The Conscious Homestead Team

Candace
(they/them/she/her)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?:
Black.  Bajan.  West-Indian/Caribbean. First-generation American.  Afro-Diasporan.  My ancestors are from Barbados via West Africa and Europe.

Role(s) on the Homestead:
Founder/Visionary/Executive Director/Steward/Mentor/Student

A lil about yourself:
Ever since I can remember I have felt a deep sense of responsibility.  I care deeply about my community, the land and our collective liberation.   
I am committed to living with not over the land, centering wholeness and radical love.   In my life I have been blessed to do profoundly meaningful, heart-centered, purpose-driven work. I have learned about the rhythms of nature and cycles of life and I believe all of life's waves are here to guide us.

I'm a big-time Trekkie! If I could be any species in Star Trek I would be a Qowat Milat; a Romulan warrior nun race who live by the philosophy of "Absolute Candor". 

I looove to sing my heart out in the shower and/or car; my musical interests range from ratchet femme rappers to grunge, 70s soft rock hits to old school reggae, trip-hop to contemporary afro-beats.  When I dance I feel pure freedom in my body. 

Talking boundaries and sharing dreams for collective liberation is my jam! 

I have 15 tattoos, 6 piercings, 7 chickens and Im the proudest Mama to David my phenomenally talented son who is in college.  We miss our beloved Shiba Inu Roxy who passed away in 2022; she was a big part of the homestead.

Aries, Sun  |  Gemini, Moon  |  Libra, Ascendant/Rising
Bajan Roots. Brooklyn Born.  VT is Home.  Winooski My Town.

Your favorite land kin & why?
All land is sacred to me.  
All land is kin.

I hold deep personal connection to:
- mushrooms*/fungi/mycellium network (where would we be without mushies, they are the embodiment of magic and living examples of what it means to BE a collective)
- crows* (they are powerful spiritual guardians of the liminal space between life & death and I LOVED the movie The Crow as a emo teenager)
- black capped chickadees & titmouses (their song makes my heart smile)
- magnolia/mimosa/southern live oaks covered in Resurrection ferns (ground me in the black South especially New Orleans one of my all time favorite places on Earth)
- birch tree (ground me in VT and I love the aesthetic of birch bark)
- peach trees* (remind me of my late niece Kaylynn whose life and death are a huge part of what has manifested Conscious Homestead into existence; they were her favorite fruit and we grow peaches on the homestead in her memory)
- okra, corn & flying fish* (are ingredients in an ancestral food called Cocou, Barbados' national dish and one of the first meals I was taught to cook by my grandma Jewel)
- chickens (they bring me so much joy and laughter to my life, Im a proud chicken mama to Piper, Chickeeda, 7 of 9, Michael Burnham, Lursa, B'Etor and Guinan)
- violets* (when the violets emerge with their heart shaped leaves and happy purple and white petals they serve as signs of the beginnings of Spring and every time I see them my heart smiles and they bring me so much joy)

*The kin listed with an asterisk are apart of the tattoos I have on my body.
​Photo @isoralithgowcreations

Zymora
(she/her)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?: 
I'm a Black-Afrodiasporan, mixed-race, queer femme. My folks are from the American South, Tennessee, and Virginia, by way of West Africa. We are African-American, descendants of Chattel Slavery on this here U.S. soil. 

Role(s) on the Homestead: 
Program Manager/Assistant Director

A lil about yourself:
I just finished my undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont in Public Communications and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. Currently, I'm working on my master's degree in Public Health. I hope to continue focusing on racial health disparities regarding accessing food, land, and alternative medicine, such as BIPOC-centered ancestral knowledge and practices. I'd also like to become a birth doula one day and help combat Black Maternal Mortality. 

I was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, but spent most of my childhood growing up in the Green Mountain State, attending Vermont public schools. I'm a double Scorpio, Scorpio sun, Scorpio moon, and Libra Rising, making me empathetic, deeply emotional, and protective over my kin. My parents named me after my father's mother, Zymora-Louise.

