Equity Rising S2 : Episode 2

Food Justice with nyema clark

Tucked inside a mostly residential neighborhood on Beacon Hill in Seattle is NURTURING ROOTS, a Black-owned and operated urban farm founded by NYEMA CLARK to create healthy food, healthy activities, and healthy ways for people to reconnect with each other and the environment.

In EPISODE TWO of SEASON TWO, Trae and Nyema talk about equity, change, and the evolution of this beautiful and now self-sustaining community resource through the lens of history and lineage, and the future that is to come. “Someone else had their hand in this,” Nyema tells Trae. “There is a deep connection with my ancestors, and me pausing and saying, ‘Why am I living? How can I be proud of myself?’” The farm, its produce, its stewards, and its visitors show her the answers every season.

Find out more about Nurturing Roots and get involved in upcoming events. Follow Nurturing Roots on Instagram and Facebook, and sign this important petition related to Black farming liberation.

Nurturing Roots Partnership Director and Avole Coffee Business Development Director Gavin Amos gives us this week’s Chime In.

This episode was produced by Julia Drachman, edited by Alex Place, and mastered by Josh Berl. Description was written by Laura Cassidy. Transcribed by Susan Moskwa.

Transcript

Gavin Amos  00:03

Nyema Clark is an equity changemaker because of her conviction in building stronger and more connected neighborhoods, through fostering relationships within our local community and nature. Living in an urban environment allows for us too often to get sucked into the mechanical systems of late-stage capitalism. We are subjected to our healthcare, food, education, media and physical environment often being designed and automated for us without our input. She takes a stand by creating platforms that allow community members, for a split moment, to openly learn, grow and apply their imaginations in co-creating what society could look like if we attempt to learn how to do some of these things ourselves. My name is Gavin and thank you for having me.

TraeAnna Holiday  00:48

Everybody, welcome to another episode of Equity Rising with me, your host, Trae Holiday. So excited to have Miss Nyema Clark of Nurturing Roots on the line and in the building (really, like, you know, digital building) with us [laughter]. Right here on the podcast. Nyema, thank you so much for joining us today!

Nyema Clark  01:08

Thank you for having me, Sis. It's been a pleasure watching, and now to be here. It's like, alright, it's time. I love it.

TraeAnna Holiday  01:14

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we've been talking about it for a long time. I think that's one of the things that happens in community so much. And y'know, this being our second season, we really wanted to focus on local equity changemakers, right here throughout Washington, and you've just been holding it down so much on the farming end, just making all of us Black women proud, to be honest; because you're not just knowledgeable, but you're really caring about the community. So I'm excited 'cuz I know we'll have a lot of great stuff to jump into. And I'm gonna start with our First Things First, we call it here: we want to know how you, Miss Nyema, are taking care of yourself?

Nyema Clark  01:49

Whoo! I am taking care of myself by soaking up a lot of these sun rays. I know for the last few weeks we definitely have had the most — they've said the hottest temperatures ever?? in June. So being able to just absorb all that I can (safely), that has been keeping me sane and keeping me definitely healing. And also getting my hands in the soil. You know, for me, it's always about how much time am I puttin' my bare hands into the ground and absorbing, you know, that energy. So for me, it's always being out at the farm and just loving the environment.

TraeAnna Holiday  02:20

Yeah, you know what, I'm not shocked or surprised to hear you say that, because I think so much of your time is just really out there. And you always talk about how the care of, you know, what Black farming really looks like, it takes on a different note. Because it's not just about farming for farming's sake, but it's always connecting it back to community, and being able to have, you know, healthy options for community, but then also teaching community members about what farming looks like. And so I want to dive into some of the things that you guys have continued. I know COVID struck us all. But what are some of the things that Nurturing Roots has continued to do in terms of educating community about farming?

Nyema Clark  02:59

So, having our volunteer days was probably the first effort that we had. And we wanted to continue during COVID. So being able to have safely distanced activities, being able to welcome kids, on to having workshops, I think a lot of that time it was, you know, strategizing around how we can meet the demand, while also being really safe and not continuing the spread. So volunteer days, y'know, we were able to do our workshops, changing them virtually, and being able to send kids to folks. There's been a lot of, y'know, folks that, y'know, were finishing up high school, or they needed their community service hours, and there weren't many places that were open. So we definitely saw an influx of being able to support individuals of all ages to be able to make those hourly requirements for volunteering. But definitely being able to up our online engagement. So for sure, just still being available to folks, if you needed seeds, or starts or soil; we definitely had our veggie boxes going back in this year. So COVID definitely made our awareness a lot more present, I think, as far as how we reach folks if they're not on-site; or how can we, y'know, benefit individuals who may not be able to have that face-to-face engagement. So we definitely have been, I don't know, uplifted with COVID, in a way; but it's definitely helped with our strategy on effectively reaching community.

TraeAnna Holiday  04:18

Yeah, I think, y'know, there's a byproduct, a bit, of COVID. And in my mind I feel like it's really about community connectivity. I mean, we've seen it, y'know, really bring communities together when you're talking about kind of how tragedy really struck us all. And the need for us to kinda dig deeper and understand that the care of each other was so important, right? And I think again, too, we saw that our government to a certain degree just didn't have it all together. They didn't have all the answers. And I think it really allowed for folks to understand, man, I got to be ready to take care of myself. I can't wait for the answers to come from a top-down approach ever because really, when has that ever benefited the Black community? But you know, I think it's a wake up call for those that have been kind of waiting on certain things to come in that regard. And so there was a lot of community effort to, like, uplift so much of what had already been happening; like, you guys have been in community, you guys have been doing this work. But then it's like, wow, people really understood the value of it. And you guys have also been involved in a lot of these opportunities to get this food to the people, right? We've been seeing Black Star Farmers, Umoja Food Circle, you guys; there's so many different ways that I see Nurturing Roots being involved in all these efforts. How has that been for you, and getting Nurturing Roots connected to so many different healthy food efforts out there that are really rooted in community and blackness?

