Join us for a welcoming from Nikiko Masumoto (she/her/hers) of Masumoto Family Farm, and storytelling and conversation with Nikola Alexandre of Shelterwood Collective (he/him/they/theirs) and Dede Boies (she/her/they/theirs) of Root Down Farm. Our moderator Rebecca North will guide us through a conversation about the challenges and opportunities for accessing land and resources, the assumptions of what farming is, and the creative ways that marginalized folx have found to connect with and tend the rest of nature. This webinar is intended for LGBTTQAI+ and allies as we commemorate the Stonewall uprising of 1969 this month of June, led by Marsha P. Johnson. Celebrate with LGBTTQAI+ farmers, ranchers, and tenders of land.
There may be time reserved for connection between speakers and attendees in facilitated break out groups (optional).
Tuesday, June 15
12 - 1:30pm
Presenters
Nikola Alexandre (he/him/they/theirs), Shelterwood Collective
nikola is a Black queer forester by training and by calling. Nikola was raised by the deserts of New Mexico and the alpine mountains of Southern France. After attending a nature-based healing retreat following the Pulse massacre, Nikola committed his life to healing through tending the earth and reclaiming land stewardship as a way of nurturing a future for the communities he belongs to. Nikola holds a Master’s of Forestry and Master’s of Business Administration from Yale University, and founded Conservation International’s Ecosystem Restoration Program.
Dede Bois (she/her/hers), Root Down Farm
Dede Boies started farming because she “loved the work and the simplicity of planting a seed and growing something that’s edible.” But it wasn’t long before she discovered another passion: humanely raising healthy and happy animals. For the last six years, she’s run Root Down Farm in Pescadero, where she raises chickens, ducks, turkeys and pigs in a pasture-based system that strives to integrate care for the animals with stewardship of the land.
Nikiko Masumoto (she/her/hers), Masumoto Family Farm
Nikiko Masumoto lives through farming and creating. Born in the Central Valley of California, she spent her childhood slurping over-ripe peaches on the Masumoto Family Farm. Nikiko has never missed a summer harvest. In 2007 she graduated with Highest Honors from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Gender and Women’s Studies. It was there that she realized she wanted to return to the Valley to farm. But first she completed a Master of Arts in Performance as Public Practice from UT Austin. Her area of research focused on the performance of memory and Japanese American history, specifically the movement for Redress. Nikiko continues to develop her creative practices, exploring civic practice, creative entrepreneurship, storytelling, and site-specific performance. On most days you can find her on a tractor, dreaming of projects yet to be born.
Moderator
Rebecca North
Rebecca North has spent much of her adult life working in support of fresh local food and the people who grow, process and distribute it. Over two decades, she has worked at places as diverse as Nature’s Corner Natural Market, Veritable Vegetable and Planet Organics before landing, 14 years ago, at The Fruit Guys, where she acts as Fruit Detective. There she gets to support farmers and food. As a member of EcoFarm's Planning Committee and Diversity Advisory Group, Rebecca has been involved in making sure that EcoFarm is a diverse and equitable place in every way, and that women and LGBT people are well included. She shares a love of nature with her wife Maura and her son Jack, who is likely to be a future EcoFarmer, having had this instilled in his DNA.