Both my mother and father are artists, so as a toddler, we lived with my father's band members, and our walls were always covered head to toe with my mother's larger than life paintings. So, I love seeing live music and art whenever possible because it reminds me of home. 

I live in the heart of downtown Burlington with my beautiful partner and our elderly kitty roommate, Ms. Onyx. My favorite color is sunshine yellow. I begin and end each day with a cup of tea. I like to collect art, vintage clothing, and vinyl records. I'm an introvert who loves spending time with my friends and family. My favorite song is 'Try a Little Tenderness' by Otis Redding. I have a deep affinity with honey bees and willow trees. I enjoy writing, making food from scratch, gold jewelry, curating playlists, smoking weed, growing indoor and outdoor plants, learning about history, experiencing the changing seasons, making herbal potions, and traveling to new places. 

Your favorite land kin & why? 
I have many favorite land/plant kin, but one of my all-time favorites is collard greens. Collard greens are a staple in African-American soul food and one of the first dishes my father taught me to cook. A recipe passed down by my grandmother, Zymora-Louise. 
​
Nothing makes me feel more connected to my father and other ancestors than cooking soul food, and especially collard greens. To me, they represent family and resistance. ​

​Tony
​(he/him/his/they/their)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?:
The short answer is it's complicated and there isn’t one box I can ever check. I identify as Multi-Racial, Multi-Ethnic, White, American, Latin, South American Indigenous, and Colombian. I’ve always struggled with my identities because I often feel like I don’t quite belong in any of those categories, but I’ve come to realize that while I am still the same person from the same parents, my understanding of my identities has evolved and grown through the years. Combine that with the identities of my partner and step-son and that makes for a very diverse family with lineages that span the globe!
​
Role(s) on the Homestead: 
Director of Operations and Facilities, and that’s a fancy way to say that I help support Candace with lots of Admin and then the physical labour and maintenance of Conscious Homestead. I pretty much do anything that needs to be done and kinda like to stay out of the spotlight.

A lil about yourself:
Music is always with me; if not playing out loud, there’s a song in my head. I’m a party dj and the World Music Director at WRUV, so I’m always discovering new music and crafting epic playlists. I’m also a devoted friend and caretaker to all plants, herbs, flowers, vegetables, and mushrooms; this connection with the earth has taught me so many life lessons. I find peace in a good book, a cozy nook, in the flames of a campfire, the stillness of the woods, on a snowy peak, in a colorful sunset, the lapping of waves, among the bubbles of a craft beer, in the arms of my love, and from the laugher of family and friends. 
​
Your favorite land kin & why? 
I have always felt at home in water. Water is one of the most powerful and important things in the world; it can be peaceful or destructive, beautiful or terrifying, a friend or a foe. I think we can learn lots about the world by starting with water.

Jean
(she/her)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?:
My racial and cultural identity is an ongoing learning journey. I am bi-racial of Korean-European descent. My mother moved to the USA from Seoul in her teens. We spent most of childhood assimilating into upper class, white american culture except for when we were eating.  After my Granny passed and my mom became a Halmoni, she began to uncover and share the stories, recipes and practices of our Korean ancestors. My dad's 'european' lineage is a mixture of Scottish, English, and Polish; a mixture of colonized, colonizer and assimilator. Today, I watch the stories of my ancestors play out on the human stage around me, the enduring pain of being dispossessed of land, how sometimes colonized become colonizer, and the humble grace of walking together towards liberation.

​​Role(s) on the Homestead: 
Grateful community member, celebrator, and number cruncher.   Jean supports us with grant writing and serves as our Financial Steward.