Nyema Clark  05:42

Right. To me, it's been a blessing to really have so many folks engaged in our food justice systems. Being able to really have family; like, I feel like even being able to engage with you: you are my sister. So having those connections and community, those authentic feelings of just wanting to be together, I think it just is a natural method of being able to create what we actually need. So for sure: Black Star Farms, when I heard about what was going up on CHOP, it was like, okay, what can we do to get involved, or how can we support? So for sure, meeting Marcus and meeting the crew, to me, it was just... I don't know, it's just been organic. No, really, we just been doin' it. Chef Tarik, y'know, reaching out to — he and Chef Kristi, and Musang. But, y'know, during COVID, folks were giving free meals. So it's like, Hey, how can we give some ingredients? But all of it has really been the fact that we are so tight knit in our family. And I think it's really about time that a lot of us are able to really see the fruits of that, y'know, that bond that we all share, and that often we don't get elevated. For me, it's just been... just being able to amplify that togetherness that we've always felt; we've always had. And now really seeing systems move out of the way when they see that they can't provide, y'know, what we need.

TraeAnna Holiday  06:55

Yeah, that's it right there. And I think it's so beautiful. Because when I think about young people, right, getting the opportunity to see people that look like them being involved in food justice, what that looks like, from a wide range perspective. I mean, I promise you, my son spent some time at a farm and he came back to me sayin', Mom, I want to be a farmer! And I was like, Oh, yesssss. I was like, Yes, son, y'know? So I know, like, it's one of those things where it's like, now it is involving and injecting energy into the next generation for them to understand it. So I agree with you. Absolutely. So then, I think y'know, when we talk about family, and what that looks like, especially with regard to community, oftentimes so much of it is that people say, "community" is ambiguous; like, what do you mean by "community"? Or, you know, what does that actually mean? And you guys have really dissolved what it means for you at the Nurturing Roots family, you guys have been able to connect and combine with other groups, but also staying very true to your internal mission. How has it been for you to keep the mission of Nurturing Roots alive and well as you move and navigate all these spaces?

Nyema Clark  08:08

Yes. So for me, it's been a unique circumstance. At Nurturing Roots, for those that don't know, we focus really on the healing practice of farming — being able to ingest the organic produce and foods that we'd raised — but not necessarily the capitalism aspect. So not necessarily always wanting to cut all of our produce and sell it, y'know; and community sometimes doesn't necessarily even understand. You're coming here, you're grabbing stuff for free? And are you sure I can take more? A whole pot of greens? Like, yes, you can have it all! I've had a lot of support from allies. And there's been allies who have been willing to come in when, y'know, folks haven't been available, or folks haven't been willing. Y'know, there are a lot of allies that were able — and by allies, I mean majority white folks — able to work at home or work from home. Whereas a lot of communities of color, a lot of my direct friends or contacts, weren't able to take off. You know, they were maybe... what do they call them? You're a worker, I forget; when you had to go to work during COVID. Oh, yeah. Yeah. "Essential worker," yeah? Essential workers, right? That couldn't just say, hey, I'll just be at home or I'll stay on Zoom and work in the garden. So being able to use that network. I think there were a lot of grant cycles and a lot of different funding sources that were able to support also. But really, that community that I felt are the folks that are reoccurring: they come out to the farm, they planted corn and they wanna see it, you know, all the way through. So being able to just have folks that, y'know, no matter what: hey, we're masked up, all I have is one good leg, but I'll sit down and plant some seeds; y'know, whatever it was. But, I don't know; it's always been just miraculous for me seeing how the universe works, how we always have exactly what we need, y'know, but just finding it and making sure we hold on to it.

TraeAnna Holiday  09:51

You really hit the nail on the head there with regard to how you guys don't embrace this capitalistic approach and, you know, when you first said that to me, I'm like, Look, somehow they are sustaining themselves with this model; but you're also showcasing to others how it can be done. And I love being able to see that replicated in other spaces like that Ujamaa Food Circle: they gave me a whole box of all this organic, amazing stuff! And I'm like, Wait a minute; and they're like, No. This is for your service and community, right? Like, no, we don't want your money; we just want you to be able to, like, make a great meal with — y'know, with your family, with/using these things. And I'm like, Man, some of that stuff was some great stuff! You know what I mean, I got some organic honey, some sunflower oil, like so many amazing things where I'm like, Y'know, if I went to Whole Foods or something, I was easily gonna spend hundreds of dollars. And so I'm just... I'm a recipient of that work. And honestly, I want to take a dive in a bit deep into who you are, Nyema, because I know you in community, obviously, one of my community sistas out here. And you know, I gotta ask you, what was it for you that made you know, this is my life's purpose, I gotta really dig deep into the soil, I gotta have my hands in the soil, and do it with this community lens?

