The Earth Sea Love Podcast

041 - The Quest of City Girl in Nature aka Kwesia X

Welcome back to another episode of The Earth Sea Love Podcast.During Season 3, we are producing a number of mini series focusing on specific issues.In this episode with the lovely Kwesia Smith-Gul, known usually as City Girl in Nature, and your host Sheree Mack will be talking about: Catching up and checking inName change for the futureThe recent trip to KenyaThe return and a changed outlook on natureSwimcaps for Black peopleGoing back to our roots, AfricaJust picking one thing to focus on in this climate crisisThe Quest of City Girl in NatureThe Outdoor Online Series of FilmsHelping people through being an example to followVolunteering to up skillBlack Girls Hike UKCOP26 happenings. Bio:Kwesia XKwesia grew up in Deptford, an inner city area of South-East London. Along with many of herfriends, neighbours and peers, who all experienced a great deal of the challenges that comewith living in an area, and with people, who have often been neglected, excluded andmarginalised.She struggled a great deal with making sense of senseless violence and trauma, she hadfaced, she found herself homeless, moving from sofa to sofa, and struggling with her mentalhealth and well-being. Her life was chaotic, often harsh, without meaning or any sense ofdirection or purpose.At her lowest, she received what could be regarded as a gift and a blessing. An opportunityto be part of a British Exploring Society’s expedition to the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. Shespent 3 weeks in a remote part of the jungle, with no phone or contact with the outsideworld, & with a group of people that she barely knew.This, in many ways, was a life-changing experience for her. She experienced the beauty ofnature, where there was no judgement, just life teaming with energy and opportunity. Andbonds of friendship and loyalty with strangers who had to discover ways to live and worktogether in order to be successful. On her return she started to think about connecting withother people, particularly with young people like herself, some of whom have never had theopportunity to experience anything other than poverty and hardship. She wanted to exploreif a connection with nature, could touch them in a similar way that it had with herself.This led to the start of City Girl in Nature, as a way to give back to her community. To shareher love and passion for the outdoors, and belief that everybody should have the chance tobe healed, to be nourished, and to life with abundance.Please do join her on my journey and keep up-to date with progress.Twitter: City Girl in NatureIG: City Girl in NatureNew Outdoors Online Series  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

040- COP26 Coalition with Shaira Begum

Welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast.We are excited to bring you another mini series of specially commissioned episodes which explore climate justice and decolonisation of the environmental and conservation movement.Created and specially commissioned in collaboration with Northumberland National Park Authority's Future Landscapes Festival, which focuses on ‘Nature, People, Climate, Place’, explores how England’s precious landscapes serve people, nature, industry, and climate.It will include an exhibition, and a series of thought-provoking discussions and experiences designed to prompt people to think about the role landscape plays in their lives, and what they want the landscape in Northumberland National Park to look like in the future.With our podcast episodes, we aim to bring diverse and critical voices to the table of discussions an decision making.In this episode, hosted by Dr Sheree Mack in conversation with Shaira Begum, they discuss:Going at a slower paceJob hunting and finding the dream jobRest and recoveryLooking to serve the community on our doorstepsLocal renters' unionsCommunity work/ community organising Power dynamic/ distribution mappingReconnecting with the older generationSharing knowledge and powerSocial JusticeCOP26/ COP26 CoalitionTaking positive action for changeTelling the stories of Indigenous PeopleGlobal Day of Action, Saturday 6 November 2021Centring the voices of the Global SouthClimate ReframeCOP26 Reparations   Share Begum Bio:Shaira is an environmental justice organizer, working on health and climate projects with over 10 years experience as an environmental educator, trainer and facilitator.Keen to live somewhere in the countryside one day with her own chickens, market garden , a fat poly tunnel and goats... Dreaming big!Shaira was born in Brick Lane and still lives there , grateful for her educators and  elders around who have always shown her the benefits of growing her own produce from her own motherlands, the food that they grew up on. Shaira has a background in training and facilitation with community groups, runs food growing and nature connection workshops, naturally runs inclusive participatory ways of working within community care context and bringing lived experience to the forefront. Connect  with Shairavia twitter -   @Shairaecostuff See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

