The Earth Sea Love Podcast

Episode 073 - Jola Olafimihan, Creative in Northumberland National Park

We are so exited to bring you a special mini series of podcast episodes created in collaboration with identity on tyne and their Black Nature in Residence Programme. 
Created and project coordinated by your host Dr Sheree Mack, the Black Nature in Residence Programmed (BNIR) aims to offer creative opportunities within nature for the global majority.  Started in 2019, the Black Nature in Residence Programme not only offers time and space in nature for creatives, focusing on the creative process and practices rather than putting the pressure on to produce produce and produce. The process is the focus rather than the outputs and outcomes. identity on tyne believes that when you give creatives the time and space to {BE},  something magical happens in the way they see themselves and their practice. The creatives have permission to play, experiment and create on their own terms. And nature is the guide in this process.
In this episode Sheree talks to Jola Olafimihan about her residency in the Northumberland National Park. They talk about:
* Where Jola is situated
* Who she be?
* What progression has there been from BNIR to BNIA 2:0?
* Nigerian indigo dying technique Adire
* Having two homes and combining them within this residency
* Walking groups both white and global majority 
* Disconnection from nature and the consequencs
* Healing with nature 
* Black-led creative projects
* Solastalgia
* Racism and harm and self-care practices 
 
Bio: Jola Olafimihan writes as a way of understanding all that is around her. She writes as a form of mindful practise and a way to focus her mind. She’s an industrious individual with a conscientious and positive attitude towards her work, creating, and exploration of newthemes. She’s a resilient and a forward-thinking creative, who likes developing her skill set. She’s an independent thinker who takes the initiative, self-driven to achieve successon independent projects such as being writer in residence for Durham Wildlife Trust (2020- 22), where she developed original pieces of writings and artworks.

Episode 072 – Testament, Creative in The Yorkshire Dales National Park

We are so exited to bring you a special mini series of podcast episodes created in collaboration with identity on tyne and their Black Nature in Residence Programme. 
Created and project coordinated by your host Dr Sheree Mack, the Black Nature in Residence Programmed (BNIR) aims to offer creative opportunities within nature for the global majority.  Started in 2019, the Black Nature in Residence Programme not only offers time and space in nature for creatives, focusing on the creative process and practices rather than putting the pressure on to produce produce and produce. The process is the focus rather than the outputs and outcomes. identity on tyne believes that when you give creatives the time and space to {BE},  something magical happens in the way they see themselves and their practice. The creatives have permission to play, experiment and create on their own terms. And nature is the guide in this process.
In this episode Sheree talks to Testament about his residency in the Yorkshire Dales. They talk about:
* Where Testament is situated
* What he does and how he came to doing this?
* How Testament 's residency has been going?
* Testament's research and critical tabulations around the runaway slave Thomas Anson ( Apologies for using Hansen in the podcast introduction)
* Fugitive and fugitivity
* Being artists and the mycelium network
* Patterson Joseph and his 2022 debut novel The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho 
* Self-care practices 
 
Bio: Testament is an acclaimed writer, spoken word artist, playwright and rapper. He is currently based in West Yorkshire.Testament’s work has received praise from a wide range of voices including Lemn Sissay, Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, writer and graphic novelist Alan Moore (Watchmen/ V for Vendetta), actor and writer Patterson Joseph, BBC presenter Lauren Laverne and theoriginator of Hip- Hop DJ Koolherc.Testament is passionate about using words to connect communities and ideas, and in so doing challenge assumptions and start conversations. Testament has worked as a freelance artist since 2007, teaching, writing and performing nationally and internationally. As well as writing and performing, Testament has done extensive work as an educator and workshop facilitator.Before becoming a writer, as a musician in 2009 Testament released an acclaimed album No Freedom Without Sacrifice under his “Homecut” moniker featuring Grammy Winner Corinne Bailey Rae, MOBO winner Soweto Kinch and US rap legend J-Live among others.He also features on the MOBO jazz nominated album Faces by David Lyttle.

Episode 071 - Nadia Emam, Creative in The North York Moors National Park

We are so exited to bring you a special mini series of podcast episodes created in collaboration with identity on tyne and their Black Nature in Residence Programme. 
Created and project coordinated by your host Dr Sheree Mack, the Black Nature in Residence Programmed (BNIR) aims to offer creative opportunities within nature for the global majority.  Started in 2019, the Black Nature in Residence Programme not only offers time and space in nature for creatives, focusing on the creative process and practices rather than putting the pressure on to produce produce and produce. The process is the focus rather than the outputs and outcomes. identity on tyne believes that when you give creatives the time and space to {BE},  something magical happens in the way they see themselves and their practice. The creatives have permission to play, experiment and create on their own terms. And nature is the guide in this process.
In this episode Sheree talks to Nadia Emam about her residency in the North York Moors. They talk about:
* Where Nadia is situated
* Who she be?
* How Nadia's residency has been going?
* How has her practice been changing during this time?
* Taking time out in nature to be
* Journey back home to Egypt and Scarborough
* Working with predominately white organisations 
* Anti-racism training 
* Black-led creative projects
*Healing in nature
* Next steps within the residence 
 
