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ISSUE 1 Mission

Alluvia Magazine is a publication and creative environmetal collective that centers environmentalists of color using different artistic mediums, including, but not limited to, fashion, writing, , design, and film. We aim to highlight creative environmental work while buidling a dynamic communi- ty of environmental activists and artists. A publication and collective started by two Bay Area based environmentalists, Alluvia aims to uplift the voices of environmental art- ists of color across the world.

Creators: Zahira Chaudhry Isaias Hernandez

@extravaganzahira @isaia_s

Photo by Kristy Drutman Feautured Artists

Kristy Drutman

Tatiana Eaves

José G.González

Minkah Taharkah

Ariel Maldonado

Makshya Tolbert

Rosie Linares-Díaz

Cindy Nguyen KRISTY DRUTMAN

Media Creator @browngirl_green Can you describe yourself? the . I grew up in Southern California Who and what are your to a Jewish father and a Filipina mother. I didn’t know much infuences? about environmental issues growing up. When I came to My biggest influence is my mother, UC Berkeley, I was thrown into of course. She was the first person environmental activism and to make me understand how to learned how movements worked. connect with myself and recognize I realized that the environmental my strengths as an individual. She movement is inaccessible. inspires me not to let the world Environmental storytelling make me feel inferior. So much has one set narrative. The messaging, especially in the narrative that gets the most environmental movement, tells me funding and most media that my voice doesn’t matter. attention is people who don’t However, my mom really advocates look like us. During college, that no one can make you feel my friends and I created the inferior without your consent. Students of Color Environmental Marcelo Bonta also inspires me Collective that provided space because he is Filipino and cares for environmentalists of color. about the environment and grew up I dedicated a lot of my work in similar circumstances as myself. in diversity and inclusion in He is now doing diversity and equity the environmental movement. consulting for environmental I am very passionate about organizations. social media and using it as a bridge for us to create a diverse Why podcasts? representation in the environmental movement. I chose podcasting because people told me I was a good storyteller. I figured that a great way to tell What pushed you to create stories is podcast because people can listen to it on the go. People tell Brown Girl Green? me I have a unique rasp to my voice It first started because I was and I can be pretty funny in my the only brown person in storytelling. For me, podcasts environmental spaces and the represented an opportunity for me only Filipino Americans in those to express myself freely and allow spaces. I wanted to express my other people to share their stories as frustration with the lack of well. diversity in the environmental movement and relate it to my What is your interview and lived experiences. Even going to UC Berkeley didn’t really production process? mesh with how I grew up in a conservative and problematic I podcast on CrowdCast because I Republican hometown. I was like video and audio. I invite guests living between different worlds via email and explain how BGG where I couldn’t fit in one box interviews environmental leaders as an and advocates. Then we have an environmentalist because I initial interview where I determine didn’t grow up going hiking and if they are dedicated to my project exposed to nature as some of my or are treating it as a casual white conversation. I make the guest feel environmentalist friends. But comfortable by having then again, I wasn’t fully pre-interviews. Building a connected to nature with my relationship with the interviewee indigenous roots with my is essential before I do a Q&A with Filipino . I wanted a them. I then convert the radio into platform where I could start audio, put it into my software and figuring out what BGG is within upload it through SoundCloud and CrowdCast. activist spaces have helped or How can women of color in Why did you choose digital hurt the creation of BGG? the environmental movement I’ve placed a lot of pressure on media and podcasting myself to make BGG happen so avoid being burnt out / I feel discouraged when people specifcally for climate don’t envision my project. People tokenized / exploited? advocacy work? don’t ask how they can support me; I’m honest with myself; if a space it’s more like “Oh, that’s cool.” makes me feel uncomfortable, then No one asks “how I can share, I will leave. If they aren’t going to Social media, to me, is the last listen, or teach about it?” I’ll be frontier for our democracy. I pay me, then I’m not going to spend calling out race, environmental my time using my energy to educate feel people are pushing forward justice, and other topics but are their own narrative, social justice others. Learning to say no and not white environmentalist okay being feeling bad about it has always been issues, and issues that matter to criticized? It’s not that people them. Social media has a rapid a struggle for me. Not feeling like are offended, but I’ve heard I owe people anything allows me distribution that allows people to feedback about people saying engage and avoid bureaucracy to to recharge and only do the work I’m against white people who when I need to. For those who don’t get your voice heard. Social media enjoy conservation, outdoors etc. allows you to build momentum want to burn out, be honest with Sometimes I get frustrated that yourself and determine if you have for a cause. I think anyone who people don’t understand my message. believes social media isn’t a social community support. If you don’t I realize that I don’t fit in with feel supported within a community, power tool needs to reconsider, these eco-influencers or bloggers since it has changed people’s lives. then it’s not going to care about that are predominately white, rich, you. With a strong community, you POC have always lacked resources, and post pretty flat lay photos. Are and we have to think of ways to can do the work while people are those people talking about racial supporting you and calling things create communities and develop equity or ? No, strategies. out for you, especially when you they aren’t so I wonder what people don’t have the capacity to. Do you think academic and are actually valuing. TATIANA EAVES Creative Academic @a.virosa Tell us about yourself and the that time you had to draw and to show the beauty in things that diagram your specimens by hand people may not see as beautiful work you do? and there are so many beautiful such as snails, caterpillars, or illustrations that are still used for dragonflies. So, I ventured to the I’m Tatiana and I am super reference today. Now with the photography route and I did passionate about connecting art continuous development of better landscapes, and portraits for and science. I work in scientific and faster cameras and record people, and it’s carried on with publishing, have a B.S. in Biology, keeping