Nyema Clark  11:05

Y'know, a lot of it was seeing illness in my family. I had a dog who had cancer, and I had an aunt that had cancer. And for me, you know, it was the impact of, What do you mean, you've had insurance this whole time and you weren't able to see it? Or, we've taken them to the vet this whole time and y'all didn't catch this? So to me, it was the realization that our healthcare was so poor, and then connecting the dots of all the systemic oppression that we deal with, in all the institutions; so whether it's education, our food systems, our healthcare, our residential, everything; it's like, how are we always oppressed no matter what, and how is there always this teeter totter based on how much money you have? So personally, through my discovery of just the system that we are subscribed to, having to figure out, Okay, well, how do I make ends meet? And then how can I go to a job that is sucking the life out of me, just for the sake of being able to get a good report after they stay at the hotel, you know? It wasn't, We're doing this for the wellness of their family, and after this they're gonna go on and, y'know, feel better. it was, Get as much money as you can, and make sure that they're happy, and throw away the food if they see it's bad, but give it to 'em if it's not. Y'know? Just to the point where it's like, Hold on a second! We're just doing this, y'know, we're just puppets in this game of, y'know, ugh! So to me, it was a lot of things. Y'know, that illness, realizing wow, if I were to... if I were able to, y'know, actually know what was going into my body, I might be able to fight against whatever these ailments are, be it diabetes, cancer, y'know, all kinda things; heart disease, you name it. So being able to understand first, it was a lot of education and self-discovery. It was trauma, you know, trauma-digging, realizing that farm work is beautiful. It's a beautiful history, I have to find it. I have to learn about the George Washington Carvers, I have to realize that folks were hiding seeds in their hair, y'know, I have to look at it from a different perspective. And then realizing, Girl, I could not go into PCC and buy up everything I wanted. And seeing them carts pass by, and other folks who could fill it up and your total's $380 and you don't mind. I couldn't do that. So I knew that, y'know, I wasn't alone; I knew that so many other folks had similar stories. And I figured, How can I reach in the Black community and help change that narrative, change that perspective? Show them that, yes, these collards are a lot better than down there, and they're not just four stems. Y'know, my grandma's always surprised at how many I bring, and it's like, and I didn't chop down my whole yard! But a lot of folks, there's such an abundance. And once you can see that, and once you don't have to have that monetary exchange, it is, it's like, like you said: getting organic maple syrup in that box? It was like, You know how much maple syrup is!? [laughter] But all of this maple syrup is in a tree, that tree's been growing, it's gonna be there, whether you're here or not. And it has some maple syrup to share. So I think it's just remembering what nature has to offer, and then what we're supposed to be, y'know, giving back.

TraeAnna Holiday  14:08

I'm so inspired by you; I'm so inspired by you. I mean, the truth of the matter is, is that, y'know, how many more Nyemas do we need in the world. Because it is so elating; as I'm listening to you speak, I'm just envisioning how happy the ancestors are, in terms of, yes, our hard work is being exemplified in this young woman, right? And I think so much about, y'know, the eras that inspired me the most: I always think about the Roaring 20s, right, when we had all these amazing Black towns and, y'know, you have people coming out of being enslaved and this enslavement period, and they were never really enslaved in their minds 'cuz as soon as they got the opportunity to be free, what they said was, Oh, this is what we gonna do. Okay, you gon' be the one building houses. You're gonna be the one over here doing the farm work. We're gonna be over here teaching the children, you're gonna be over there keeping us healthy and well, y'know, if we need, y'know, herbs and remedies, you're gonna be doing that, oh, you're gonna be — they just *did it.* And it reminds me of the beginning of civilizations when, y'know, they all had this village mentality. And it was so insular, right, in terms of like, we got this, and how much do we need from the outside world? Is — zero, or very little, right? And when I'm listening to you speak, so much of it... when I think about the resurgence that we're in right now, when I think about even the title of this podcast — Equity Rising — right? The fact that equity *is* rising, the ideas of all of us being able to pour into a constant idea around "we need to do this for ourselves" is a driver for me. And I'm — listening to you, I'm just... I can hear that it's a driver for you. And so how long has Nurturing Roots been in business? And what made you come up with the name Nurturing Roots? It's like a two-pronged question there.

