The first part of “Blaxicana Futures” is now published in Ofrenda Magazine, a magazine dedicated to Xicanx and Latinx spirituality, Earth wisdoms, and healing arts. For this piece, I interweave ritual arts with a personal testimonio/testimonial about navigating space, place, and ancestor work as a Blaxicana (African-American and Xicana).
Read MoreOn Thursday, November 12, Naya co-facilitated an ancestor meditation called “Bodies, Breath, and Bone” with Ona McGovern at the National Young Farmers Coalition Annual Leadership Convergence. The Black, indigenous, and people of color-only space focused on reconnecting with ancestors and on reimagining the meaning of “ancestors.”
Read MoreBefore sharing the essay, some context: In the midst of the pandemic; the highly publicized killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Tony McDade, among others; and recent uprisings, writing has been a healing practice. Writing has been one way for me to practice homage. Homage for Black lives, informed by critical theory that helps me think and feel through collective grieving and Black aliveness. Mural by donkeeboy and Mandi Quintanilla
Read MoreMilwaukee, WI – Angela Smith, a long-time Milwaukee resident, rootworker, and fiber artist, has been awarded a Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grant from the Wisconsin State Arts Board for 2020-2021. The grant supports master artists as they pass down their craft to the next generation of cultural workers.
Read MoreAustin, Texas: From February to June 2019, the Alliance for African American Health in Central Texas (AAAHCT) piloted Soul to Soul, an intergenerational gardening and financial literacy program. Naya partnered with the Alliance to offer workshops on food sovereignty.
Read MoreIn a new article in Policy Futures in Education, I explore a critical and embodied approach to food systems education with Black youth. “It Tastes Like Heaven”: Critical and Embodied Pedagogy with Black Youth in the Anthropocene describes a workshop I carried out with youth on an urban farm in Austin, Texas.
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