2018 began under a blanket of beautiful snow. For some, this translated into disruptions to the normal flow of life. For others, it meant a welcomed moment of respite and wintry play. On Earthseed, the snow transformed the landscape into something so beautiful that it is almost impossible to capture in a photograph (yet we try). Once again we emulate nature’s cycle: slowly and in due time awakening towards a year of delightful work in service of our vision.
2017 offered us so many gifts. Some of these gifts came in the form of opportunities to grow stronger as individuals and as a collective. Other gifts: in the form of art as we got to experience the Parable of the Sower Opera, the creation of Toshi Reagon (who we had the honor of hosting on Earthseed Land last summer) and her mother, Bernice Johnson Reagon. This was an important event for us because we share a source of inspiration for our work: the brilliant Octavia E. Butler.
Our name, Earthseed—is inspired by the decolonized mind and work of a woman who was well ahead of her time. The future that Ms. Butler depicts is a complex one: bleak circumstances from which there are so many beautiful lessons for us to take to heart: about what it means to truly be in community with one another, how much we need each other to survive, the resilience of the human spirit, and our ability to heed to the lessons that nature presents us time and time again.
We see many parallels from Parable to the present we are living now. And in response to circumstances of such despair, we are affirmed in our commitment to plant goodness on this land. Believing fully that “Kindness eases change. Love quiets fear.” We have so many blessings to be grateful for, so many people invested in seeing this work flourish, and so many dreams yet to realize.
Thank you for all you have done/do/will do to support Earthseed!
Zulayka and Earthseed