Nyema Clark  16:04

Yes. Well, I definitely have to pause and agree with everything you're saying. I believe our ancestors are looking at us in awe. And it's about time; like, I've been feeling like, Wow, what a time that we've been alive to even be a part of all these different movements, tragedies, triumphs, just everything. It's like, I feel so blessed to be a part of this, because I know there will be us in the history books. Like we'll be, y'know, shouting, y'know... we will be those ancestors that we look upon. So, yes, I just love that. Nurturing Roots, though, has been around for six years, properly; I guess it's been seven years that I started. And at the beginning, it was, y'know, we were doing a lot of community organizing here at the Black Power epicenter :) on Beacon & Graham; we're up here doing work with the No New Youth Jail campaign. And through my work with this community I was able to get the honor to work on the farm; but the church just said, Hey, there's extra space, it's overrun, do y'all want it? And I said, Sure, I can grow some stuff! So after that it was kind of a whirlwind, figuring out, okay, to fund this, maybe making it a nonprofit would be a lot easier. A lot of times, I always try to find a solution to benefit us, but it doesn't have to be our financing. So for me, a lot of it started out with being able to get someone to pay the water bill, get someone to pay the rent. But now we can sustain; we can save seeds, we can do the hard work, we can, y'know, use our genius, we can borrow, we can barter; y'know, those different moments where I didn't need much starting out. My budget was maybe $20,000 the first four or five years and I didn't even pay myself. So to me it was just, How do we get this goin', and how do we make it work? Then I was able to quit my job shortly after, four years after, and... Yeah; it's just been, like I said, I didn't know I was gonna be a farmer. Y'know, I thought I was gonna be in theater my whole life. I was doing acting; y'know, Nu Black Arts Theater, Auntie Kibibi, y'know, that was my life. And now, y'know, even seeing the way that, y'know, I will have my farm boots on no matter where I'm going, y'know? And it's just a whole new being. But yeah, I feel like although, y'know, I can reminisce on when it started six years ago, I think this was something else. Like sometimes I feel, Trae, that it's like... I don't know *how* this worked. I don't know how I heard about Red Barn Ranch. And then now this? Like, I don't know how. I couldn't have done it again, if y'all said, Okay, well, go do it again. It's like, literally someone else had their hand in this: the universe, whoever, whatever it was, you know. So to me a lot of it is, I feel like there is a deep connection with my ancestors and me listening to them, and me pausing and saying, Why am I living? And how can I live and be proud of myself when I leave? Y'know, how can I be proud of what I leave behind? So I think all of that got me here. But yeah: Nurturing Roots I think has been, y'know, my mom making jam in my backyard with me when I was a kid, or my dad showing me some carpentry, or my grandmother teaching me about chow-chow. But there's been all kinda stuff that's like, wow, that's why I learned that! You know, sometimes in school it's like, I don't know where I'm'a end up... where this is gonna be in my life. But there's been so many things that I'm even thinking about childhood. It's like, dang, *that's* why I was so into going to the park and didn't come home when the streetlights came on, and camping... Like, there's been so many things that... I just wake up every day blessed to remember that, wow, this is why I got that lesson, or this is why I met that person, or... I could go forever, but yeah, I came... I don't even know.

TraeAnna Holiday  19:35

I mean, but you're so right. And it's a beautiful thing, 'cuz, you know, both of us have theater backgrounds, right? And Kibibi's just strong in both of our lives in that regard. And it's a beautiful thing because as I'm listening to you — I was just explaining this to someone else — I never would have, y'know, thought that all that I was doing when I was beating my head against the glass ceiling in corporate America, trying to get white men (predominantly white men) and the white women who are in middle management who really keep you at a certain level, right — 'cuz they don't really want you to have access to those white men at the executive suite level, right? — but really trying to show my value to them and prove my value over and over and over again, with regard to what I could bring to space. And it wasn't until I really stopped doing all of that and rooted myself in community that it made sense; that everything began to click. And so when I think about myself, you know, me and my best friend, we got karaoke machines one year for Christmas, and we created our own — we didn't know then, but we created our own radio shows, right?! Like podcasts then. And we didn't know what it was, y'know, we were just, like, creating characters; we wanted to get on the mic, we wanted to have the characters call into the shows; like, we were just doing our own thing, right? Shout out to Bonqueeta from the Bronx, that was one of our characters. But it's just a funny thing, when I'm hearing you talk about all of the things that really, like, led you to the path. And I think that that's so key when we're seeing so many different people living in their purpose, right? That's really what it is. And I've had now so many people say that to me, where they're like, I'm just inspired by you, because you're just — your energy's... somethin' different about you. And it's like, I love what I do. What I do is in me, it's not on me, it is of me, I am in this, right; it's so — yeah, it's so, like... we don't have nine-to-fives. I mean, this is like our life's work, right? And so there's a real balance there that you have to give yourself. I love that we start off asking how are you taking care of yourself. But I gotta ask you, how do you balance it all? Because I know for me, it even gets really tough for me, and I have to really just take, sometimes, a real break in order to have that balance of how much I love what I do. And I'm so rooted in community, but then I go, Wait a minute, I gotta look out for Trae; I gotta, y'know, take care of Trae as well. How is that for you?

Nyema Clark  21:57

You know, a lot of it, Trae, I've started to develop most recently. Before that it was a lot of go-go-go-go-go; I don't know what vacation is; I can't take a break; it's gonna fall if I do. Like, all these moments where I was in this fear state of just working myself, you know, ragged; but now I find that being able to talk with friends. So, opening up that barrier. A lot of times I would think, Okay, well, I don't wanna put this on them. I'd rather just hold it deep, you know, and I'll get through it. But being able to just have conversations about, Hey, this is what happened to me today. And then having those friends to listen, I've realized that there's so many of my friends that don't mind listening. And that are like, I was wondering how you were dealin' over there. And it's like, Well, thanks for letting me unload! You know, so being able to just have a support system, like having individuals that similarly — like you, yourself, y'know, we're going through this, we can talk about it. I think also by being able to take breaks away, I fortunately was able to get some more funding to get more staff. So being able to have folks contracted to be here on a volunteer day. So now I *can* be with family, or now I *can*, y'know, go and sit with my grandma and do nothing. But a lot of times it was, y'know, constantly working. It did affect me. But I was so caught up in it, it just felt like, well, this is what should be happening. And so being able to also step away and say, Okay, from the work, how do you nurture *your* roots, you know? How do you get that — the Nyema to be smiling on a deeper level? 'Cuz always I'm happy; like, to me coming out here, I will bust my back out here in the farm and it's fine all day. But there are those moments where, y'know, people ask me, like, this question here. How do you care for yourself? And I didn't have an answer. So it's really being able to take that time, meditating in the morning, being able to, y'know, even sit with friends and do nothing. "Let's go sit at the water, girl, and just talk." "Okay." Y'know, just taking that time. But yeah, I think it's the time, the stillness. Definitely... I was on a vacation with a girlfriend. So being able to say "Yes" when your friends ask you to come out of town. But yeah, that's how I do it. Just being able to, y'know, share what I'm feeling; write it down; and then also taking a break. Y'know, being able to take that authentic body needs a break. Let me relax. You know?