technologies, we have me. Funnily enough, I also used concentrating in , Evolution moved away from their intimate to write nature poems in high and the Environmental Sciences and nature of record keeping by school and it just snowballed from am pursuing my Masters in illustration. there. Today, I’ve tried to merge Environmental Science and Policy those two. I still take photos of because I love the sciences and This is what got me thinking about wild landscapes and I am a science communicating them to everyone. I my career path. I was confused writer. I’ve written about a broad like to call myself a creative after undergrad because in my array of scientific topics and I academic. I’ve always loved writing opinion, academia was too rigid do a bit of graphic design. These and taking a creative approach to stay within forever. Also, I didn’t figures are sometimes mock things, so I felt a bit stifled in want to landscapes, so for example, I solely academic writing. In narrow down so hard in the illustrated a river system that was academia, it’s frowned upon to add environmental sciences because as getting smaller every year. I drew narrative elements to your writing, you further your education in grad another one that showed various you are encouraged to prove how school you have to pick one field spatial pockets that change slower much you know by adding jargon or system to study. But I love all than the surrounding landscape and complicated phrases, creating of the aspects of environmental and how they support higher hard and rigid writing styles. I was science, all of the animals, plants, biodiversity than other parts of always so frustrated by this. If and ecosystem types. I didn’t want the landscape, which could help Henry Thoreau could to stop learning about everything. resource managers prioritize anthropomorphize a squirrel why ’m Tatiana and I am super pas management needs. couldn’t I? So now I help other scientists better communicate their science, Did academia help you as I feel as if art and science are not whether that be in graphic design, mutually exclusive and that the aiding in creating figures that are an environmental artist? word ‘scientist’ sends chills down more some people’s spines. There’s this intuitive, or translating complicated Academia helped me as an general idea that scientists are a scientific topics into easily environmental scientist. But super removed group of people, digestible works of writing, without unless you seek out elective classes living in isolation, and are losing the significance of the that you have additional interests unattainable for people to reach science and the key words that in, it’s very rigid. It helped and communicate with. This hasn’t define the research. I write me become a better scientist always been the case. Today, our freelance and turn these and understand that all things political climate has created this complicated concepts into a story, are connected and we live in a divergence and facilitated this making it entertaining for people multitude of systems occurring at public distrust of scientists and the so that they are learning without once, which helps me think of the idea that science is inaccessible to even trying or noticing too much. world in a broader way. In terms the average person. I do a bit of environmental racism of art, it didn’t really help me, if awareness, there are so many anything it was a bit stifling. Back in the 1800s, in the early days small communities that don’t of scientific environmental trust science or politics because Where do you see art going? exploration and record keeping, art of the ways in which they have and science were one thing and they been exploited and silenced. I Do you see art playing a role rocked whole . Poets like work to discuss with people what Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote their rights are and the science in communication between about nature and scientific they deserve to know in a way that discoveries. My favorite early is inclusive. All-in-all, my goals scientists and people? scientist, Alexander von Humbolt, are to protect scientists and non- corresponded with various scientists alike. It’s happening right now! intellectual thinkers of his time Scientists of all career with a multitude of professions, not What art do you do? stagesr realize that effective all scientific, in order to help him communication is very develop a well rounded view of the I’ve been super passionate about art important. And in our political natural systems he studied. During and nature since I was young. I like climate, scientists and their integrity are constantly under attack, especially those in climate research. That becomes hard because you’ve got this seed of public distrust growing as the political officials say one thing, scientists say another. There is a trust factor that is important to get back and a lot of people I know and in the environmental science are working together to better communicate as a whole. At the AAAS (The American Association of Advancement of Science) building on the first floor (which is open to the public), there is an art gallery that always has exhibitions surrounding the topic of combining both science and art together and how any field of science can be turned into art. I feel like this is a blossoming time for that and scientists are realizing that science is changing and we need to be better communicators. And who’s better at communicating and invoking specific feelings than artists? Do you think it’s easier to enter environmental art spaces from the environmental science/ research side or from the inspiration. I’m inspired by poets and writers and explorers from art community? the 1800’s. I love the works of Alexander von Humbolt and the I don’t know. I’m a specific case freedom and persistence he had. where I loved art but stuck to If you haven’t taken a look at his pursuing science academically depiction of the interconnectedness and professionally, but I feel of nature, his Naturgemälde, I like we need support from both highly recommend it. I admire sides. If you have the science Henry Thoreau, the poet,philosopher background you may be more and writer. I look credible in your explanation up to people who were more free in of science and how you their science and were able to travel approach the topic, but also and develop these beautiful pieces collaborations are incredibly and illustrations of environmental important. I think we need work. environmental scientists that are interested in art and vice What’s next for you? versa and allow them to learn from each other. Team them up; I want to move more into the policy put them together in a room sector and bring more writers, and see what happens! artists, and scientists together where we can make a large difference, Do any environmental especially in environmental justice. I love talking to people and bridging artists inspire you? these gaps between the disciplines because once you understand these Well, recently I have been connections you can relate with the looking to the past for my science and realize that small changes can make a huge difference. J O S É G . G O N Z Á L E Z