039 - Blended with Velda Thomas, Mammy Part 3 and 4

This is the third and final episode of three where your host Dr. Sheree Mack is in conversation with Velda Thomas about her recent publication Blended - Perspectives on Belonging: A Participatory Notebook. In these special commissioned episodes Sheree and Velda talk books, writing and the creative process, while Velda reads extracts from Blended which they go on to explore with close readings for meaning and healing.In this episode while exploring the piece called 'Mammy part 3 and 4' they talk about:Manny Part 3 and 4Writing the difficult partsWhere is Mammy in Velda today?Ellibert - connection to Great GrandmotherContrast between wild and domesticated selvesHealing through natureEarthbound - a comfort and connectedness with the EarthCommunion with EarthGender fluidity -The Mammy within everybodyFreedom is possibleWe’re all connected to each other as humansWitness hatred- Unseen woundsHealing too here belongsWe need to do the work with self-loveBlack culture flourishedCelebrationRitual as a concept and a practiceBio: Velda Thomas Born and educated in England, UK with biracial family ancestry sourced from Africa, the Caribbean and the America's.  Healing modalities have always been of interest. Love of plants, herbal remedies, somatic and ritual experiences weave passion with grounded human experience for creativity and freedom of expression.Velda has worked as a kindergarten teacher, adult educator and birth doula. Currently a practicing massage therapist, sound practitioner and soul writer.Velda is a horsewoman, nature lover,  mover of the body and world traveler. Currently living in Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula, USA. A note from Velda.I feel that I am truly an incredibly blessed person to have been born at a time where it is possible for me to uncover more of who I truly am and manifest it as I feel it coming through me.I am birthing myself again and again, then putting parts to rest, peeling the fine layers away, letting go again and again. I continue to find more stillness, strength and clarity as I continue to walk my soul’s path and purpose.I am blessed with courage and the consciousness to face myself. If I am fortunate, I am left with something to share be it art, sound, support, presence, performance or simply the primal essence of my own human nature.I am honored to share what is here, right now, with you in this moment. Patreon FB Velda ThomasIG @veldathomas11www.veldathomas.com Blended - Perspectives on Belonging: A Participatory Notebook.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

038 - Blended with Velda Thomas, Mammy Part 1 and 2

This is the second of three episodes where your host Dr. Sheree Mack is in conversation with Velda Thomas about her recent publication Blended - Perspectives on Belonging: A Participatory Notebook. In these special commissioned episodes Sheree and Velda talk books, writing and the creative process, while Velda reads extracts from Blended which they go on to explore with close readings for meaning and healing.In this episode while exploring the piece called 'Mammy 1 and 2' they talk about:A reading of Mammy Part 1 and Part 2The stereotypical exploration of the term MammyHow naming is powerThe Body and Unresolved TraumaHow we stuff our emotions downEnslavement and traumaThe Process of WritingMultifaceted lives of the enslavedThe Master and the Mistress of the PlantationHow do we become more human?Reflective questions of the textBlack Writing JoyOur Healing Journey Bio: Velda Thomas Born and educated in England, UK with biracial family ancestry sourced from Africa, the Caribbean and the America's.  Healing modalities have always been of interest. Love of plants, herbal remedies, somatic and ritual experiences weave passion with grounded human experience for creativity and freedom of expression.Velda has worked as a kindergarten teacher, adult educator and birth doula. Currently a practicing massage therapist, sound practitioner and soul writer.Velda is a horsewoman, nature lover,  mover of the body and world traveler. Currently living in Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula, USA. A note from Velda.I feel that I am truly an incredibly blessed person to have been born at a time where it is possible for me to uncover more of who I truly am and manifest it as I feel it coming through me.I am birthing myself again and again, then putting parts to rest, peeling the fine layers away, letting go again and again. I continue to find more stillness, strength and clarity as I continue to walk my soul’s path and purpose.I am blessed with courage and the consciousness to face myself. If I am fortunate, I am left with something to share be it art, sound, support, presence, performance or simply the primal essence of my own human nature.I am honored to share what is here, right now, with you in this moment. Patreon FB Velda ThomasIG @veldathomas11www.veldathomas.com Blended - Perspectives on Belonging: A Participatory Notebook.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

