Decolonizing Permaculture: Expanding Wisdom with Rev. Houston R. Cypress

Rev. Houston R. Cypress (Otter Clan, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida) shares how Indigenous wisdom, environmental science, art, and Two-Spirit teachings come together in his work across the Everglades. Recorded live at the 2025 Florida Permaculture Convergence, this conversation explores local Indigenous histories, the Miccosukee Tribe’s environmental studies, and the importance of widening our definitions of home, family, and community.

Houston explains how the Miccosukee Tribe balances scientific monitoring with ancestral insights, and how “bending tools” allows Western scientific methods to better support Indigenous priorities. He also discusses the emergence of queer ecological knowledge, Two-Spirit initiatives in Florida, and the longstanding tradition of chosen family among Seminole and Miccosukee Peoples.

Rev. Houston R. Cypress is a Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer artist and environmentalist from the Otter Clan of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. He serves on the Miccosukee Tribe’s Everglades Advisory Committee and has worked with the Love The Everglades Movement for over a decade.

Learn more: provensustainable.org