Our most cherished sustainable farming practices, from organic agriculture to the farm cooperative, have roots in African wisdom, but discrimination and violence against African-American farmers

Our most cherished sustainable farming practices, from organic agriculture to the farm cooperative, have roots in African wisdom, but discrimination and violence against African-American farmers have led to their decline from 14% of all growers in 1920 to less than 2% today. Furthermore, Black communities suffer disproportionately from food apartheid. Renowned longtime farmer, educator, author, and food sovereignty activist, Leah Penniman, explains the deep roots of this land loss and food injustice and shares the work she at Soul Fire Farm and others around the country in Black and Brown farming communities are doing to reclaim ancestral rights, renew ties to the land, achieve genuine agency in the food system, and advance food sovereignty. (Leah is also the sister of frequent Bioneers presenter Naima Penniman, half of the brilliant musical/spoken-word duo, Climbing PoeTree.)

Leah Penniman delivered this talk at the Bioneers 2020 Conference, introduced by Nina Simons. Watch more keynote videos at https://bioneers.org/2020talks/

Leah Penniman is a Black Kreyol farmer, mother, Vodun Manye (Queen Mother), and award-winning food justice activist who has been tending the soil and organizing for an anti-racist food system for over 20 years. She currently serves as founding Co-Executive Director of Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, New York, a people-of-color led project that works toward food and land justice, which she co-founded in 2010. She is the author of: "Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land."

To learn more about Leah's work, visit Soul Fire Farm at https://www.soulfirefarm.org/

An interview with the founders of Black Lives Matter | Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi

October 2016 TED

Born out of a social media post, the Black Lives Matter movement

An interview with the founders of Black Lives Matter | Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi

October 2016 TED

Born out of a social media post, the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked discussion about race and inequality across the world. In this spirited conversation with Mia Birdsong, the movement's three founders share what they've learned about leadership and what provides them with hope and inspiration in the face of painful realities. Their advice on how to participate in ensuring freedom for everybody: join something, start something and "sharpen each other, so that we all can rise."

Linda Neale of the Earth & Spirit Council and author of the book, Power of

Linda Neale of the Earth & Spirit Council and author of the book, Power of Ceremony responds to a question from the audience at the opening session of the EarthDay Conference 2012 co-sponsored by the Council and Portland Community College (PCC)/Sylvania Campus.  She is joined in the response by Ilarion (Larry) Merculieff who was born and raised with a traditional upbringing on the Pribilof Islands of the Bering Sea. His traditional name, Kuuyux, was given to him when he was four and means extension of ancient knowledge into modern times.

To order The Power of Ceremony from Amazon please click on the image or visit your local bookstore. Thank you.

Also on Earthsayers is Michael TwoFeather's teaching on the Power of Ceremony, presented by The Natural Way of the Earth & Spirit Council.

Armed militia, Black Lives Matter protesters collide in Louisville marches. This is what has been happening throughout many American Cities mostly as reported by news stations such as this one by

Armed militia, Black Lives Matter protesters collide in Louisville marches. This is what has been happening throughout many American Cities mostly as reported by news stations such as this one by the Lexington Herald Leader.  Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American emergency medical technician, was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Department officers Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove on March 13, 2020.

A heavily armed group calling themselves "American patriots" retreated after marching to downtown Louisville when they were confronted by Black Lives Matter protesters calling for justice for Breonna Taylor.