TraeAnna Holiday  24:16

I love it. 'Cuz I... you know, I think it's such a balancing act for so many of us. And when we look at, y'know, equity in its vast ways, right? Equity needs to be infused in everything because it was inherently not built into anything, right? It was *intentionally* not built into anything. And so so much of what we love to focus on here for Equity Rising is that centricity of equity, right, and it being such a driver. And you were talking about closing the disparity gaps around accessibility, right, for healthy food options; getting people to understand that food is a right, right? It is like a right of their own and that they need to own that. And so it's not always about this monetary exchange; which I think really changes the game for how people are starting to identify what we'd had beforehand, which was exactly that, right? We had farming, and it was — that was taking care of community, that was just a part of it. It wasn't a part of a system that is now, y'know, beaming down on you saying you have to do it this very specific way. It wasn't that at all. And I think, for me, one of the things that I'm so driven by is, Well, okay, how will this work affect the next generation? How will this, y'know, like you said, being a part of this time, being so grateful to be a part of this time, and in a certain regard knowing that, no matter what, there's so much — you look up 'Nurturing Roots,' there's all kinda articles and all, because it's now being really cemented in time. Like, it's not just, y'know, like you said, it's not just Nyema Clark's work, right? It's like, now you have this team, you're growing, and you're able to really realize some time for you. How is that in terms of bringing in new members and getting staff to be contracted to do certain things, because now that's an experience you're able to provide for them?

Nyema Clark  26:19

Exactly. To me, it's been fortunate to have all the staff that are here start as volunteers also. And there's something to be said about folks that are there, whether they're getting paid or not. And so being able to show that commitment and showing that sacrifice, to me, it's just been overwhelming to even say that, hey, now I can do this better. Now I can help out with that, y'know? So yeah, it's a blessing to be able to have folks that were able to grind with me, and that are really effectively building an even better program than I ever could imagine. But we have someone working on youth curriculum, because she has a background and went to college for that. We have IT, y'know; so all these things that were built in, to, like, just stock from people that are really good friends and family. Like, this is amazing to be able to touch on all of their past, y'know, education or history that they didn't necessarily love it when they were, y'know, in the institution, but now they can mold it and create what they want. So I think even being able to reach into the community and say, Hey, community, who wants to do a workshop for apple cider vinegar? We got some healers. And then, here you go, I got the ingredients, I can pay you for it, and we'll help host it. And there's some individuals who may be starting a business or, y'know, may be standoffish and haven't really done any Zooms before. So I think there's been an amazing amount of just enrichment in general, folks stepping out of their shells, folks engaging in different ways in community, being able to share with my partner. being able to have him speaking about traumas. I think there are moments where... you know, like I said, being able to share all those feelings that I feel. Y'know, I feel so excited being able to go and speak for my city at a council meeting or being able to do it. So a lot of it is almost, y'know, that I see a equity picture in my head: but there's some equity — the boxes, the guys stand on the boxes and one's under the ground; that's where it's real. But yeah, it's almost like I'm able to elevate and really give that equity to individuals who, they didn't see themselves talking to Dow Constantine, or being in the, you know, these spaces that so often we're like, Well, that's for the other folks, y'know? So I see that as just being barriers that are wiped away. Y'know, being able to write a grant; we recently received the Washington Women's Foundation grant for $100,000. Some of us never see that. So I think even that; being able to see, this is attainable. And now it is our, y'know, it's *our* creativity that can be magnified. So a lot of that is what I've been feeling. But it's like, man, we're building so much. Spoke a little bit about Red Barn for being able to even see that come into fruition; realizing that we could potentially have this amazing city that we've been able to read about. We read about all of the cities and structures and towns that have been just destroyed, you know; physically, spiritually, they've been destroying us forever. So to be able to uplift us in this way, to show that there is no barrier. Yeah, we can go downtown, we could go to the Columbia tent. Yeah, okay. You know, all of these... it's nothing for us. So I think that's been the biggest impact: being able to equitably share all this wealth that our city's been boasting over. And then also being able to say, Okay, now how are we going to harness it and create our own? And then just having folks that are unapologetic and unafraid and saying, Alright, I'm with it; let's do it. You know? But yeah, it's been just an amazing impact on me too, because it's like, Alright, y'all, let's go! You know the slow clap? [claps]

TraeAnna Holiday  29:45

Yeah.

Nyema Clark  29:46

Now we're up here, I'm like, heyyyy! [laughter] That is for me what I'm feeling; but, yes.

