crafting where ecologies, research, and ritual arts meet

Along with being a partner, sister, and auntie, Dr. Naya Armendarez Jones (she/her/ella) is a cultural worker, critical geographer, and social justice chaplain-in-training who is grounded in “old ways”: ways that honor the interconnectedness of ancestors and the body, the living and the dead, intuition and the earth.

Naya’s solo and collaborative work has been nationally-recognized by Culture of Health Leaders (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), the American Association of Geographers, and the Wisconsin Arts Board (with Ms. Angela Smith), among others. Her writing appears in scholarly and creative publications.

At this time, Naya primarily works and collaborates virtually, with occasional in-person offerings. She resides in the Mojave Desert on the traditional homelands of the Pipa Aha Macav, Maara'yam, and Chemehuevi tribes.

about the work(ings)

From the moment Naya Iearned about her great-grandmother’s garden, she has been asking Black elders, “What’s in your garden? How do you know this plant? How do you heal?” In academic-speak, Naya has studied Black food geographies and Black ecologies in the United States and Mexico (Afromexican ecologies) since 2007.

Naya’s current writing and art projects explore Black earth-based spiritual practices amid climate injustice.

Alongside academic research, Naya has (co)facilitated ancestral work and restorative circles with fellow Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and social justice organizations for almost 20 years. She continues to learn “old ways” with teachers and elders.

homage

Ancestors make this journey possible. As a Blaxicana cultural worker-scholar with roots in Texas, Northern Mexico, and the U.S. South, Naya draws deep inspiration from the earth wisdom of her Black/African-American and Mexican ancestors. She continues to learn “old ways” with teachers and elders.

what’s next …

Currently, Naya is reimagining the path after major life shifts, including the deaths of beloved women in her familia. You can find her weaving more ritual into writing and research. She is a social justice chaplain-in-training at Starr King School for the Ministry. She looks forward to offering deeper, earth-inspired spiritual support. Stay tuned for future offerings!

join naya and creative kin:

Visit the work: Solo and collaborative pieces on Black geographies, Black ecologies, and more. Visit >>

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