Agriculture Bae: 6 Black Women Making Farming Accessible And Revolutionary
We see it all over social: The recipes with fresh fruits and veggies and exotic spices. We see all the health-conscious gworls adding soul to what would be bland salads and soups. We double-tap content of women moving down South or overseas to nurture crops in their backyards or start urban gardens on city rooftops.
With the challenges of food deserts in Black communities, as well as the global food problem that negatively impacts communities of color all around the world, representation is important. And as Black women heading households, meal prepping, trying to stay healthy, and facing issues like lack of access and funds to keep up, there are activists, creatives, farmers, and advocates working to forge change for all of us.
Here are a few of them that we should all be giving our flowers to this Black History Month and beyond:
Abril Giles of Beauty Herbs Tea
Giles, who has shared her journey (and struggles) to gain ownership of 87 acres of Georgia land (that includes multiple streams and pear, apple, and persimmon trees, to name a few), founded an online shop that offers tea, merchandise, and classes from trained herbalists.
She also launched a herbal retreat, that allows attendees to enjoy luxury while getting knowledge on indigenous herbalism and culture, and a school. She’s been super-clear about her mission to educate about the impact of land theft and funding discrimination that Black farmers and land owners have historically faced while empowering via content embracing a mix of Afro-centric beauty, fashion, art, and of course, farming.
Kelis of Bounty Farms
It was a big shock to many when Kelis decided to pursue her love for food as a trained chef in 2014, and then, when she stepped back from publicly prioritizing music for a bit to focus on her farm in 2020, We've all been inspired not only by the beautiful star quality she lends to anything she does, but the fact that her mere presence as an unapologetic Afro-Latina woman in fab branded dungarees, continues the legacy of Black women farming the land and using the fruits for everything from food, to hair products, to sauces.
Her boxes, filled with goodies like organic face creams made with cucumber seed oil, or kits that include raspberry-infused red wine vinegar often sell out within hours of their release, giving a nod to the fact that the stuff that grows from the earth can have divine, diverse, and wildly popular uses.
Clarenda Stanley of Green Heffa Farms
Stanley, CEO of Green Heffa Farms, left a career in fundraising to start her farm and attracts a robust Instagram following of more than 180,000 with her tell-it-like-it-is depictions of what it truly means to be a Black woman who fully owns a farm. She’s big on what she calls “the 4Es: economic empowerment, equity, education, and environment,” helping to connect other underrepresented and underserved farmers with resources, educating them on starting, owning, and expanding farms, and embracing sustainability and ethical farming practices.
Jillian Hishaw
A strategist and attorney trained in agriculture, food systems, and asset protection, Hishaw has fought on behalf of Black farmers who have experienced discrimination and other tactics that threaten land ownership. She brings her passion to the work from her own personal experience: Her family lost their Oklahoma farm by shady means and they later found out the farm was replaced by an oil pump, according to her book. She has written other books educating farm and land owners about their rights and other issues related to underserved communities when it comes to the multi-trillion-dollar asset of farm real estate.
She is also the CEO of Family Agriculture Resource Management Services (F.A.R.M.S.) an international non-profit organization that provides legal services to small Black farmers within the U.S. and globally. Her efforts have helped small farms beat foreclosure, addressed rural poverty through donations and advocacy, and combated food insecurity in communities around the world.
Alexis Nikole Nelson of Black Forager
More than 5 million followers across TikTok and Instagram love her refreshing and fun content informing us all about the everyday joys of finding amazing fresh foods, as she collects and cooks everything from yellow dandelions to summer oyster mushrooms to Kentucky coffee beans. Beyond exposing us to the wonders of free goodies possibly growing right in our backyards, her content advocates for respect for nature while opening all of our eyes to consider trying to produce, spices, and herbs beyond what we might traditionally be used to. She also shares unique vegan dishes via her own recipes.
Karena Polk of Lettuce Live
Polk serves as “chief farm officer” of Lettuce Live, an urban farm project founded in 2012. A partnership with United Health Care and Wal-Mart in Memphis has expanded into a community-based initiative to launch a small business selling herbs and vegetables, as well as offering monthly cooking classes with a culinary art school.
Polk is a garden educator who hosts hands-on garden courses and team-building workshops. She also builds on-site gardens for individuals and corporations, serving the mission of Lettuce Live to “create more opportunities for people to grow their own food while ensuring under-served communities have access to fresh produce.”