Illustrator & Educator @josebilingue

Who are you and what do you American glyphs. been doing this for a long time. But the fact that there is a Latinx do? As a person of color, what Comic Expo is a powerful event that is diversifying the comic bridge do you see book movement. Frida Kahlo and My name is José Gudalupe Adonis Diego Rivera were artists that I González De Leon, I was born in between art and education? related to. A contemporary artist Mexico and I immigrated to the here in California I admire is the United States when I was 9 years Art is one of the many ways we Royal Chicano Air Force, for ex- old. I grew up in the Central create understanding of the world. ample.Jose Montoya. In terms of Valley and I’m the oldest of 9 To me it’s a complementary sub- who is doing that now is Melanie siblings, first to go to college,and jective to traditional science. Art Cervantes and Jesus Barraza from I did my Bachelors in History with is a powerful one because you get Dignidad Rebelde. a focus in Latin American History engaged in the human spirit to get and my Masters in Natural Re- into things, it doesn’t have to be Do you see your art and the source Management. In identity as- explained. The vagueness of this pect, I am Mexicano by birth, I am feeling is what brings the creative. work you do with Latino U.S. citizen through naturalization, For children of color, I think it’s Latino through social cultural the sense of that art is a powerful Outdoors intersecting? identity, Chicano by social political factor for identity and what cre- identity, and Hispanic by census ates an understanding of the world. I do it more now as an individual count. I try to connect and weave This is what gets to be valued, this rather than representing an the points of contact by art, is what gets to be seen as good, organization. My art comes from education, and nature. So right this is what gets to be seen as what what I say, design and wear. That now, this year I have decided to you can inspire to make. As a kid was a part of the inspiration in my test myself and do freelancing and you don’t pay photo sketches and in my drawings consulting work because I’ve done attention to that because art is one of symbolic signs education. I am an educator by of the biggest components for training, artist by pursuit and cultural making. If you are not Going forward, where do you conservationist by practice and I represented then what does that am always learning. I was a mean to you. In museums, what want to push your art ? teacher, did non-profit work, and gets valued and praised and same the art I do now is a way to thing for television shows what is I would like to work with friends communicate all these mediums. being valued. If its predominantly and colleagues on incorporating eurocentric beauty and you are a writing and visulas in my art. I Tell us a little more of the art kid of color, the worse is that you also want to explore some don’t see yourself as powerful and writings that also try to capture the you do? beautiful. In the other end, you representation of who you are and struggle with understanding what what that looks like. Also, I would I started illustrations because it is your role in the world such as like to make my illustrations a felt the easiest for me to engage what gets to be framed which isn’t serious package for a book, with. I didn’t need specialized you. especially for a children’s book. equipment, I didn’t need a studio, and I had my own space. In Do you have any artists or As an environmental artist, college, I got into screen print making and I created a small port- role models that you look up is it easier to enter folio and I loved it. I connected it with the Chicano aesthetic from to? environmental or art spaces? the 60’s 70’s. I still do illustra- tions and I have been doodling a It came later in high school and It does depend on the space bit and a few more digital touches. college and why I valued certain because they are both hard and Sometimes some ink and water, things. There were few to know easy and connected. As an artist there is a combination. I Latino/Chicano illustrators and of color, it’s easier to enter the incorporated the design aesthetic comic book writers. The art space because there are many from the Chicano movement and Hernandez brothers that did the communities. But there is a lack the others comes from Latin Love and Rockets series, they’ve of representation in the decision space for sure. However, the environmental side needs to recognize that people of color have been doing conservation work for decades. They haven’t been elevated for their work, especially in mainstream conversations. Do you feel academia helped you as a conservationist, educator and artist? Academia is the ability to practice. What is helpful is when I see and use academia as a set of tools. It is a different way of communication. When it’s not helpful is when you are trying to describe simple and engaging ideas and broaden the audience. I don’t need to prove anything in understanding what my Mexicano identity is. It might help explain my identity, but it’s not a component of it.