Bio: Nadia Emam is a a freelance director for theatre and film, working as an actor, poet and dramaturg.She has over 10 years experience as a facilitator in drama & poetry with young people, adults and communities working with Sheffield People’s Theatre, Aesthetica Film Festival + BFI NETWORK and The Crucible. Nadia’s practice is fuelled by kindness, silliness, inspiring creativity to nourish and build confidence.
 

Episode 070 - Wajid Hussain, Creative in The Lake District National Park

We are so exited to bring you a special mini series of podcast episodes created in collaboration with identity on tyne and their Black Nature in Residence Programme. 
Created and project coordinated by your host Dr Sheree Mack, the Black Nature in Residence Programmed (BNIR) aims to offer creative opportunities within nature for the global majority.  Started in 2019, the Black Nature in Residence Programme not only offers time and space in nature for creatives, focusing on the creative process and practices rather than putting the pressure on to produce produce and produce. The process is the focus rather than the outputs and outcomes. identity on tyne believes that when you give creatives the time and space to {BE},  something magical happens in the way they see themselves and their practice. The creatives have permission to play, experiment and create on their own terms. And nature is the guide in this process.
In this episode Sheree talks to Wajid Hussain about his residency in the Lake District. They talk about:
* Where Wajid is situated
* Who he be?
* How he has developed from BNIR to BNIR 2:0
* How he has been rehabilitating after covid
* What he's focusing on within his residency
* Being present in nature and observing
* Demystifying the creative 
* Self-care as a creative practitioner
 
Bio:
Wajid Hussain’s deepest passion is the ability of words, both spoken and visual, to connect with people from all walks of life. What makes his creative journey unique is how he’s blended his engineering background and cultural heritage into art. It's a blend of the sensory and the intellectual, where stories come to life through multiple senses. Wajid often combines poetry, word streams, and abstract illustrations to stir emotions and thoughts. Live poetry performances,commissioned projects, and visual creations are all part of his artistic toolkit. His fervour for artistic expression propels his mission: to inspire and empower others to embrace their creativity while providing safe spaces that amplify their voices. Dear Deddy-ji (Waterloo Press, 2012), Wajid’s first published collection of prose poems is dedicated to his late Father, covers themes fatherhood, legacy and identity. 

Episode 069 - Live From the Tremula Festival with Alinah Azadeh

Welcome back to a very special episode of The Earth Sea Love Podcast. After four years of recording the podcast, with this nearly being our seventh episode, we bring you our first LIVE face to face recorded conversation.
We are really excited to share a live face to face recording that took place during the wonderful Tremula Festival on Saturday 21 September 2024.
The Tremula Festival, the first of its kind, was a selections of talks,  production skills and workshops focusing on the connection between audio, the outdoors and the activism happening in those spaces. Your podcast host, Dr. Sheree Mack, was invited along to take part by the lovely Francesca Turauskis,Founder and Lead Producer of the Tremula Network.
And it was Fran who introduced Sheree to Alinah Azadeh, the guest of this special podcast. We are so pleased to share this episode with you as it was such a powerful conversation between the two creatives. 
The conversation covers:
* where the podcast is taking place in terms of situating themselves
* responding to the question, who you be?
* being radical/ creating radical situations within culture and the arts
* nature connection explored through art projects within community
* writing stories set in the future
* being the Seven Sisters' writer in residence and creating a writing community of the global majority
* creating a major audio walk in collaboration along the South Downs coastline - WE HEAR YOU NOW
* Alinah reading a section from her speculative fiction story based in 2053, WE HEAR YOU NOW
* You can read this story yourself at Alinah's substack, The Colour of Chalk 
* the two kinds of legacies which have been created through WE HEAR YOU NOW
* the criminal damage that has happened to this public artwork
* responses to the South Downs National Park Press Statement about the racialised attack against this walking trail  
* the trauma experienced of having our stories erased for centuries
* the power of the collective voice in pushing back against racism
* the difficulty of putting into practice black-led projects for everyone involved
* what does 'Landscape for All' translate into, in practice, or should mean
* progress in the use of language used to describe us by others, taking the lead from us
* Alinah's childhood and being brought up within nature
* more opportunities are welcomed to meander and wander and wonder with people within the landscape
* how the power of audio can be used to cross boundaries and borders
* followed by questions from the audience. 
 