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'Sistas' Star Skyh Black On The Power Of Hypnotherapy & Emotional Vulnerability For Men
In this insightful episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Sistas star Skyh Black, as he opened up about his journey of emotional growth, resilience, and self-discovery. The episode touches on emotional availability, self-worth, masculinity, and the importance of therapy in overcoming personal struggles.
Skyh Black on Emotional Availability & Love
On Emotional Availability & Vulnerability
“My wife and I wouldn't be where we are today if both of us weren't emotionally available,” he shared about his wife and Sistas co-star KJ Smith, highlighting the value of vulnerability and emotional openness in a relationship. His approach to masculinity stands in contrast to the traditional, stoic ideals. Skyh is not afraid to embrace softness as part of his emotional expression.
On Overcoming Self-Doubt & Worthiness Issues
Skyh reflected on the self-doubt and worthiness issues that he struggled with, especially early in his career. He opens up about his time in Los Angeles, living what he calls the “LA struggle story”—in a one-bedroom with three roommates—and being homeless three times over the span of 16 years. “I always had this self-sabotaging thought process,” Skyh said. “For me, I feel therapy is essential, period. I have a regular therapist and I go to a hypnotherapist.”
How Therapy Helped Him Heal From Self-Doubt
On Hypnotherapy & Empowering Self-Acceptance
Skyh’s journey is a testament to the power of tapping into self-development despite life’s struggles and being open to growth. “I had to submit to the fact that God was doing good in my life, and that I'm worthy of it. I had a worthiness issue and I did not realize that. So, that’s what the hypnotherapy did. It brought me back to the core. What is wrong so that I can fix it?”
Watch the full podcast episode below:
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Quinta Brunson Gets Real About Divorce, Boundaries & Becoming
Quinta Brunson is the woman who chooses herself, even when the world is watching. And in her June 30 cover story for Bustle, she gives us a rare glimpse into the soft, centered place she's navigating her life from now. From leading one of television's most beloved series in the last decade to quietly moving through life shifts, the creator of Abbott Elementary is walking through a personal evolution and doing so with intention, grace, and a firm grip on her boundaries.
Back in March, the 35-year-old filed for divorce from Kevin Jay Anik after nearly three years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." The news hit the headlines of news outlets fast, but Quinta hadn't planned to announce their dissolution to the public so quickly.
Quinta Brunson On Divorce, Public Scrutiny & Sacred Boundaries
"I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce,’" she told Bustle. “I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you. No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life. It’s just that that’s public record information."
In regards to her private moves becoming tabloid fodder, Quinta continued, "I hated that. I hate all of it."
"I Am An Artist First": Quinta On Cutting Her Hair & Reclaiming Herself
Still, the diminutive phenom holds her crown high in the face of change and is returning to the essence of who she is, especially as an artist. "Cutting my hair reminded me that I am an artist first. I want to feel things. I want to make choices. I want to be a person, and not just stuck in having to be a certain way for business." It's giving sacred rebirth. It's giving self-liberation. It's especially giving main character energy.
And while the headlines keep spinning their narratives, the one that Quinta is focused on is her own. For her, slowing down and nourishing herself in ways that feed her is what matters. "It’s a transitional time. I think it’s true for me and my personal life, and it’s how I feel about myself, my career, and the world," Quinta shared with Bustle. “I feel very serious about focusing on watering my own gardens, taking care of myself and the people around me who I actually interact with day-to-day."
That includes indulging in simple rituals that ground her like "making myself a meal" which has become "really, really important to me."
That spirit of agency doesn't stop at the personal. In her professional world, as the creator, executive producer, and lead actress of the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary, Quinta understands the weight her choices carry, both on- and off-screen. She revealed to Bustle, "People used to tell me at the beginning of this that the No. 1 on the call sheet sets the tone, and the producer sets the tone — and I’m both of those roles."
She continued, "I understand now, after doing this for four years, how important it was that I set the tone that I did when we first started."
Quinta doesn't just lead, she understands the importance of curating the energy of any space she enters. Even amid a season of shifts and shedding, her power speaks loudly. Sometimes that power looks like quiet resistance. Sometimes that power is soft leadership.
And sometimes that power looks like cutting your hair and taking back your name in rooms that have forgotten you were an artist long before you were a brand.
Read Quinta's cover story on Bustle here to witness the fullness of Quinta's becoming.
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