037 - Blended with Velda Thomas, In Service

This is the first of three episodes where your host Dr. Sheree Mack is in conversation with Velda Thomas about her recent publication Blended - Perspectives on Belonging: A Participatory Notebook. In these special commissioned episodes Sheree and Velda talk books, writing and the creative process, while Velda reads extracts from Blended which they go on to explore with close readings for meaning and healing.In this episode while exploring the piece called 'In Service' they talk about: The Launch of the pre-sales of the book BlendedThe sense of achievement Writing as a Black women and becoming visibleWriting = VulnerabilityFalling in love with the museAttention to detail in the writing and editing processThe Creative ProcessMixing genres for expressionWorking through trauma with writing for the SelfVelda reading the piece, 'In Service'Centre self and not the otherThe Nap Ministry Asking for help/ therapyNature as a healerEMDR Eye Movement Therapy Bio: Velda Thomas Born and educated in England, UK with biracial family ancestry sourced from Africa, the Caribbean and the America's.  Healing modalities have always been of interest. Love of plants, herbal remedies, somatic and ritual experiences weave passion with grounded human experience for creativity and freedom of expression.Velda has worked as a kindergarten teacher, adult educator and birth doula. Currently a practicing massage therapist, sound practitioner and soul writer.Velda is a horsewoman, nature lover,  mover of the body and world traveler. Currently living in Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula, USA. A note from Velda.I feel that I am truly an incredibly blessed person to have been born at a time where it is possible for me to uncover more of who I truly am and manifest it as I feel it coming through me.I am birthing myself again and again, then putting parts to rest, peeling the fine layers away, letting go again and again. I continue to find more stillness, strength and clarity as I continue to walk my soul’s path and purpose.I am blessed with courage and the consciousness to face myself. If I am fortunate, I am left with something to share be it art, sound, support, presence, performance or simply the primal essence of my own human nature.I am honored to share what is here, right now, with you in this moment. Patreon FB Velda ThomasIG @veldathomas11www.veldathomas.com Blended - Perspectives on Belonging: A Participatory Notebook.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Season 3 - Trailer (036)

Season 3, begins with a trailer, highlighting what's in store for the rest of 2021.Mini Creative Series with Velda Thomas where we discuss her forthcoming publication; Blended - Perspectives On Belonging- A Participatory NotebookMini Conservation Series with a selection of individuals who are working to change the face of the environmental movement in the U.K.Dr. Sheree Mack's Northumberland Coastal Path adventuresThe Earth Sea Love Zine See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

035 - Diversity Through Adventures with Pammy Johal

Dr Sheree Mack keeps her promise to deliver all of the recorded conversations so far for 2021 before the end of July, so she can go off for a well deserved rest. To see the season out she talks to Pammy Johal, an active outdoor practitioner about: Situating ourselves in the landscapeFamily history and the sense of homeHaving those important conversations outsideBody connectionAgeing gracefullyThe Fannichs ( Mountains) and Loch LuichateConnecting with the mountainsBackbone CICPeople of the Global Majority and terminologyGreat days out in the Highlands of ScotlandRelationship based connectionsBackbone SymposiumLess Conversations More ActionRepetitive Research Syndrome Bio: Pammy Johal, born in the 60’s in inner city Coventry to a Sikh immigrant family, at  16, a school trip introduced her to the mountains where she experienced the 'WOW' moment that changed her life. A force much bigger than her took her to explore wild landscapes of the world! Not something her parents or community were keen on. “It’s not what our girls do!.. what will everyone say??!!” Her drive was so strong she did it anyway at the risk of totally losing her world.She encountered many complex and painful challenges with people of all backgrounds including her own family/community. Through these emotional and physical challenges, she discovered her own core values. This was a journey of self-discovery, understanding and respecting differences and a passion for environmental protection.She has been an outdoor/environmental practioner since 1979 and in 1995 it struck her hard as she noticed the lack of Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic role models in the sector, at every level, from service users to Board level and felt very strongly this had to change.In 1995 she laid the foundation for what is now Backbone.Website: Backbone CICTwitter: Backbone CICInstagram: Backbone CICFacebook: Backbone CIC Information about the June Symposium, Changing Landscapes - Actioning Change, can be found here.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