Bio:
Alinah Azadeh is a writer, artist, performer and cultural activist of British Iranian heritage. She uses writing, audio, and live practices to create poetic narratives that activate spaces, amplifying untold or overlooked stories and future imaginings. Alongside a 30-year visual arts career, Azadeh has been published, most recently in Best British Short Stories 2023 (Salt) with The Beard, a feminist tale of power, hair and revolution. As first ever writer-in-residence at Seven Sisters Country Park and Sussex Heritage Coast 2020-23, for South Downs National Park, she led We See You Now, a decolonial landscape and literature programme exploring the coast through the lens of climate change & justice, loss, migration and belonging. This led to her podcast The Colour of Chalk and the co-writing and curation of We Hear You Now, an audio and performance series of poetry, speculative fiction and myth by women and non-binary writers of Black and global majority heritage, now installed on 14 Listening Posts across the coast and online, co-funded by Arts Council England. Alinah is working on numerous writing projects and commissions, including her artist memoir and is also Writing Our Legacy/ Changing Chalk Associate Artist for The National Trust.
 
 

Episode 068 - Right to Roam with Nadia Shaikh

Hello and welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast. This is the last episode of the summer before we return in September with the special episodes created in collaboration identity on tyne and the Black Nature in Residence programme. 
In this episode, your host, Dr. Sheree Mack is talking to the lovely and knowledgeable Nadia Shaikh. Calling in from the Isle of Bute, they talk about:
* Situating themselves
* The Isle of Bute and Scotland
* Land Justice Activism
* What is the Right to Roam?
* Land ownership 
* Scotland's Right to Roam
* Colonialism upon British soil
* The Raven Network
* The Earth Sea Love Episodes exploring Racial Equity Network of the National Trust
* You don't have to know the names to have a relationship with nature
* Wild Service the book.
 
Bio is: Nadia Shaikh is a naturalist and ornithologist who has worked in nature conservation for over 14 years. She left the sector to focus on the links between our legacy of land ownership, limited access to nature and the link to biodiversity loss. She is co-director of the Right to Roam Campaign and is one of the authors of Wild Service. She founded The Raven Network, a group for people of colour who work in the nature conservation and environment sector, the network seeks to understand how to decolonizing the way we think about nature conservation.
 

Episode 067 - The Beingness of Embodiment with Christian Totty

Welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast. So glad that you’ve come back to us. This episode, as we hurtle towards Summer, was recorded close to the Spring Equinox with Christian Totty. Christian has a Healing Arts Practice and a juicy Substack newsletter called Wholly Earth.
In this episode, talking with your host Dr. Sheree Mack, Christian explores:
* Being thankful
* Situating ourselves in the landscape
* The Spring Equinox quickening of season’s change
* Hold both at the same time - grief and the quickening
* Ruth Gilmore -‘ life is precious, life is precious ‘
* Astrological eclipses and change
* Finding those ways of being present
* What is a healing arts practice?
* The reluctance around embracing herbal medicine 
* The slowdown and being present
* Tapping into the unknown and our ancestors
* Childhood experiences with grandmother
* Theatre and community arts can save you
* Taping into astrology later in life as a thru-line
* Multidisciplinary practices are necessary
* Embracing liminal spaces 
* What is embodiment? 
* Abbey Lincoln and Wholly Earth 
* The Nature Writing Collection on Christian's Substack
* Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Clearing 
 
Bio: BioChristian Totty (she/her) is an Afro-Indigenous mother, gardener, and interdisciplinary healing artist based in northwest Ohio in the traditional homelands of the Kickapoo, Shawnee, and Miami peoples. Through her work, Christian explores rituals, embodiment, intersectionality, and interdependence. 
Wholly Earth
Wholly Earth About
Inner Ecology: Writing with Nature Series

Episode 066 - Be Okay In The Process with Sile Sibanda

Hello and Welcome Back, to the Earth Sea Love Podcast, with your host Dr Sheree Mack and special guest Sile Sibanda.
Recorded back in February 2024, Dr Mack muses on how everything happens in good time. Editing this episode in June, Dr Mack realises she needed to listen to this episode again. To revisit and re-engage once more with what flowed throughout this conversation as the wisdom and insight were on point then as is now.
In this episode you will listen to Dr Mack and Sile, radio presenter,  talking about:
* The concept of time
* Circular living with the seasons
* The Rasheedah Phillips' reading mentioned
* The Joy of Sharing Knowledge
* Situating ourselves with artificial plants
* Fitting in creativity around different jobs
* Colouring in and play as a practice
* BNIR programme with identity on tyne 
* Connecting with nature as a child in Zimbabwe
* Connecting with nature in the UK
* Femininity and Nature
* Belonging in Nature
* Is the British countryside racist?
* Not Black and White, either/ or but and/both
* The BNIR Zine is here for free if you want it
* Writing in Nature
 
