Finding Freedom in the Soil: Exploring the histories of herbal resistance and resilience through the practice of food sovereignty in the African Diaspora
This herbal workshop will explore the question: How can we think through freedom and resistance through plant medicine? This knowledge share will walk participants through the histories of herbalism and land work before and after the transatlantic slave trade, and how the slave trade informed the histories and relationships people throughout the African diaspora have with plant medicine. Participants will learn about herbal allies used for resistance in the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade, with a focus on the U.S. South and Caribbean. Participants will go over the profiles of herbs such as hyssop, mullein, and hibiscus and how food sovereignty was integral to building relationships to those plants.
Yaquana Williams…
Yaquana Williams (she/her) is a queer community herbalist, root-worker, educator, and land steward based in Irvington, New Jersey. Drawing from a rich Black ancestral lineage rooted in the mountains of West Virginia and the deep soils of Southern Alabama, her work bridges ancestral healing, food systems, and spiritual ecology.
Over the past six years, Yaquana has cultivated a deeply grounded herbal practice informed by her studies with Hood Herbalism, Rooted Medicine Circle, and the People’s Medicine School. Her approach to herbalism is rooted in the spirit-led traditions of Hoodoo, African diasporic healing, and the cultural legacy of Black communities who have long turned to the land as a source of medicine, liberation, and resilience.
Yaquana has facilitated classes and workshops on African herbalism, chakra healing, breathwork, and poetry as medicine for diverse audiences both across the United States and internationally, including in Johannesburg, South Africa; Havana, Cuba; and Popayán, Colombia. Her teaching integrates spiritual, cultural, and ecological frameworks, emphasizing the transformative role of ancestral knowledge in contemporary healing and community care.
A Virtual Event Series
Tuesday June 16th 7-9 PM EST
*Please note that these events are for PMS Connection students (enrolled or alumni), and other PMS guest facilitators ONLY!