​A lil about yourself:
Jean Myung Hamilton lives in central VT where she enjoys sharing time with her family and neighbors, eating delicious local foods, and exploring this beautiful earth.
​
She has dedicated her career to building sustainable food systems and resilient communities, with a focus on farm and food business viability, fundraising and grants management, and weaving community connections; she is most proud of the gardens she has helped tend along the way. ​

Your favorite land kin & why? 
Hemlock Forest. The hemlock forest may be why I continue to call Vermont my home. Especially those Hemlock woods with little streams that run through them. They are scattered all across these hills, quiet apart from the babbling wisdom of the water flowing. There is always a soft place to sit, or a clear stone. The light plays through the forest branches, bright rays piercing through dark shadows. Any season, those waters are perfect to splash on forehead or dunk feet for a reminder of what is real. In those Hemlock groves, I often cry, sing, sigh, and expand unexpectedly. ​

Mandy
(she/her)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?:
white
 
Role(s) on the Homestead:
Fundraising & Development Steward.
 
A lil about yourself:  
I grew up in rural Delaware and came to Vermont in 2005 to work in sustainable agriculture and food systems. Since then, I’ve devoted my career to returning wealth to rural and oppressed communities through community-centric fundraising, organizing, and program development. I’m interested in transforming philanthropy so that it operates within a reparations framework. I also love to read dystopian fiction and tarot cards, practice yoga, walk in the woods, get to know plants, chat with friends, and see live music. I cherish my partner, Max, and daughter, Juniper. 

- Your favorite land kin & why?  
I am deeply connected to the Delaware Bay, especially Lewes Beach. My favorite plant friends are St. John’s Wort, which always brings me joy when it greets me on the summer solstice, cannabis, which fosters ease and connection with self and others, and mullein, which has supported my lungs through many winter illnesses and teaches me to breathe through life’s blockages. I am also grateful to Lion’s Mane mushroom, a miraculous nerve regenerator!
 ​

Jess
​(she/her)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?
Black, French-Canadian, Haitian, American. Student of Haitian Creole as a heritage language. 

Role(s) on the Homestead:
Friend and Collaborator / Receiver of Abundance / Co-Director of Community Resilience Organizations (Fiscal Sponsor)
​
A lil about yourself:
My life has consistently been oriented around family from my mom, sister and extended family in VT to my expansive chosen family in Haiti that I share with my partner Fedras. I am also finding family in the web of people - often led by Black femmes - who are living into a future of wholeness and generating spaces that hold us in and prepare us for liberation. ​

I feel most at ease being surrounded by mountains - seeing them, climbing them, looking out from them. I am lucky that both of my homes are filled and defined by mountains - they hold beauty, challenge and significance in history in both places too. Sharing time on trails with other Black people and people of color heals the messages I absorbed over the years that I - a fat, Black, poor, femme - did not belong in the outdoors.

Your favorite land kin & why? 
I’ve been learning to slow down and enjoy the tactile experience of moss and how infinitely complex it can be visually if you look close enough.
​
Edible items:
Haiti = Breadfruit lam veritab is a nutrient rich, starchy fruit that grows on trees with large green leaves. The trees have strong root systems and overflow with fruit two times a year.
Vermont = uncultivated raspberries

Stephanie
(she/her)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?: 
I am black.  I carry in my blood a lineage that reaches the coast of West Africa. It reaches to the Island of Jamaica and to Mississippi. It reaches NYC and the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. 

Role(s) on the Homestead: 
Operations & Communications Assistant 

A lil about yourself:
I’m a first generation Vermonter. Raised by Rudolph and Roslyn Wilson alongside my siblings Valerie, Rudy and Micheal. My childhood was spent mostly outside barefoot in the rolling green mountains and medows bordering Quebec. It’s where I developed a lifelong bond with nature. 
 My favorite feeling is discovering something new. That’s why I love to travel as I’m able to experience so many firsts. The smells, tastes, sights of a new place bring me joy and excitement. 
I’m a creative. I write, I sing, I dance, I design. These things have been my outlet for as long as I can remember. Art has always been my vehicle of communication and of self expression. I cannot live without it. Through art I examine my world and explore my ability to love unconditionally, to forgive and to witness my story as it unfolds. 

Your favorite land kin & why? 
Here’s my top 10! 