 
Bio: Sile Sibanda is a Spoken Word Performer, BBC Radio Presenter, Events Host Creative Producer/facilitator and amateur dj. She has been involved in creative and community projects for over 12 years starting with a glee club at the age of 12 and speaking at the House of Lords. Recently, she hosted a conversation with former Sheffield Lord Mayor Magid Magid for the off the shelf Festival and Munroe Bergdorf for Shefest. Created a short film about belonging as part of the Migration Matters Festival. Sile became a creative producer for Storytrails, creating an immersive storytelling experience about untold stories of people living in Sheffield. Had a debut dj set at tramlines fringe and facilitates creative writing workshop for primary school and community groups.  
 
Let’s connect
 
@silesibanda –  on all social media platforms
 
W silesibanda.com
 
For BBC content sile.sibanda@bbc.co.uk
Listen to my shows on BBC Sounds
 
Nominate the person in your community making a difference
[bbc.co.uk/makeadifference]
 

Episode 065 - Exhaling Within Kinship with Charlotte Holmes

Welcome back. As promised, we're trying to keep The Earth Sea Love Podcast regular, every two weeks. So here we {BE}.
Your host Dr Sheree Mack is super excited to be talking with Charlotte Holmes, who pregnant at the time, met Sheree through their work with the Race Equity Network within the National Trust and Black History Month 2023.
Within this episode, Sheree and Charlotte enjoys a conversation around:
* Sharing their happy news around pregnancy and motherhood
* Situating themselves in places and home
* Sharing who they {Be} and what they do
* Connecting with nature and the land on their own terms
* Education and career taking them away from their true selves
* Exhaling within the kinship of Race Equity Network for the National Trust
* Is the British countryside racist or not?
* Witnessing People of the Global Majority taking up space in the countryside
* Being visible enjoying nature
*Accessing nature on our own terms with our ancestors
* Museums and objects and changes
 
Bio: Charlotte Holmes, Curator and Assistant Director Engagement. Working part-time as Associate Director of Engagement for Birmingham Museums Trust and part-time Cultural  Heritage Curator at the National Trust. Charlotte's passion and professional goals centre on connecting people with their histories and equipping people with the skills they need to fulfil their potential. She has excellent communication and research skills, which have allowed her to lead practice in a range of heritage settings. Charlotte frequently speaks at professional conferences, and facilitate workshops and public events. She loves what she does, and brings both emotion and intellect to her work, which includes exhibition interpretation, public events, and workshop and meeting facilitation.
LinkedIn
Birmingham Museums

Episode 064 - Choosing The Freedom to Rest with Juanita Valture

Hello and Welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast.
It's been a hot minute since we've shared one of our awesome conversations. But we're back now with your host Dr. Sheree Mack, getting over the mental and emotional and psychological blocks she created herself around the podcast and YouTube to bring you the podcast in its original form. The voices of inspiring women, feminine and non-binary people who are Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour and their connection with Mother Nature.
 
In this episode, Sheree has a conversation with Juanita Valture, is a South African born, Bristol based Creative Studio Manager, amateur potter and volunteer hike leader.
In this episode they all about:
* Stepping away from employment to rest
* Retreating from 'life' in order to find space and rest
* Recognising that things need to change instead of staying in the same loop
* Taking the leap and trusting that the universe will provide
* Trusting and Intuition
*Leaning into the belief in abundance rather than scarcity
*Creativity and Sustainability and Regenerative 
* Making small changes in our day to day lives
* Creating a Race Equity Network within the National Trust 
* Research into racism in rural settings could be retraumatising for volunteers
* Rhiane Fatinikun MBE, Creator of Black Girls Hike UK
* Diversifying Mountain Leadership within the UK
* Rest is active
* Mindful Pottery and moments within nature to {BE}
 
Bio: Juanita Valture is a South African born, Bristol based Creative Studio Manager, amateur potter and volunteer hike leader.Her love of the outdoors began from an early age, but her time working at the National Trust was where she discovered a profound connection with nature; and taking on the role as co-chair of the Race Equity Network allowed her to delve into the intersection of sustainability and creativity, advocating for inclusivity and representation in outdoor spaces. Recognising the disparities in access, safety and representation, particularly within Black spaces, Juanita has dedicated herself to fostering change by volunteering as a hike leader with Black Girls Hike, striving to create a safe space for Black women to connect and explore the beauty of nature. Juanita aims to become a qualified mountain leader to address the lack of representation in outdoor leadership, as currently there are only two Black female mountain leaders in the UK. Her hope is that this will pave the way for others and champion diversity in outdoor leadership. 
 
LinkedIn 
Black Girls Hike UK