What’s one practice you’ve been nurturing lately?

I’m currently leading the work over at Taylor Hood Farms. I remember deciding to step into that role because of an ancestral energy that drew me in.

I learned to love agriculture from my great-grandmother in Arkansas. She had an orchard where she grew peaches, and every summer, I’d leave Chicago to spend time with her there. At the time, I didn’t even realize how powerful it was for her to cultivate and hold that space.

Now, bringing people into agricultural spaces feels deeply important to me. I’ve been working in food for over 25 years, and that’s also part of why I co-created the New Mexican Agrarian Commons. Right now, we’re focused on advancing land justice by working with people who donate property to farmers who’ve faced discrimination. We’re currently trying to acquire a six-acre plot, where we plan to teach people how to adopt regenerative agriculture practices and bring their goods to market.

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For Black folks interested in taking root, reclaiming, and liberating exploited land, how would you recommend they get started?

• Approach this process from a place of anti-capitalism. If you work it right, you can make the land “pay” for itself. There are many resources written by Booker T. Whatley during his time at Tuskegee Institute, where he talks a lot about how to offset the costs of the land you’re on.
• From there, ground yourself in what you’re passionate about. I say this because land stewardship is hard work. Even getting to this point will be a challenge that requires a lot of strategic planning. A lot of your energy will come from your vision and what you ultimately want to accomplish.
• Lean on your community. It’s difficult to do this alone. Here in New Mexico, we’re working to revive the concept of Blackdom. If you haven’t heard of it, there’s a great book by Timothy E. Nelson that talks about it. Early in the 20th century, it was a township created by Black folks here. They operated a self-sustaining community. Learning about them moved me. It reminded me that our ancestors are calling us to this work.

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