Peonies - the herald of summer. In some of my oldest memories I’m just the right height for the flowers to touch my face. I’d spend my days in the folds, my little fingers picking out the June bugs and ants. .The light gentle sent and the pillowy petals of peonies taught me self care and romance 

Wild iris - my first love of the garden. These are like currency to me. My mother never minded if they ran wild and neither did I. Dressed in royal purple they held court in the flower beds bordering our house. The wild iris taught me how to command a room. 

Raspberries  - I would not be who I am today if I never met the raspberry. Just saying their name makes my cheeks flush. Memories of picking through the thorns for the jeweled candies will never leave me. The raspberry taught me how to breath through  discomfort 

Wild strawberries- another childhood friend. You can’t find a wild strawberry without getting down to ground level. And you can’t just go and buy them at the store. I’ve spent many afternoons on my belly combing through the meadow grass for precious treats. The wild strawberries taught me how to enjoy the small things 

African violet - specifically my grandmas collection. They sat potted on the living room windowsill. I would help her water, I was so careful not to get the leaves wet, as instructed.  African violets taught me how to be gentle and how to nurture. 

Birch tree - specifically the birch trees at my childhood home. They represent protection and they hold memories. They watched over me as I grew up. The birch tree taught me how to bear witness 

Maple tree - pure joy. The sugar maple holds deep Quebec and Vermont roots. I have gratitude for this tree. I smile as I reflect on the hot  sugar syrup poured over fresh snow. The maple tree teaches me about seasons and the sweetness of letting go.

Mourning dove - The first bird song I can remember. And the most satisfying song to sing. The mourning dove taught me how to listen to the sounds around me

Cats - I’ve always had a strong connection and admiration for felines and I always will. They have a magic about them that is fascinating to me. 

The sea otter - This is the only kin on my  list I’ve never met in real life. I’ve had a fascination with them since I was a kid. I’m not able to pinpoint what it is they draws me to them. But, I do know that sea otters sleep holding paws so they don’t drift apart while they are sleeping. And that resonates with me. 
Photo @dtx.lens 

Mindy
(she/her)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?:
I was raised by my mom and grandma who are refugees from the former Czechoslovakia. I hold Eastern European heritage from the Czech lands, Baltic Sea region, and Balkan Romanes people. 

Role(s) on the Homestead:
​Co-Director of Community Resilience Organizations (Fiscal Sponsor) 

A lil about yourself (some prompts to consider) What brings you joy? What brings me joy:
Plants. Animals. Care networks. Light-hearted pranks. Painting next to bodies of water. Sitting by the fire at the end of the day. Acts of song. Jiu-Jitsu training.

Your favorite land kin & why?
The Linden tree - my greatest companion and holds deep cultural significance. My dream is that Linden medicine would be ingested daily by everyone on the planet. That would be one very gentle and powerful way to transform the world.

Victoria (Vic)
(they/them)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?: 
Black. 
Role(s) on the Homestead:
Community Care Share Program Manager
A lil about yourself:
I am a Black, queer, femme originally from Michigan with roots in Detroit. I am a DJ, fashion enthusiast, and artist. I love to adorn myself with accessories. You will never catch me without a necklace and earrings at the very least! I find so much joy in painting, crochet arts, singing, dancing, drinking and learning about wine, and attempting to learn new instruments. Reading is an obsession. Rest is imperative. Being laid down under some blankets, under the sun, or on a beach and being still is so important for me. Music is my life. I feel that every moment deserves a soundtrack. My family and friends are everything to me. There is nothing better than being held by my community.
Favorite land kin (plant, animal, element etc etc) and why?
Large bodies of water - whether that is the ocean, lake or river, being able to submerge myself in moving water is always so cleansing to me and is a way that I can ground myself. 
Goldenrod - my favorite season in Vermont is when all of the goldenrod blooms and there are fields and fields of that beautiful golden yellow. 

Cherries - my favorite fruit. I look forward to every summer so that I can devour bags upon bags. 
Frogs - my nickname growing up was Victoria ‘Froggy Frog’ Johnson. I have one tattooed on my thigh. I have always felt a kinship with frogs since I was young.
Cats - I have two amazing, beautiful black cats named Bonibel and Momo. I believe that I was a cat in a past life, and have always felt very feline in nature.