Do you have advice for young artists of color in environmental work? The cliche answer is don’t give up; a lot of the spaces are evolving and developing and there will be ways in. The closest thing to environmen- tal art I saw growing up was Captain Planet. In college I realized I loved art and used it to better understand the environmental space. And how do I do that? One is to create. Don’t ever stop and limit yourself; there is no book you have to follow. Second is that you get to create a lot of imagery that doesn’t exist but will be needed to inspire others in environmental art. The last is being connected with community that will help and support you. Experiencing fatigue as a leader/artist of color can be taxing, and you need to practice community and self-care. You want to make sure you have a community that will support, chalenge and inspire you to be creative. MINKAH TAHARKAH Designer, Model, Poet, Farmer & Graphic Designer Who are you? What is your relationship with ? @walkerofthesky My name is Minkah Taharkah, I’m an artist and co-founder When we even say environmentalism of Black Earth Farms. I’m in there’s specific trauma around Berkeley right now but I’m the phrase. I was introduced to originally from L.A (Leimert environmentalism at the PowerShift Park). I’m doing a lot of conference in Pennsylvania a earthwork internationally but it couple years ago and I saw so many started at home in L.A with my white people with locs and I was mom and abuela. I’m creating like “Whoa, what’s happening?” CSA boxes, giving people produce, And they were talking about giving houseless folks food and “environmentalism” in a very sterile empowering food sovereignty for way with recycling, saving energy those who need resources the and water. All these terms were most. seemingly very simple, but what are the factors inhibiting us from doing those things and not discussing Can you describe your them within an environmental justice framework? I then took artwork? an environmental biology class which made me change my major I’m a photographer as well as to environmental science. Honestly a model so I’m behind and just looking at rocks and plants is in front of the camera. I’m so beautiful and it blew my mind. also a creative director and So when I dance and do yoga, I like sustainable fashion designer. to be outside because I like to feel Fashion design is something I the wind and sun. And by taking have really been trying to get care of the plants and the earth, we more into this year, especially are taking care of our ourselves. So with my work with Black Earth really listen to the plants around Farms. I’ve been learning about you. fabric production and selling in general and figuring out ways of making clothes out of sustainable What drew you to specifc materials while creating sustainable consumer habits. I’m mediums? also a graphic designer, doing projects for four or five years. I chose sustainable fashion because I also like making Mandalas I grew up with hand me downs from and other things from natural my cousins and family members materials that are not necessarily and it’s like the natural order of going to last. One of the biggest things. I didn’t understand why spiritual influences behind the people would waste things. I grew creation of Mandalas is that you up in a household that was not create something that can be about wasting water, energy, or immediately washed or blown time. I also love adorning myself away directly after to appreciate and color coordinating style. I its beauty and impermanence. love fashion. I don’t think that it I think this is something that matters what you wear, it’s how you permeates my being as a person wear it. In high school kids threw in all the work and art I do. away things and got new things I’m also a poet and recently I’ve all the time, especially those who been writing my poetry on paper loved name brands. That is a lot and then burning it. I’m also a of money wasted. And who makes dancer, mover and yoga instructor.these clothes and how much do I love to meditate and find peace they get paid? My abuela also sews, and oneness in the garden. so I learned from her as best as I could. The fashion world is also very racist and fucked up in terms of the should never be polls for content expressing my authentic self, not gender binary. So going to Goodwill warnings. Just because there are for any motive. This is happening helped me find clothes that worked only 3-4 black people in a class with Black Earth Farms, because for me, they were older and made doesn’t mean you can make them we want to make sure folks are of better quality materials and more feel uncomfortable. Even though engaging and not just here to take sustainable. I usually went to the 80% of the class wanted content a picture and leave. We want to men’s section to find large clothes warnings, she said to protect the make sure we are paid for the work that I could alter to fit me. As a 6 20% that she wouldn’t change the we do and acknowledged for it. foot femme presenting person with curriculum and instead gave a Some people have even wanted to broad shoulders, long legs, and a supplemental reader. In an email pay me to be an “influencer” and smaller torso, it only made sense for she said “safe spaces are not always honestly it’s a scam. I don’t create me to style myself since the brands comfortable spaces”, but I’m like, art for anyone but myself. If i’m not didn’t make things for my body. how are you going to traumatize creating something that is true to In terms of Mandala making, I like me actively in class and then blame myself then I don’t want to do it. that I can make them out of natural me and victimize yourself when I Everything needs to have intention. materials that are not poisonous or speak up against the injustice that wasteful. I like that the materials you have carried out. Although Where do you see yourself can just be returned to the soil or academia had a lot of trauma, I sand so easily. was able to reframe and learn how going? I exist in this system. Meditation Have academic/activist and yoga have helped me undo a I want to teach everybody yoga, lot of learning pushed on me at everywhere! I want to bring into spaces helped you? UC Berkeley where capitalism and fruition things that will further white supremacy are normalized. connect Black and brown people. Yes. Even though my existence as I want everyone to recognize their a student of color in the College How do you survive power as creators and stewards of Natural Resources was really of the earth. When we reclaim