask other crafters and artists about their mediums, share about your own, or just craft and vibe!

Stephanie Morningstar

she/they

  • Stephanie is Mohawk with her mother’s ancestors rooted in Six Nations of the Grand River Territory (Schuler/Hope/Powless) and her father’s ancestors from Western and Eastern Europe. She is a plant nerd, medicine tender, bridge builder, soil and seed steward, scholar, student, and Earth Worker dedicated to decolonizing and liberating minds, hearts, and land- one plant, person, ecosystem, and non-human being at a time. She loves to learn and share stories about medicines; builds soil and reintegrates mycelium at Sky World Apothecary and Farm; teaches about the plant-human-non-human-ancestral connection through a decolonial lens at Seed, Soil, + Spirit School; and liberates land with and for Indigenous, Black, and people of color as the Relationships and Reciprocity Co-Director at the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust. Stephanie is a Ph.D. student in the Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Graduate Program focusing her work on Biocultural Re-storyation at the SUNY College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry’s Center for Native Peoples and the Environment.

  • "Braiding BLISS" explores how Black liberation and Indigenous sovereignty are inextricably linked in the fight for land justice. This panel discussion dismantles the "divide and conquer" legacy of colonization, fostering solidarity to heal historical wounds between Black and Indigenous communities. We'll discuss securing land tenure for BIPOC communities, centering Indigenous sovereignty and reparations, and building a future grounded in ancestral wisdom and relational accountability, all while moving beyond the limitations of the colonial model that thrives on keeping us divided. Join us to weave a just and inclusive future where Black and Indigenous communities thrive together.

Taganyahu Swaby

he/him/they

  • Taganyahu Swaby practices Eastern Medicine and is a licensed acupuncturist born in Kingston, Jamaica. He has trained in the internal martial arts for fifteen years and applies the principles of qi in his healing arts practice at Yaad Wellness, which he founded in Catskill, NY. Tagan has held teaching and practitioner positions at institutions in New York and abroad, among them the Brooklyn Zen Center, the Lineage Project, MINKA Brooklyn, Lefferts Community Acupuncture, the New Earth Mystery School, and Bard College. Tagan is also a Professor of Capoeira Angola, an Afro-Brazilian martial art and dance that has enriched his life for decades through song, instrument playing, movement, and connection to community, ancestors, and spirit.

  • In this knowledge share we will practice qi gong together. Qi gong is an ancient technology to ground us into the earth and align with the heavens above us. We will explore our inner awareness by listening and tuning into the signals that are bodies are transmitting. Through movement and an engagement with the breath, we will work to break down our perceived separation from ourselves and our environment. Through this practice we will experience our interconnection to the plant kingdom—rooted in the earth and growing upright to the skies.

  • Capoeira Angola is an Afro-Brazilian liberatory art form that teaches us how to place our hands onto the earth. In this class we will explore with how the earth holds us up and our connection to the vehicle that we inhabit this world in. Within the African matrix our ancestors reside in the earth. And their blood runs through our veins informing our perception of our bodies and the world.

    We will experiment with placing our palms on the floor to see what we can sense touching the ground. Through playful interaction and consent, we will learn to play the game of Capoeira together to try to break down some of the programming that has held us captive in our bodies. Our bodies have known movement that isn’t limited to societal norms. Within this workshop we will work on liberating ourselves back to the movements of our ancestors.

Taylor Rae Tate

she/they

  • Taylor Rae of Raeflower Holistics is a community herbalist, clay worker and archivist who grounds their work in Black medicine traditions.

    After studying plant science in university, Taylor craved a way of relating to the land that was more rooted in her ancestry.

    Now, Taylor works to create avenues for collective remembering for herself and her community, especially as a method of combatting the systemic barriers that exist between Black folks and our land relationships.

  • Through time and space, our bodies always remain connected to the earth-linked to the clay. In “Birthed of Clay and Returned to the Soil”, we explore our ancestral clay traditions as they exist through our relationships with food, ceremony, homemaking, protection, art, and more. This immersive workshop invites us to continue this exploration with the clay itself as we build impermanent vessels and pots that we eventually return to the land. In this meditation we connect to the earth through tapping into our senses while leaning into the cyclicality of nature.

Tomia MacQueen

she/her

  • Born and raised in Detroit, Tomia MacQueen is an Educator (BA) of 20 years, Farmer and Master Gardener specializing in edible gardens. She is the owner of Wildflower Farm in New Jersey and the founder of Dance for LIFE (Love, Inspiration, Faith and Empowerment) and Gardening for LIFE. and has been in Dance Ministry for over 14 years. A food and sustainability advocate, she serves on a number of organizational boards but spends most of her time teaching self-sustainability and community sustainability classes on Farm.

  • Most of the time farming is represented as either euphoric and ideal or as absolute, thankless drudgery. This workshop is about the reality of the middle ground and all of the little, and not so little, things that no one actually tells you about country life. From the funny and the beautiful moments to the life altering and dangerous times and all of the funky, quirky wonderfulness in between, farm life has it all. Are you ready?

    This workshop covers the basics of looking for land and funding your farm, and the all important prospect of finding the right community as a person of color., but will also go more in-depth about preparing for day to day country life,.. such as what to bring with you and what not to bother packing up (yep, just sell it LOL), what to setup first, the chicken coop or the garden, how to save yourself and your family a ton of money and heartache and why your kids will likely love you and hate you at the same time for moving them into the country. Come ready to take notes in this information packed workshop.

