On Sunday, Oct. 17, the Environmental Justice student group at Penn State hosted Atlanta-based horticulturalist Abra Lee to talk about her expertise in American Black garden history.
Abra Lee is a horticulturist by training, who conducts extensive research about the lives and stories of Black horticulturists, gardeners, foresters and environmentalists and how the stories of those individuals teach us about the relevant social, cultural, spiritual and historical underpinnings of trees, plants and the natural environment.
Abra was recently featured as one of six Black writers in the New York Times article called, “Black Gardeners Find Refuge in the Soil” for her article titled, “Following the Path of ‘Invincible Garden Ladies'.” Abra is also active on Instagram using the handle @conquerthesoil, which features images and stories about the history, folklore, and art of Black Americans in horticulture. She is also set to release her new book, "Conquer the Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers," in 2022.
Thanks to Webster’s Bookstore and Café owner, Elaine Meder-Wilgus, the day started with a sustainable, near-zero-waste take-out vegan picnic lunch enjoyed in front of Eisenhower Auditorium. The group began with an ice-breaker activity (“What is your favorite tree and why?”), discussed their diverse identities and backgrounds, and engaged in a discussion and series of questions spanning from Abra’s experience and feelings of empowerment and inclusion as a Black horticulturist in Atlanta, to exploring what students can do to elevate minority voices, to the skills and qualities that have helped Abra be a successful thought leader.
Lee voiced the need for universities to have open access to historical archives, saying that it should not be one student who has access to information just because it is housed on a particular campus.
"It is often very seldom, at larger public land grant universities, that we meet people of color in agriculture and sustainability,” said Evan Buckner, Environmental Justice group member, and soil science doctoral student, “Abra Lee is one of those people who help remind us that there would be no agriculture or sustainability without Black people and people of color. Meeting her reminded me of the power in my family's ancestral roots in agriculture in the south and that I too have a voice and purpose here at Penn State."
After lunch, students and Lee received a tour of the hydroponics greenhouse, where students Cole Connolly and Vancie Peacock provided a wealth of knowledge and information about the benefits and challenges of growing plants without soil. The group walked by a climate action event next to the Berkey Creamery that was organized by Eco-Action Club President Abbey Kollar to bring sustainability-related student organizations together with high school students to talk about climate change. After that, the group toured the new pollinator garden, unveiled this past summer, at the arboretum at Penn State.
Lee voiced her support for the students, enjoyment of the facilities, and was impressed by how many students were willing to show up and engage in dialogues about Black voices in horticulture, gardening, and the importance of reconnecting and restoring balance with nature.
“I liked how Abra was so open about her experience and talked about the personal applications of both her research and identity as a Black woman,” said Rachel Taylor, doctoral student in agricultural engineering and member of the Environmental Justice student group. “Seeing how she fearlessly lives, prays, and interacts with people who look up to her was humbling and a great reminder of what is important in life (and how it looks to live it out).”
All of the students agreed that the dialogues helped encourage students in agriculture and horticulture-related fields to think about how different experiences and perspectives contribute to historical knowledge and ways of living.
When asked about what skills the students could learn from Abra’s leadership, Tim Benally, past president of the Indigenous People’s Student Association and current Penn State Residential Life staff member, commented, “Her work was more than just initiatives. ... It was a well-integrated part of the purpose she lives with every day."
The success of this event served as a reminder to students and staff involved in sustainability and agriculture at Penn State about the importance of history and diversity of thought in furthering our understanding of plants, agriculture and related disciplines.