034- The Journey of Holistic Sustainability with Grace Hull

Grace Hull, from Green Soul Grace, is a wise and wonderful young woman who is working to bring an intersectional understanding to sustainability. Within this episode, with your host Sheree Mack, they discuss:Social Media pressure and hiatusImposter syndromeRe-engaging with blogging rather than social media postingWithin the process of movingComing out of lockdownThe beauty of SlowWhat is sustainability?What is holistic sustainability?Individual responsibility within climate crisisJoining the dots to lean into climate justiceJoy and pleasure and spreading them aroundThe narrative of struggle and painBeing a keynote speakerGreen Soul Grace Bio:Grace Hull is an environmental educator who created Green Soul Grace, a personal blog, shop and podcast to explore what conscious living really means, in the most holistic, inclusive and accessible way. She takes pleasure in encouraging and facilitating folks to begin or further their journey of holistic sustainability, and in celebrating how our cultural heritage shapes our sustainable practices.'    Website: https://greensoulgrace.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greensoulgrace/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

033- History, Literature and Trees with Zakiya Mckenzie

Zakiya McKenzie, one of the first writers in the forest for the Forestry Commission, talks with Sheree Mack, The Earth Sea Love Podcast's host about:Embracing sweet moments in each dayThe value of sleepBecoming a writer of the forestThe barriers for Black and People of Colour within white establishments An arboretum, a collection of trees Unravelling plant historyColonialismComparisons between Jamaican and British landscapesForest ecologiesChildhood experiences with natureBlack and Green BristolExperiences in nature for Black peopleWorking in partnership with other organisations to provide opportunitiesPhD in Journalists from the Caribbean during the Windrush generationRacism within the PhD systemThe balance between creative and academic writingFuture publications and eventsBio:Zakiya McKenzie is a PhD candidate with the Leverhulme Trust-supported Caribbean Literary Heritage project at the University of Exeter researching Black British journalism in the post-war period. Zakiya is a writer and storyteller and was the 2019 writer-in-residence for Forestry England during its centenary year. In Bristol, she was 2017 Black and Green Ambassador and is a volunteer at Ujima Community Radio station. She regularly leads nature, art and writing workshops, including one on Caribbean storytelling for primary schools. Her work has featured at the Cabot Institute for the Environment at the University of Bristol, the Institute for Modern Languages Research at the University of London, the Hepworth Wakefield Gallery, the Free Word Centre, at Cheltenham Literature Festival, on BBC’s Woman’s Hour, Farming Today and Inside Out West. She has written for Smallwoods Magazine, the Willowherb Review and BBC Wildlife Magazine. Website - Zakiya MTwitter - Zah - KEY- yahTESTIMONIES ON THE HISTORY OF JAMAICA VOL 1 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

032 - Outdoor Experiences with Tammy Shakur

Sheree Mack chats with Tammy Shakur in this episode about:The promise of Spring and shifting energyTaking things slowA year on from Covid-19 lockdown in the UKGoing out to go inReconnecting with ourselves through natureWhat does an Outdoor Experience Guide do?Barriers to connecting with natureNature as a teacherChildhood experiences of connecting with natureNature as a healerThe value of affinity spaces Bio: Tammy Shakur,  an Outdoor Experience Guide and Certified Life Mindfulness Coach.Runner, Hiker, Passionate outdoor enthusiast.Tammy's passion and mission in life is helping women to connect and engage with nature to support their own personal healing and wellness journey.  She does this through guided outdoor experiences centering nature, community and healing conversations.  Tammy's goal in every interaction is that the beauty, the lessons and the seasons glimpsed OUT in nature inspire and support the journey IN for every woman she is blessed to connect with.Instagram: goingout_2_goinMeet-Up: Wander Women of GA    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.