TraeAnna Holiday  29:51

I love that. That's such a beautiful answer. And I mean, now you've alluded to it a couple times and, y'know, one of the things that I want to say is just like, Absolutely; 'cuz I feel you in that regard, right? Where it's like, if any of my work can be impactful like that, where, you know, now you're getting to do the things that really *matter.* You know, you've honed your skill set, maybe it was in corporate America, maybe it was in public education, maybe it was in some of these more systemic institutions that have been built "for" us, right, without us. But now you get to take all that you learned, and pour it into something that is gonna be magnified in terms of community ownership, an equitable approach, a sustainable solution; it's like, all of these things that really do make America so much better. When we talk about our *state* being better, and being able to be, y'know, an example in a certain regard with other states. But now it's about, like, Okay, no; this is... these are the things that really matter in terms of making America as best as it possibly can be. And it's really building on so much of the brilliance that comes from all of the different — calling it a melting pot. It's built on that brilliance. And it isn't one culture dominating. It is literally all of the cultures being able to thrive in place, being right here, and bringing all of their amazingness and brilliance to bear. So I just love that answer. 100%. And you were just mentioning Red Barn Ranch. I wanna get into it, because this is an amazing project and opportunity for Nurturing Roots. But tell the audience more about this project: Red Barn Ranch.

Nyema Clark  31:33

Yes. So Red Barn Ranch was a deserted property owned by our Parks Department in Seattle. It originally was given to them by Elgin Baylor, the late Elgin Baylor. And it was a youth camp. It was a basketball camp for awhile, it was an inner city youth camp, they had horses; there was all kinda things happening long ago — 70s. But it had been deserted for about six years when I heard about it. And so knowing that there's a property that the city has; technically we're paying taxes for it; but it's just sitting there and we're not doing anything with? And it's almost 40 acres? To me, it was like, [bell ringing]! Like again, ancestors: are you kidding me? Like, y'all just have 40 acres sittin' around waitin'?! So to me even that, it was like, okay, no brainer; we gotta figure out how to get this. So again, through strategies in networking and figuring out, Okay, what do we say? How do we do it? Being able to hook up with KCEN and realizing that, okay, you can be this amplifier where, as a nonprofit, sometimes I can't stand on the box and say certain things, y'know? But there are community that I have that can. Or there are different churches that can impact these different, y'know, these different circles that may not listen to my voice. So being able to hear about the land and realize, okay, this could be Black Wall Street for us. We do a lot of structural racist identification when it comes to, again, the systemic oppression of institutions. So how can we build our own, like you said earlier? How can we make sure we don't need anything outside? Okay, we're gonna need a sheep shearer. We're gonna need somebody doing birth work. We're gonna need somebody makin' food, we gotta do compost, we gotta do water catching; like, all these different things, almost like your human body. All these different things have a job. And we have all of this expertise inside of us. So if there's not gonna be any youth prisons — thank you, Dow Constantine, for finally... y'all spent the money, but okay — finally *we* can figure out what to do with our young people. Y'know, finally, it ain't your job; let's do — y'know, digging in. But there's all kind of oppression that mothers receive. Incarcerated mothers don't get a chance to give birth unshackled. And it's like, Are you kidding me? I've seen friends give birth. I can only imagine how that would feel; you know, not even having that dignity, or the safety of when you travel back, making sure you don't rip. These moments where, these are sacred moments that we have as human beings that are being just thrown away or taken from us. So being able to have a holistic space where I will tell you exactly what that Tylenol or birth control will do to you. Now, here's some herbs, and they can help you. You know, there's a reason why there's a plenty of — bounty of herbs here. And sometimes we use 'em as ornamental things, when really they are our medicine. These are the healing gifts that we have all around us. So I think about all of our education systems that don't culturally appropriately provide for us. It's like, there is some reason why I look this way. There's some reason why the sun's not burning my skin off. There's something and I wanna know! Tell me why! Tell me why I may have more fibroids, or what I can do to help me out as a Black woman. So I think a lot of those moments where we don't have that place... you know, as an African American woman, I know Seattle; I know West Virginia. And I know I looked up a slave manifest where my, y'know, my great-great-great-great-grandma came from but I don't know before that, and I don't have a place where I can say, Alright, I'm done with America. I'm going to... you know, I don't have that. So I really wanted to be able to do that with Red Barn. The significance of it being nearly 40 acres is like, Wow, we could really do it there. And then seeing the magnitude. 40 acres: I've seen it written in books as a number, but never could quantify it visually. So going out there, hearing an eagle, hearing the silence, seeing the stars, not having any light pollution, being able to just feel like... literally looking around, it's almost like a Disney montage when you see all these, like, figments of things happening; it's like, this could be *everything* for us. And how good could I feel? Or how good could we feel if we could give something else? Y'know, we could give something else... We're fighting for this; our ancestors — just lookin' at the Civil Rights Movement, we've been fighting and fighting and fighting. And there were these spaces that we were able to hold and hold dear. So I just think about those moments where all of us have this expertise, we just need the place and space to be able to grow it. So really Red Barn, it's like if the city will give it to us — *when* they give it to us, excuse me; they will — I would just love if all of us can come together, whatever it is that anyone sees for that space. Like I said, it could be anything. It could be anything. I have young people of all ages; our TikTok's ran by our 11-year-old intern. But if there's a potential for them to have, you know, a production studio, how do we have a place? All these spaces. But — drive-in movies! How do we have those spaces that we were... we just had as second nature as kids? And they're just fading away? Like, where is it? So I just want there to be that place where we can all go find home, we can all feel like grandma's house, when you smell the — you know, it's just like, it's wafting. Like, hey, this's too much family in here. It's like, we need that space. And like you said, not having to pay for it. How can we have farmers there that, we don't care about your history, or we don't want to read your Social Security report, we just want you to come. Y'know, we know that you were wherever you were, and you just needed the opportunity; so here it is. Y'know, bartering; we don't wanna have a cash system on-site. I went to Cuba: there is no cash value. They were in a co-op (excuse me), and their co-op, they just exchanged the wisdom, and then they shared in the profits. And they had a scale based on how long you were there. But it was just, you know, you go to this co-op and you can talk to the healer; you tell him what your ailment is, he goes back and grabs it and gives it to you. And that's it! But it's not "Oh man, how am I gonna make ends meet, I'm'a have to sacrifice," having a John Q situation... Y'know, America is like, Come on, y'all. But yeah, I can go on tangents all day. But Red Barn is really that space that we've been needing, that space that we just can be us. And then we can find home and solitude and... y'know, all of that.

