Black Liberation and the Hunt for Food Sovereignty

Historic exclusion stings harder when it shows up in philanthropic circles. On paper, these groups sound like the answer to our prayers. In reality, my ears ring and my cheeks warm up as I have to grin and bear one insult after the next - delivering succinct pitch competition performances only to have rules change; donors in predominantly white spaces referring to me as homegirl; potential donors wondering aloud if I would waste their money; paying my dues in exchange for years of extraction and exploitation with little reward; being labeled difficult by organizations when I rejected the exploitation.

In Search of Octavia's Garden

This time of year always reminds me of the depth of joy that exists within community and the ways Black Liberation helps us to create more spaciousness for ourselves, our children, and our future. As we head into warmer months and the summer, we are offered so many spaces to celebrate the acts of courageous, bold, freedom efforts. Over the last week as a team, we have been exploring manifestations of Octavia Butler's Earthseed and other manifestations of Black Joy throughout Durham and the surrounding counties.