 Alyssa, LCSW
(she/they)

How do you identify (racially, ethnically, culturally, lineage-wise)?: 
I am a descendant of enslaved African people, my family was enslaved in Virginia and Georgia.  I am also a descendant of French Canadian and Native American people. Every day, I consider the ways they are all alive in me today.  I grew up in New Hampshire in the 80’s with my white family and continue to be conscious of and continually shed the deep indoctrination of white supremacy that was prevalent throughout my childhood.  
Role(s) on the Homestead:
Consultant, Facilitator, Mental health support and conflict transformation guide 
A lil about yourself:  
Im a wanderer, a conjurer, a mother, a social worker, an artist and a healer.  I am a mental health therapist in private practice where I serve adults, children and families who experience oppression and marginalization.  Right now, I feel most excited to talk about collective liberation, how we can embody LOVE and grace in our pursuit of community, and exploring the possibilities of psychedelics and mental health for bipoc folx. I love to paint, it’s something I discovered later in life as I did not have the opportunity to explore creative endeavors when I was younger. 
I’ve lived in Vermont off and on since 2005 and it’s a place I have very complex feelings about.  The most beautiful and amazing people I’ve ever met live here- some of my favorite folx AND it is easily the most oppressive place I have ever lived.  That is why Conscious Homestead is so important and so needed. 
I am dedicated to reclaiming myself from the structures of white supremacy and colonization and supporting others who want to engage in that self work.  It is a daily practice -still much to do.  I am engaged in individual and collective health care and healing through food, herbs, spirituality and connection to community and the earth. I am committed to growing black and brown community and creating external and internal space for experiences of joy, love, freedom and wholeness for black and brown people.  
Favorite land kin (plant, animal, element etc etc) and why?
Deer being a black femme navigating predominantly white spaces in the 80’s was not easy and for many years I grew a very tough exterior around me.  Years ago I had a reading and she spoke of deer energy and how deer are calm and nurturing but also can be fierce watchers and protectors.  I resonated with the need to surround myself with people who allow me to be gentle, soft and nurturing and give and receive love as that is one way that I experience liberation and freedom. Deer always seem to show up at the strangest times and I always take them as a reminder that I am protected, to follow my intuition and also to anchor into calm, gentleness and love wherever and whenever I can.
Wind the wind feels so cleansing to me, energizing and playful. I remember the first time I recognized my relationship to wind and how it blows through clearing stagnation. Sometimes very rough and sometimes very gentle but always bringing change with it.  
Lilac the color and scent of lilac have always felt like home to me. My Memere had huge lilac bushes in her yard when I was growing up.  The trees are so gorgeous when in full bloom and offer sustenance to the honey bees! The leaves are so soft and heart shaped. The small flowers individually are delicate but when grouped together look and feel completely different. And lilac lemonade is AMAZING
Chaga I love all mushrooms but chaga has always had my attention as magical and healing and other worldly.  When I was sick years ago I drank loads of chaga and felt grounded and held and it always calls to me from the tops of birch trees when I’m out walking in the woods.

Alyssum- I always felt drawn to these little flowers. One of my first jobs was working in a greenhouse caring for plants, they grew profusely and the other workers would often call me Alyssum. Years ago, I was staying with a friend in California and her very rude neighbor approached me one day.  He held out his hand and had a tiny flower in it. He said “are you named after this flower? Alyssum? ”  I told him I didn’t know trying to back away from him. He said “.....well I think you are.  They're small and seem too soft to survive but these cute little fuckers are impossible to kill” I still dont know why he said that to me, or if I am named after the flower, but that resonated with my experience in this life and I have felt a different connection and appreciation for them ever since.

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Community Resilience Organizations
​(CROS)

Role:
Fiscal Sponsor

About yourself:
Jess & Mindy as Co-Directors (more below)

Mission:
Community Resilience Organizations empowers and collaborates with community partners to nurture the growth of resilient communities working at the intersections of climate and racial justice. We tend this work with tenacity, flexibility, and love!