hard. During fall 2016 in Professor environmental and art spaces food and space while redefining, Katherine De Master’s class, I led a relearning, and teaching stories that class walkout because she showed a where POC are tokenized? uplift us, we will come together. I video of a Black boy being whipped hope to continue planting seeds in by a white man without a content As a black environmental artist, everyone I meet. But also, come to warning. She had previously given people want to be all up on you Black Earth Farms every Wednesday us a trigger warning before showing and suck your energy. This society and Friday at the UC Gill Tract! images of dead pigs. When my and these spaces often commodify Follow our Instagram page to learn friend Jibril spoke up about it, she Blackness while disposing of how you can get involved in the Bay conducted a class poll. But there Black people. The things I do are Area as well as in LA! A R I E L M A L D O N A D O Who are you? bigger than you are. Sometimes it really does feel like ideas hit you Potter & Instagram like that, but it’s probably only My name is Ariel Maldonado, like 3% of the time. I don’t mind Educator I’m an artist and online that you asked, it’s just I don’t educator. I am the creator want to give the impression that @gogreensavegreen of the Instagram account @ the heavens opened up for me to GoGreenSaveGreen and @ be able to create art. My artwork is @SlutForSustainability Slutforsustainability. I’m based actually very much thought through. in Los Angeles where I spend I like to create art installations that hours researching the state of really engulf the viewer and try to the environment, what you can overwhelm them. I think my next do on an individual level to help, installation piece could probably what swaps people can make at easily tackle the issue of single use home to live a more sustainable items. If you have no idea what lifestyle. I share the information to do with something after you’ve found to my followers to take finished using it, it doesn’t have an the leg work out of learning how end of life plan except ending up to be sustainable. I am also the in a landfill. So the heavens didn’t Creator of the online low waste open up to me and say “Make trash.” shop. I thought about how for a good chunk of the population they are so What inspired to make the removed from their environmental impact, that bringing them face to art that you create today face with what they leave behind can be a powerful tool to really and its relationship to the impact them, mobilize change, motivate them to vote for politicians environment? who are concerned about these things, and motivate them to sign I don’t think of myself as petitions that demand corporations someone who gets “inspired.” to rethink their packaging. I actually kind of hate the question “what’s your @SlutForSustainability is my inspiration?” It feels very loaded ceramic work that some would call to me, whenever someone gets artwork, but they are handmade asked that, there’s a subtle home goods. They are products that implication that the heavens can replace disposables, or help opened up and you had a moment enhance the experience of using of clarity and angels were reusable alternatives. Just handmade singing and they floated down items made to make your life a little on clouds and presented an idea bit easier. to you that you hadn’t thought of previously and the moment of inspiration is something much Why did you choose Sluts for Sustainability? a woman who is willing to engage became an educator of sorts. An in sexual behavior easily for her Insta-educator. I realized that It actually started as a joke. It own pleasure, I think a slut for awareness was never going to solve was not created with the intent sustainability is a woman who is environmental problems. People of becoming a brand name. I willing to engage in sustainable had to become aware of how bad had posted a meme that said behavior easily for her own survival. the problem is AND be educated on “Is there anything sexier than Groups reclaiming derogatory terms what could actually be done about sustainable farming?” And and words are really fascinating to it, in ways that were tangible to in my caption I wrote “No. me. And the word “slut” is in the them. People have busy lives and not #SlutForSustainability” And the process of being reclaimed. Right everyone even knows where to start hashtag ended up taking off. now the face of the environmental researching what they could do. But, Ideally I would love to be able movement is women in suburbia I had the time to find information to partner up with a printer who, on the scale of wholesome and quickly present it on their who can help me make totes and to slutty, fall very much on the frequently checked feeds. shirts and sweaters that all say wholesome side. And I wanted to As an artist, I am happy that my that. provide a rebellious but still good medium of choice is clay and I can I am hesitant to bring up the intentioned movement. create useful, utilitarian objects that name to adults over 40 because can help people cut back on waste it’s not “good taste/decorum/ while simultaneously creating works appropriate” etc etc. (Sorry As a POC environmentalist of art. mom, this is how you find out the name I am selling my and artist yourself, how ceramics under. I haven’t even What do you tell other POC told her what the brand is do you see yourself in the called, she will find out when environmental artists that she reads this, I expect a phone environmental movement? call shortly after) However, it want to start their own demands your attention and I When I started @GoGreenSaveGreen think it does really well with I was not in a position to start a project? younger crowds. It’s got the company to provide eco friendly shock value, it’s cheeky and alternatives. I didn’t have the Just do it. It’s that simple. A crisis funny, and it brings together money to buy as many of the eco that affects everyone requires a two things you don’t really friendly products as I wished movement that has space for all. think about going hand in hand; and I don’t have a insta-worthy No single group of people can solve sexuality and the environmental lifestyle. But I did have curiosity, this global issue. And quite frankly movement. What is a slut for a love for researching and a love we don’t need to all have the same sustainability? Well if a slut is of sharing information. So I appearance/aesthetic/socioeconomic background to help the planet. MAKSHYA TOLBERT Poet, Potter, Land Worker & Cook @processdaily

