Antonia Estela Perez & Rochelle Jamila

ANTONIA ESTELA PÉREZ who: Antonia is a clinical herbalist, gardener and artist, born and raised in NYC. They have apprenticed with several herbalists around the Northeast, Central and South America, and Thailand. They graduated from Bard College where they studied environmental and urban studies in 2015 and Arborvitae School of Traditional Herbal Medicine in 2019.

what: They are a community organizer, gardener, food and environmental justice educator. They are also the co-founder of two collectives: Brujas and Herban Cura.

why: They are passionate to share their knowledge with other folks especially in urban centers, in order to interrupt notions of individualism and separatism from nature and grow towards collaborative and symbiotic communities.

ROCHELLE JAMILA

who: Rochelle Jamila is a movement artist, doula, and herbalist based in Brooklyn, NYC. She began her path as a healing artist as a child growing up in Memphis, TN, where she learned early on the spiritual nature of dance, song, and nourishment. Rochelle graduated from Columbia University in 2017 with a B.A. in Dance and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies.

what: Rochelle is an herbal apprentice at Flower Power Roots and Herbs and has studied with herbalists in New York City and the South.

why: She is most passionate about supporting bleeding and birthing people to feel empowered in their bodies and reclaiming traditional healing knowledge. Her arts and healing practices are rooted in a legacy of Black artists, activists, mothers, healers, and the Mississippi Delta. It is Rochelle’s heartfelt belief that spiritual alignment and wellness are all of our birthrights.

Climate crisis is real and upon us but here’s the good news: Our planet is naturally abundant and so are we. We have the memory of living harmoniously with the earth in our bones. We all have ancestors who were once intimately connected to the earth for their survival and resilience. It’s time to remember and reclaim that knowledge.

To begin this reconnection, we must slow down and observe the patterns of the earth, wind, sun, and water, as we see the patterns outside of us, we can more intimately see how these patterns also exist within ourselves. We are earth. We contain all of the elements. However we have grown up in a capitalist system that has detached us from our intricate and undeniable dependence on the earth, making it more difficult for us to feel the magic that runs through us. Perhaps this COVID time will support us in collectively reflecting on how we have been living our lives, what is important and imagine alternative structures of resilient and regenerative economic models for all communities to thrive.

Some questions we are asking ourselves are how do I access medicine, food, health when the current social and governmental structures are not designed in a way that provides these resources equitably to all.

While these times are pushing us to a greater dependency on technology to communicate with loved ones and to satiate our boredom, remember that our body is an incredible tool for accessing information. Tune into what your body is asking for, any pains that are arising, anxieties, ahah moments….as you listen, you will learn yourself and your needs.

As movement and production has come to a halt, the waters and air are finally getting the chance to breathe.

WE INVITE YOU to close your eyes and take a

DEEP BREATH

Below are some more practices to support you in nourishment:

Shift to a home-cooked, plant-based diet to minimize your carbon footprint. Cooking at home emits a smaller quantity of greenhouse gases than eating out, and take-out uses a tremendous amount of “disposable” packaging. Don’t dispose of packaging just because it’s “disposable.” Plastic containers that you already have can be used for grocery shopping and transporting food. Support local community agriculture initiatives and when possible buy fresh produce and herbs from local farmers and herbalists.

Start gardening in your home (you can use egg cartons to germinate your seeds and plastic takeout containers for your plants) or neighborhood community garden. Inventory what you have available and adapt it to your needs. For soil, you can start an indoor compost or if you have a drop off site nearby, take your food scraps there.

Work with herbal allies to support your vitality and as a part of preventative health care alongside getting good sleep and eating well. The pharmaceutical and illegal drug industries are major polluters and dump toxins into rivers and forests. Work with a local herbalist or naturopath to learn ways to heal with plants. Check in on and learn from the elders in your community. What plants do/ did your elders and ancestors have relationships with? What herbs do they cook and heal with? Many of our loved ones are keepers of plant wisdoms.

A simple and fun way to start taking in plant medicine and integrating them into your daily life, is through teas. Some nourishing herbs to try as long steeping infusions are nettle, oatstraw, and burdock root. Aromatic plants like lemon balm, rose, and mint are wonderful as shorter steeped (10- 15 minutes) teas for soothing the nerves. Plants such as thyme, basil, sage and ginger support the immune system as well. There are many ways to work with plants, so feel free to get creative! You can make vinegars, take baths, and make oils with many of the plants listed above. Ask your loved ones and elders their favorite plants to work with. Have fun getting to know your plant allies in new and old ways. Plants are here to support our healing if we come to them with humility and respect!

How to Make an Herbal Infusion (Long Steeping Tea)

Supplies: • Dried herbs • Mason jar / any glass jar with lid • Hot water kettle • Wooden spoon / chopstick for stirring • Metal strainer / cheesecloth

Directions: 1. Boil water in a kettle or pot 2. Add one teaspoon of plant material to the jar for each cup of water 3. Boil water, allow to cool for 30 seconds 4. Pour water over herbs and stir 5. Cover with lid and let steep for 4-8 hours 6. Strain and enjoy. Stays good when refrigerated for 2-3 days

Feel supported and nurtured with this Earth Meditation:

We may need to maintain a social distance with our fellow human kin but we have many plant relatives all around us who are happy to receive hugs.

Find a tree or plant near you. Greet the tree with a smile, a song, or a few blessed words. Place a hand on the tree. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Slowly exhale. Repeat this slow deep breath three times. Visualize roots growing out of your feet and deep into the Earth, just like the tree beside you. Take as many more deep breaths with this image as you like. Close your meditation by thanking the tree and offering a prayer for our collective healing.