TraeAnna Holiday  37:43

Yeah, you know what? I mean, this is just beautiful. The vision, when you're talking about all of the things that really excite us, you know, as a people. Using this space, to make sure that, you know, folks understand it's about them being there. It's about their energy being there and thriving there. And creating that model, again, that moves away from the systemic oppression; 'cuz I really do see capitalism as just that. I think that our people, y'know... someone was sharing with me that, y'know, our original societies, we didn't work for eight hours a day; we didn't — that's not what we did. We didn't have to work to live. Right? It was that, when we woke up, we all had jobs to do. It was like this village thing, right? So if it was, I'm over here, like I said, I'm with the kids and I'm wielding the kids so that they understand their rite of passage; or, y'know, we had the sages who were really focusing on people's spiritual path. So when you needed to understand, you know, what you're there to do in this lifetime, they're there to guide that, right, and guide you. And everybody understood the essence of needing spirituality to be the base. But it's just a beautiful thing to hear what you're describing in terms of today's world. And so much of it that really is very intriguing to me, is getting back to a lot of those original ideas. I mean, when you just described what's going on in Cuba, when you were able to go and you see this amazing model. It's like, that's what it is! That's where it's at. We have the opportunity — and really, the duty — to begin to change the mindsets of what it looks like to care for people. And I'm always saying, I mean, we were talking about this earlier: this transformative time we're in right now. It's like we have the opportunity to kind of unplug a bit right now and say, We don't have to hustle and bustle like that. We don't have to do what our parents and grandparents did. There is another way to do this better. And I think even when it comes down to people who have traditionally had that, whether it's like, Oh, you know, my family's always been okay, I've never struggled; or, y'know, whatever... there's an awakening happen, even for *those* folks where they're like, Wait a minute, y'know what I mean; I don't wanna replicate the issues that my parents or grandparents or great-grandparents may have not even had the foresight to do. So, so much of it is about utilizing these opportunities of equity to really then elevate the opportunities of connectivity. Because so much of it is that, right? And when you talked earlier about the allies, and being able to utilize their time and space because they can work from home. It's such a great, great model and a great example of what it looks like. Some of the things that I think I've been the most inspired by, throughout not just like, okay, the protest movement; yes, that was beautiful, right? Because people were like, Whoa. That was — my mom said it to me, she said, Whoa, the thing that was really different about that, versus the Civil Rights era, was you looked out and you saw a sea of *all kinds* of people. In the Civil Rights era, you saw a sea of Black people, and some white. But she said this time, she said it was so different for her because as an older person, she just said it was so different for me, 'cuz I just looked out at this sea of people that were there to say, This isn't right. And we can do better as a society. So I love what — everything that you're doing there. And I love this, you know, going after Red Barn Ranch. I mean, when they talked about 40 acres and a mule; now you're like, We can actualize what 40 acres looks like! We can actualize these ideas and this energy into Red Barn Ranch. I wanna make sure that people understand how they support Nurturing Roots with acquiring this property from the city, 'cuz I think that that's so key to getting people — as I'm always saying — getting people to see themselves as part of the solution. What are some of the things that folks can be doing right now, even, to encourage the city to literally give this over to Nurturing Roots?

Nyema Clark  41:56

Yes. Well, I know KCEN right now has a set-up email blast, so you can go to KCEN and check out the farm, the Red Barn Ranch page. But also just advocating with your different political councilmembers in your different districts; but sending an email and just saying what, you know, food sovereignty or land ownership for Black communities means to you. But yes, definitely name-dropping; there's gonna be a campaign of fundraising. After we receive it — which, we have the expectation it will work, I feel good about it — but being able to, y'know, share in resources, whether you are a contractor, and you have a surplus of something; if you are an architect, and you have an expertise that you want to share. So for sure, checking in with us; we have weekly meetings about Red Barn. But definitely being able to help advocate for this in general. I think Red Barn is bigger than me. So the support for Nurturing Roots definitely is there. But there are so many other folks that haven't had, you know, amplification like I have. There's so many different communities that are like, we need land. So I think no matter where anyone is, just advocating that, hey, we need to stop and make a difference. Like you said, being able to see so many folks that were different, a sea of individuals; there are so many people that are working in institutions that have so much power to make change. So just doing that, sometimes, is the biggest thing. But really, getting out of the way. Some people, maybe that's your job. And it's, you know, steppin' down or movin' aside. But sometimes it is just paying it forward. Telling someone that you know, y'know, I know a councilmember; let me tell him what I heard about. You know? Being able to pay it forward has been my biggest, I'd say, my biggest "claim to fame," if you will. But it's almost like, just because I told this person and they told them and then they — literally it was a telephone effect, popcorn, whatever you call it; but it's just been incredible to see, y'know, what minimal effort can really do. Or what this — you think it's nothing, but it really was a huge impact. So I always say, definitely advocating, being able to use your power to help shape history; get in touch with us, drop a name so we know your occupation or your structural, y'know, addition; but for sure, sharing your humanity. If you just feel a certain way, send it. If you're an elder and you had a dream for when you were younger, and it could have never been actuated, send that letter, y'know. But there's all kinda help you can offer. But yeah, that's that. Nurturingroots.org, or hit us up on Instagram, and just be in touch; just be fam.