Who are you?

My name is Makshya Tolbert, and I am a writer, land worker, cook, and potter. Currently, my creative work is grounded in my relationship to both grief and loss. I think about the changing nature of my work with clay, soil, material and words, and sense the ways in which I am constantly curious about how grief can be generative, particularly in relation to a chaotic and impending shift in our anthropocene. I see my work across living mediums such as clay, soil, and words as invitations to build my practices with raw material and the nonhuman living world, and also as an invitation to expand what is possible in my human relationships. How does environmentalism relate to your artwork? As long as I have been farming and gardening, I have been simultaneously writing about land- work, art, and environment is imagination. And in many based work. At Stanford, I worked how we tell stories that archive ways, especially as a reader. on the community farm and in the both our pain and our possibility. As long as I have known how East Bay with activists embarking to read, I have wanted to do on visionary work around land, You mentioned studying so. I’m currently studying power and visual storytelling. I was Julietta Singh and her beginning to understand how to do food systems and poetry at transformational framework land-based work in the context of around archival. In studying also being engaged in a personal Stanford, do you feel like her work, I realize how much dialogue between the land and me. my body has made itself I never had to force an attachment academia helped you as an archive for books. And because land, art, and self have been then there is poetry, such intimately connected. Throughout environmental artist? an expressive body, and one undergrad and in the time since, whose exclusivity sometimes I have been studying food systems I think it really did, and I breaks me. It means a lot to and land politics in formal economy have to admit that because me hold space to consider work, trying to understand why sometimes in my stubbornness the meaningful function that there are so many black women and resentment about being a school can play. School has poets writing about land but not poor black kid at a rich, white humble meaning to me. What being called “nature poets” in our elite institution, it felt hard to I will end with, however, is dominant discourses. balance my very real gratitude that there are many things with some very deep resentment. more sacred than school. Does that have more to do with What I will say is that there were poetry or with the grief related to ways in which academic rhetoric Have you found the outdoors? I now know the depth expanded my imagination. with which black people have stories Schools can be limiting. Schools community in art or centered around land that have been are limiting. I knew I longed to passed down for generations. To me, study food and the land, as both environmental spaces? the relationship between land-based a writer and someone with an When I am around people who poetry, and working with clay. hold a reverence for the land, so How can I use my artwork to many realms of meaningful art prepare me for to be of service and visionary possibility about in more expansive ways? I always the environment come together. use art to help me imagine what No one space needs to be trusted is possible. I couldn’t imagine a to hold the weight of what it life where art is not connecting means to be black/brown and what feels cultural, systemic, queer folks trying to express and deeply inter-personal. what is around us. It always feels good to be with people who are close to land. It’s where I What can the larger feel life — being in that present space. When I am around black environmental movement and brown folks, few things feel rigid. learn form POC environmental artists? How do you connect art Making room for grief can be and environmentalism? generative beyond possibility. The environmentalism movement Environmentalism needs might receive from POC artists to discuss the moment we studying the land an invitation are in right now. That, to hold more grief and to be as environmentalists, we honest about what hurts and understand impending doom. where. All we know is how to One of the foundational values I perpetuate emptying cycles, and have around the environment is so many of us in pain. What understanding how urgent harm would it look and feel like can be. We are approaching -- and offer us -- to be softer doom and it’s scary, but willing about our pain? And how much to see and confront that fear violence could be prevented if is wildly critical. I’m still in our bodies were able to process so much awe of the living and grief more wholly? nonliving world. We have to trust both worlds, and imagine further possibility. I try to ground myself everyday in the lush responsibility I have to the land. Art allows me to imagine a future through writing,

Emptying the Depository / made up of stuff our bodies feels like it is at the center/ themselves produced / wonder air too cool / goosebumps / more finds The quiet days scare me / the if the chickens can sense / in its way out of me / my throat burns days when the alchemy runs dry me the immense / desire for / i drown ants I never wanted / dead / / i am left naked and convulsing punishment / that i sometimes bile floods / a corner of the sidewalk / / some days i am lucky not to be want / to pour my stomach acid blood coagulates / outside of the body / in the silence alone / to be in on / my own skin / if it would somewhere in the recesses of this black the presence of birds / vomiting burn me into being / the person body / my organs are trying / to save a makes me tear up / birds whose I want to be / someone better/ life / someone else needs more saving names I don’t need to know / sing / the ants don’t deserve this death / i to me / and even in this state / i still so afraid of the quiet / want to be alive / part ways with the / am committed to un-studying the outside and cold / locked in a me(s) / that die / quickly and slowly. control / tactics of classification car that doesn’t belong to me / i / what might we do / when too much / seven chickens watch me can’t feel anyone / the unfeeling pressurizes inside of our bodies/ keeled over / they are quiet now is eerie / spectral / and i / earlier in such a different remember / i sometimes feel blood, bile, and water / not kept down communication with each other / like a ghost / in the ghost story / pool near shrubs of grass / disgusted i miss the louder days / a girl is abandoned and dies / with myself / my insides as proof of my /bending out of a window / naked inside of herself / the body and own deservingness/ and shivering / my torso peeled bones live on / a woman appears over the garden / trying to free / the two cohabitate / the quiet my god / birds make it hard / to what feels trapped / inside of me. days are haunting / the girl hate myself / sparrows hop, playful I wonder / briefly / if the acid is remembers her own death / the / chestnut-backed chickadees / oak as corrosive in the soil as it feels woman wonders what she can titmouses / crows – the original inside of my stomach / my throat possibly say / to the little girl mobsters / invite me into their burns / i wonder if we can burn inside of her / about what it mourning / i wonder / what it might holes / in our bodies / wonder if means when there is no room / mean / to make peace with / the quiet / we can burn holes in our bodies for feeling / when love no longer to see my insides / differently/ ROSIE LINARES-DÍAZ Mixed media artist, writer, photographer, food sovereignty organizer @rossndoodle

