Land-based folks committed to making space for Black, Brown, Indigenous & other People of Color

I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has this commitment in their heart (see the Subject heading), and who is/are following through on this commitment. Also, I can't be the only BIPOC who is connected to the land. There have to be at least a few more folks like me, out there somewhere. If you know of them, please let them know of me! And as a female, I require the strong presence of at least 1 or 2 other females, of any color, in a land-based organic farm / permaculture community setting. Now that I've put this out there, I understand that the Universe will answer in the Affirmative. Maybe not through permies dot com, but somehow, it will come to pass! Peace, blessings & wise discernment.

Where are you located, Alma?  I may be needing a place to park a small RV for part of 2021 in exchange for work.  You wouldn't know it by looking at me, but I have Native American ancestry on both sides of my family.  My great-great grandmother on my mom's side was Cherokee.  If you click on my name, you can read my profile, though I don't mention ancestry there.  Thanks so much!

suzanne, when i write of being BIPOC and connected to the land, i do not mean that i literally have a current location on the land. rather, historically and spiritually, i am deeply connected to the land, to Mother Earth. i grew up on the land, as did my african and american indian ancestors. but like so many others, i have been dislocated from the land, legally and financially, in my adulthood. as a black and brown indigenous person, i have not thus far been able to culturally reclaim ancestral land, nor to earn enough money to buy back ancestral land. still, my life journey is being blessed in every moment. together with a few select other BIPOC folk and perhaps a few conscious and fully committed non-BIPOC allies, i and they - we, together with each other - will be guided to find our place of being, of interdependence, our land to live on and to daily care for each other and care for Mother Earth. To protect our DNA and our very humanity, we may well be led to lands more to the south, to other countries. I am once again culling my belongings. where i'm guided, i may have to hike, have to walk to get there. Perhaps a donkey, mule or horse friend may assist me. Maybe not. i am following Spirit, the Creator, and my gut, my discernment. in this way, i will find my home, my place of refuge. i'm in my sixties, but my Mother Earth claimed me when i was 3 or 4 years old. please send your email, if you feel called to, within. then we might share more viscerally and can determine whether or not our paths converge. Life is Sacred, Spiritual, Eternal. All is well.

Are you familiar with Soul Fire Farm? https://www.soulfirefarm.org/
Or possibly Sankofa Farm Academy?
https://www.sankofafarmsllc.com/sankofa-farms-agricultural-academy

They are both groups I'm aware of who are actively pursuing what you're talking about. I'm a white guy though so all I can offer is those two groups that I've heard of.

s.lowe - thanks much for the info. yes, i've heard of and have contacted soulfire farm. they seemed to be interested only in folks of "non-dominant" genders, and in folks much younger than myself. to each their own. i haven't heard of the sankofa farm, so thanks for sharing. i'll check it out. blessings!

s.lowe - just an fyi. you wrote that you're "a white guy," followed by these words: "all [you] can offer." Long ago, i was powerfully reminded by Hopi elders' message and by witnessing Saami (reindeer herder) people, in person, when they sang and played their surviving small drum at an indigenous peoples' convening at the United Nations. I was reminded of the following: White is one of the 4 Sacred colors of humans. And white people are indigenous to northern/western Eurasia. The Saami People are the only remaining, fully intact culture of indigenous white people that i know of. Perhaps there are others, as well.

So, as an indigenous person, you have a lineage that goes back directly and powerfully to the Earth, just as all humans have. The Hopi elder's message is that all colors of people (represented by the main 4: Black Yellow Red & White) are destined to reunite together in peace, respect and platonic love. This Hopi elder said that when we humans of all colors remember this and return to unity, we will each bring with us the part of Sacred Knowledge we each were given by The Creator of All Life, to protect. And when we share and reconnect these "separate" parts of The One Body of Sacred Knowledge, what will result from that reunification is something so special and so transformative, so empowering and uplifting, that we cannot now image it. But i, for one, look forward to that day, to that moment when we do this, all together. and i try to live my life in every moment, to help bring about the coming needed Unity of All as One. what you offered is important to have offered. many thanks. and i'm sure there's more! Peace & Blessings.

Thanks for explaining, Alma.  It wasn't clear in your first post that you were looking for a place yourself.  I hope you find the perfect place!  I saw a thread here about a way to inherit land from other permies.  Have you read that?

Thank you for saying so Mary. I know, in my bones, that I am an indigenous being on my home planet. I also recognize that when a person asks for bipoc perspectives they are often explicitly not asking for someone from my background's perspective, and I respect that. People from my background do not have a great track record of acting in the best interest of all life.

The gentleman who started Sankofa sounds like a very awesome dude. I would strongly encourage you to reach out to him. The interview that I read with him he was very clear about wishing to use a.reconnection to the land as a tool to uplift and empower his community.

Suzanne, if you're referring to permies at Paul's land in Montana being able to leave their individual plots to other permies, yes, I've read about that. But if you're referring to something else, please let me know how i can find out more. Thanks!

S. LOWE - You might notice that just below all my posts, i do have a message that says "I welcome connection with folks of all colors." Just sayin'!

Perhaps it was about SKIP https://permies.com/wiki/skip-pep-bb

R Ranson - thanks, that makes sense: SKIP.

S Lowe - i checked out the Sankofa Farm Academy. It's specifically dedicated to helping young male African Americans, about 14 - 24 years of age, in two counties near Durham NC. And I'm so glad! Mr. Kamal Bell is the 30 yr old Black man (and Ph. D. candidate) who - in addition to being a responsible husband and father - has accepted the profound responsibility of being the father figure / role model for all the young men in his STEM-AG diversified farm program. These young men have been earning credentials as Certified Beekeepers, maintaining an impressive number of healthy bee colonies on the farm; harvesting, marketing and selling honey; and growing, harvesting and selling many types of vegetables. They are doing all of this through the lens of learning and applying principles from African history and from traditions within African agricultural practices. They are building strong foundations that are guiding them to live lives full of meaning and purpose. Please donate to the Sankofa Farm Academy if you can.  

Hi Mary,

I'm starting a small eco-hamlet here in rural North Carolina, and antiracism is one of our five founding values.  I'd love to talk to you more and see if what we're creating down here could be what you're looking for!

Here's a link to our listing on IC.org:  https://www.ic.org/directory/rainwater-collective/

I can't figure out how to attach our vision statement (which has quite a bit more info on our approach to antiracism and examining systemic oppression in general), so if your interest is piqued please reach out to me by email: rachelwatersong@fastmail.com

Take care!
Rachel

Thanks for reaching out, Rachel! I'll contact you via email, and will also check out your website. All the best. ~ Mary