Reclaiming Our Roots

In this Earth Day premiere of the BRAIDEd podcast, host Keionna Thomas, Program Coordinator for BRAID with The EcoWomanist Institute Southeast, explores the rich yet challenging history of Black land ownership in America and pathways toward agricultural restoration. She examines how 98% of Black-owned farmland was lost through discriminatory policies and introduces listeners to The EcoWomanist Institute's groundbreaking BRAID (Black Restorative Agriculture Incubation & Development) cohort program. This episode connects historical context with Valerie Hill Rawls' vision for collective land stewardship and practical solutions for moving beyond systemic inequities in agriculture.