Who are you? I grew up in the Bay Area, and emotions from us — but for what? now I see places, in particular, My name is Rosie Linares-Díaz, where I would visit in high school Does your food sovereignty and I am a mixed media artist, and how undermined those places writer, photographer, and food are. When people think of San work and artwork uplift sovereignty organizer. My work Francisco and what things make merges all my interests, and up the space; they think about tech one another? for the last 10 years a lot of my and the metropolitan landscape.. interests and identities have been They don’t acknowledge in-between The organization I work for just contained in separate little boxes. spaces, green spaces that have their did a webinar that I lead with a Through art, I can bring a bunch of own history and how people have Bay Area artist, Vanessa Zagaroli, interests together. Before becoming inhabited these places. I like to on “artivism”. We talked about a full-time organizer, I was a distinguish place from space; place using art reimagine the future. If research assistant and studying is space but contextualized. A place we can’t even imagine the future geography and photojournalism has history, people, and is full of we want to live in, then how are before that. At each level I come life. Space is an empty vacuum. we going to work on doing it? closer to merging things together. Through my photography and Ultimately, art is about creating, My process of healing or trying to projects, I’ve been working on and a lot of my creative energy make sense of the world hopefully food sovereignty and thinking went towards organizing and resonates with others; having a about what images dominate our creating community, connections, universal vibe in existence of what headspace. There is so much working with people to build we all share. now because mainstream media a shared vision. But now I and Instagram bombard our am trying to incorporate more How does environmentalism consciousness with images. With traditional mediums of art like photography, I can unfuck the photography, writing, and mixed connects to your artwork? mindfuck imagery that has been media work. The idea around brought upon us by multinational artivism is much more expansive; It has so many different corporations that are trying to its a term coined by Tatiana intersections. I’m finding sell us soda and attend a rally — Brugera. She defines art broadly, connections in my poetry since like what is that? It’s trying to which is rad. One unconventional some of my pieces are about place manipulate our emotions about medium that I would consider and geography/home. It’s rooted in protesting and voicing our concerns art is community meals that my relationship to the Bay Area to resist, but these corporations use we have at my organization. and understanding what it means their imagery to take advantage of It is inspired by the People’s to have a home. Having parents you. My photo series is” babes with Kitchen in West Oakland where who are immigrants, family being food” -- beautiful people eating they used a few blocks to host a far, not having a strong-rooted healthy food. We see the same large public dinner and brought relationship to your environment. tactic but the opposite with fast people together to share stories food brands that use art to generate about food, historical violence and trauma. In all that storytelling, they do it through the relationship of food. People think organizers are people with pamphlets, but another organic way of organizing is having community dinners and discussing food system issues.

What drew you to certain mediums? I’ve been doing photography and writing for a while now. I grew up as an only child and writing was my outlet and friend. I would write and journal every day to process, reflect, and not feel alone. I recently read all my journals and it’s a wild experience. I’ve always loved writing and had an affinity for photography. In elementary school, we had this art workshop at a “discovery day.” I remember photographing a sweet moment between a parent and their child. In college, I brought these interests together to produce photojournalism. It was a way to incorporate social justice and intersectionalities happening around the world into my work. Recently I have been exploring poetry and collage. I’m really into dreams, mythology, and different things with lots of symbolism. Collaging has been a great medium to put down symbols in a fun way. Collaging is therapeutic and allows me to be nostalgic and create more in-depth content and acts as a thin veil exposing my subconscious.

How do you think academia has hurt or helped you in photographing really helped me capitalism compartmentalizes the process of being a food to develop my skills. We can every aspect of our lives. Seeing reimagine institutions, and they issues around the environment justice organizer and artist? can be places where our minds and food sovereignty, people can be healthy. But almost 50% focus on tangible actions with I think that I don’t regret going to of people in higher education certain outcomes such as food school. Maybe something important are food insecure. Academic policy. That’s missing the to differentiate is that academia institutions are reflective of holistic approach of how people is the institution, but what people larger systems that have the same relate and feel about food and want in that institution is the problems. We think academia is how it relates to culture. Art learning of it. Academia, as an a bubble without any issues, but is culture and it’s personal. institution, can be problematic, that is untrue. I think that’s where some but there are also times I have traditional organizing falls benefitted from it. WhenI was What do you think of the short because it’s not creating a research assistant I had the new art. We have to reimagine legitimacy and credibility of a modern environmental our realities, and traditional college name behind me. I never organizing can forget the took any fine art classes. I took movement can learn from creative reality. Pairing art, photojournalism and photography environmentalism, and food classes in journalism, but I did environmental art? sovereignty produces creative learn skills that are useful to solutions. Things we are doing what I do now. Being connected How is it not connected? are not working for this system. to that institution, interning and Everything is connected but We need new creativity! CINDY NGUYEN Painter @cindynxart @wallabywaycindy