  • This workshop will equip you with all of the basic information that you need to know to start, grow, and care for your flocks. Including, how to choose the right breeds, How to find healthy birds, what to do before you bring them home, how to choose the right coop for your family, how to identify and treat common illnesses, introduce your birds to your pets and children, egg hatching (natural vs incubator) and more.

Trenda Loftin

she/her

  • Trenda has always been excited by creative collaboration and over the last 3 years, she has come to understand just how essential the cooperative movement is. Prioritizing people over profits, the voices of those most impacted by decisions, and liberation for all of us she is thrilled to dream into reality community-based systems that address the need of home, health, & creativity.   

    The Founding Director and President of Willow Permanent Real Estate Cooperative, Trenda is honored to be working with an incredible team to develop this QTBIPOC founded and led, multi-stakeholder cooperative.This membership-driven cooperative works to mobilize collective resources to develop community assets. 

    A Worker-Owner of The Compost Co-operative, Trenda has the opportunity to collaborate with others who've been impacted by incarceration. The Compost Co-operative provides food scrap pick ups for residential and commercial customers. She takes lead on the Cooperative Affordable Housing Initiative in partnership with Oxbow Design Build Cooperative.

  • Most of the time farming is represented as either euphoric and ideal or as absolute, thankless drudgery. This workshop is about the reality of the middle ground and all of the little, and not so little, things that no one actually tells you about country life. From the funny and the beautiful moments to the life altering and dangerous times and all of the funky, quirky wonderfulness in between, farm life has it all. Are you ready?

    This workshop covers the basics of looking for land and funding your farm, and the all important prospect of finding the right community as a person of color., but will also go more in-depth about preparing for day to day country life,.. such as what to bring with you and what not to bother packing up (yep, just sell it LOL), what to setup first, the chicken coop or the garden, how to save yourself and your family a ton of money and heartache and why your kids will likely love you and hate you at the same time for moving them into the country. Come ready to take notes in this information packed workshop.

Vivien Sansour

she/her

  • Vivien Sansour (she/her) is an artist, researcher, and writer. She uses installations, images, sketches, film,soil, seeds, and plants to enliven old cultural tales in contemporary presentations and to advocatefor seed conservation and the protection of agrobiodiversity as a cultural/political act. Vivien founded the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library in 2014, where she works with farmers in Palestineand around the world. As an extension of this project she created The Traveling Kitchen, a social engagement project aimed at bringing to the forefront conversations about climate crisis, food

    politics, and the imagining of new worlds. Her work as an artist and scholar has been showcased internationally, in places such as The Chicago Architecture Biennale, Victoria and Albert Museum, Dutch Design Week, Berlinale, Istanbul Biennale, Fotoindustria, the Venice Art Biennale, and the Fisher Center for Performing Arts at Bard College. As a writer, Vivien has written for magazines such as E-fluxx, Mold Magazine, and The Forward, where she was featured as a food columnist.

    An enthusiastic cook, Vivien works to bring threatened varieties “back to the dinner table to become part of our living culture rather than a relic of the past.” This work has led her to collaborate with award-winning chefs, including Anthony Bourdain and Sammi Tamimi.

    A former Harvard University Fellow, Vivien is currently the Distinguished Artistic Fellow at Bard College where she premiered her art performance, “The Belly is A Garden” at the Fisher Center for Performing Arts and the Bard farm. As part of her fellowship Vivien is teaching in the Experimental Humanities department where she is developing a course on human and nature design in the Hudson Valley entitled, “The Belly is A Garden - El Batin Bustan”.

Yura Sapi

they/them

  • Yura Sapi (they/them) is a visionary leader, creative activist, and interdisciplinary artist dedicated to co-creating joyful and abundant futures in harmony with each other and Mother Earth. Yura is Indigenous Kichwa, with Ecuadorian and Colombian citizenship and a lifelong connection to their birthplace on Manahatta island.

    Embracing their Kichwa name, Yura embodies strong roots and a profound connection to trees and plants. Guided by deeply-held personal values and an intimate relationship with the Earth, Moon cycles, and the Sun, Yura's work as a farmer is rooted in global Indigenous wisdom. As a Freedom Meditation teacher, Reiki practitioner and Dharma/ Soul Purpose coach, their work reflects a deep commitment to promoting collective liberation and advancing the cause of healing as true justice.

  • Step into a world where plants talk to you sharing their wisdom with answers to your deepest questions…

    Join us for New Earth School: Plant Wisdom Transmissions to learn how to communicate with plants. Rediscover your role as a creator and steward of Mother Earth.No matter who we are, we as humans are stewards of Mother Earth and it’s time to remember our power in bringing to life our liberated future.

    We are beings entrusted with the responsibility of nurturing our planet. New Earth Bodies is your opportunity to reconnect with the natural world and explore the profound connection between humans and plants. Join this immersive experience where you’ll learn the ancient arts of communicating with plants through a series of hands-on activities, guided meditations and interactive discussions. Unlock these sacred codes, journey to self-discovery and re-awaken your connection to the Earth. We are birthing the rEvolution towards a liberated and harmonious future. Are you ready? New Earth School awaits you.Join us to sow the seeds of transformation together.