TraeAnna Holiday  44:24

Well you know, that's really what it's about, 'cuz I think so many of these equity efforts, they just involve and need to involve a wide range of voices, a wide variety of perspectives. And I love that so much of this work is really, in a sense, it's uprooting a lot of the racist ideals that I think have really kept us so bogged down, to a certain degree. When I think about these efforts, really, again, expanding outward from not just the communities that are the most impacted, but also, like, hey: the other people are really seeing themselves as a part of it. How do I become a part of the solution without trying to take over. Because there's been that model before of like, oh, y'know, well, the white savior: I'm gonna come in, y'know, we have all the answers; no, we need to be led by them. And so I love how you offered, you know, the opportunity to take a step aside; 'cuz for some that's what it looks like, right? And that's how you're becoming a part of the solution, right? You're also maybe sharing resources; you're talking about this at your dinner table with your friends and your colleagues. You're mentioning these opportunities for people to be involved in equity efforts at the levels where *you* are, where you congregate, where you commune. Man, I say it all the time, 'cuz so much of this is about those kinda conversations, right? And one of the things I love to think about, and it's just something that I always... it pops up in my head, when I think about this, y'know, you see your family at Thanksgiving, for instance, or something, right? And you know that you're gonna have that bigoted uncle or grandfather or whoever that says things and you're just like, Ugh, no. But now you can utilize those opportunities to educate them on what it is you're learning, on how *you* are being a part of the solution. That right there *is* a part of the solution: to break down the monotony, or maybe the steel wall that's been kept around some of these ideologies that continues to allow them to live and prosper, to a certain degree. Now you have the opportunity to say, No: equity for me looks like this, and I gotta be honest with y'all now, y'know? Honest with my family. I gotta be the one — if you guys don't call me the black sheep, I gotta be the one out there that's saying exactly what I think all of you need to hear. And so, so much of it is that... Nyema, you're doing fantastic work in the community. I cannot thank you enough for your energy; you're always so upbeat and ready to go. And one of the things that I really wanted to say before we let you go from this podcast is how much I appreciate you. How much I appreciate your effort, your work, your energy, the love you're pouring into community, the ways that you're seeing equity realized right now. You know, Nurturing Roots is already doing it, and you guys can take all of that and expand it and open up these opportunities for others with Red Barn Ranch. I encourage all of the listeners out there, go to kingcountyequitynow.com. You guys can find out more on this campaign for Nurturing Roots and Red Barn Ranch. You guys can obviously go to nurturingroots.org and learn more about the efforts there, if you guys wanna volunteer on some of those volunteer days; clearly they are still accepting folks and bringing you into the fold. I think that it's really important for people to be able to identify themselves in these solutions, because that's when they begin to care more and do something greater, you know, for the greater good. That's beyond themselves and beyond their own ideas. Nyema, any last words from you?

Nyema Clark  47:53

Just keep growing, everyone; y'know, make sure that you put your hands into the soil, whether you got a fresh French tip or not. But make sure that you just take that time and remember, y'know, what got us here. And where we will return eventually. But being able to just take that moment and just keep healing. But definitely, if I can support anything, come through; come through. And thank you so much, TraeAnna; I know you mentioned it, and I feel like I've done it many times, but: being able to have sisters in this work, being able to look into your eyes and feel you... Thank *you.* Thank you for doing everything you do: all the sacrifices, being a mother, everything you gotta do. I appreciate it. But thank you.

TraeAnna Holiday  48:35

I love you so so much. And this has been an amazing episode. You guys have been able to hear from Miss Nyema Clark over at Nurturing Roots, man. Clearly bringing farming solutions and healthy options to the community, bringing opportunities for folks to be involved in; like she said, get your hands into the soil. I've been saying it: I need to come and visit and you know I will, 'cuz now after this... I mean, we keep having these points of contact, and we know how busy we are, but I need to be able to get my hands in the soil. Bring my sons there so they can see it. Because I think Black-owned farming, for me, it's so beyond; it's so major. And when we think about the history of it, you are really continuing in an effort that is so overlooked by so many people. And so I just thank you for everything you're doing. You guys heard it right here on this episode of Equity Rising. Again, Miss Nyema Clark: I mean, I'm just... we needa queue up the handclaps. Yeah, because it's so real. The love here is so real. And I hope that you guys took this opportunity to be inspired in terms of the equity solutions happening right here in Washington state, holding it down for Black farming. Nurturing Roots is totally doing that in collaboration with so many other groups that are really working to make sure people have the opportunity to dig their hands into that soil. Take this opportunity, you guys, to be inspired and see yourself as a part of the solution, as we all should; 'cuz that's how we change the game for our world. So thank you again for listening to this episode of Equity Rising. Thanks, Nyema!

Nyema Clark  50:14

Thank you.