Who are you? safe, affordable drinking water in low-income I’m currently a Roger Arliner Young (RAY) communities. Today, I am in D.C., and I would Conversation(PHOTO) Fellow working at Ocean Conservancy. have never thought I’d be here today. After I It’s been a couple of months since I moved from finish this fellowship, I’m returning to Houston my home and I’ve been in this transitional period. to pursue . Encouraging I’ve learned so much from this fellowship. It has youth of color to learn about and enjoy the really supported me with a vast network of people outdoors is something I am very interested in in conservation and helped me understand what it doing. means to be a POC working in the environmental field. It is hard to bring up the topic of diversity and Can you describe your art? inclusion in environmental spaces at times. I still feel that there are so many barriers preventing POC from In college, I took my first art class during my pursuing conservation. In Houston, there weren’t freshman year. When my professor critiqued my that many people interested in the fields that I was work at the end of the year, she told me that interested in seeking. I am a Vietnamese American, I had the talent and that I should pursue art. and my parents were immigrants. They worked very No one had said to me that ever in my life. My hard to be here, so I always had prioritized finding parents always thought that drawing was a hobby a stable, well-paying job so that I could make them for me and nothing to be taken seriously. I took proud. I did take AP Environmental Science in more classes every year and ended up majoring in high school but I never thought about it as work it. Senior year, I was able to make work that was I wanted to do. When I first entered college, I my own and was thinking about environmental majored in psychology and , and it wasn’t topics and how I can combine those interests until senior year that I finally seriously considered in my work. I was drawn to patterns in nature, environmental work. In my freshman year, I went to the effects of climate change, the beauty of Key West, Florida on an Alternative Spring Break destruction and reconstruction - art was my outlet Trip, to learn about coral reef restoration. A lot of to think about those topics. I also make sure to the activities required me to be in the water, but intersect my cultural identity - being Vietnamese since I didn’t know how to swim, I usually stayed in American - within my art, and that defined my the boat during the snorkeling trips. I enjoyed the narrative as a Vietnamese girl. I am an artist who trip so I did another one the next year and we went cares about the planet and thinks a lot about how to San Francisco & Sacramento. We learned about humans cope with the destruction of our planet. the drought in California and the inaccessibility of What mediums do you specifcally use POC, so I wanted to be a voice for the movement. and why did you pick those? Maybe through art, I could show that Vietnamese Americans and Asian Americans also care for I am someone who prefers to draw with ink, the environment — that we don’t just think Conte crayons, charcoal, but when I started about our trauma or immigration or education or painting, it felt different. With painting, I used being Asian. We think about all of those things much more color, and that expanded my work and those things are also highly related to our visually. I like to use fabrics and thread in my social and physical environment. I feel very work, mostly because I was resourceful. My mom strongly about all the hyphens in my identity, is a seamstress, and she uses a lot of thread, as a Vietnamese-American environmental- fabric, and needles. I incorporated that way of artist, because it tells a story that is so specific, working into my collages and paintings, primarily potentially easily obscured, challenging to through embroidery. I also started looking into represent, but I take pride in it. found maps. How does this all connect? In one of my pieces, I did a butterfly map that showed how butterflies moved to different locations Is is easier to navigate environmental or for resources due to climate change. I used the embroidery, different color threads, to show the art spaces? movement and pathway of butterflies. In some way, I was using thread to paint. At some point, I I do see myself going back and forth a lot. also found a historical map of Vietnam before the Whenever I am in an art space I get tired and war happened - and the patterns on it were just when I am in the environmental field I feel so visually stunning. I ended up using that as a like it always prioritizes science. Ever since background under a layer of embroidery. college I learned that I am most interested in the intersections between art and science. How can art How does you art intersect with communicate science, and vice versa? I am trying environmentalism? to find that space in between. What is next for you? When learning about art history in college, I saw a lot of the same things over again. One conflict I I want to work to increase diversity in the had about art, was that some of the conversations environmental space, and use art to help me were so theoretical and hypothetical that it didn’t visualize an environment that is more diverse and seem to matter. Not to mention white, male critics inclusive. There are different opportunities out dominated the academic space. I feel that this type there - maybe I can make a graphic novel or paint of art world, art in a museum, is inaccessible for murals or start a non-profit in the future. I don’t so many people, unlike when art is used for social need to box myself in society’s expectations.I can justice, such as in murals, for example. Art can be make a graphic novel or paint murals or start an excellent tool for communicating social change a non-profit in the future. I don’t need to box and for activists to communicate their message in myself into society’s expectations. a way that can be accessible for a lot of people. That’s what got me into art - its connection to activism. I realized that I wanted to make art that creates dialogue. I feel like there wasn’t enough being said for the environment, especially from Connect with us @alluviamag

Created in memory of

Brian Patrick Gialketsis