BRAIDEd

In this episode of BRAIDEd, host Keionna Thomas sits down with Dr. Connie Baptiste, a fifth generation farmer and military veteran who identifies mental wellness as the essential foundation of land stewardship. Dr. Baptiste reflects on the emotional weight of becoming the first person in her lineage to own her farm after generations of ancestors worked as sharecroppers. The discussion addresses th...

In this fourth and final episode of BRAIDEd Season 1, host Keionna Thomas sits down with Cicely Garrett, co-executive director of the National Black Food and Justice Alliance, to examine the intersection of policy, racial justice, and economic opportunity in agriculture. They discuss the shortcomings of the Inflation Reduction Act, the historical parallels between current farm bill debates and 196...

In this summer episode of BRAIDEd, host Keionna Thomas speaks with Nia Kiara Cole, a fifth-generation farmer who transitioned from film to rebuilding her family farm in North Carolina. Nia's journey from Howard University graduate to land steward demonstrates how young Black farmers are weaving together creative skills with agricultural restoration on land with 200 years of family history. EcoWoma...

In this Memorial Day episode of BRAIDEd, host Keionna Thomas welcomes Dr. Catherine Meeks for a powerful conversation about generational wisdom and healing historical wounds in Black agricultural heritage. As we honor Memorial Day, this episode connects themes of remembrance with the resilience and knowledge passed down from sharecropper generations. Dr. Meeks and Keionna explore how ancestral agr...

In this Earth Day premiere of the BRAIDEd podcast, host Keionna Thomas, Program Coordinator for BRAID with The EcoWomanist Institute Southeast, explores the rich yet challenging history of Black land ownership in America and pathways toward agricultural restoration. She examines how 98% of Black-owned farmland was lost through discriminatory policies and introduces listeners to The EcoWomanist Ins...

BRAIDEd explores the intersections of Black women's agricultural history, food sovereignty, and environmental justice. Each episode weaves together the voices of Black women farmers, historians, and food justice advocates to illuminate pathways toward collective land stewardship and climate resilience. From historical exploration of Black land ownership to innovative farming practices, BRAIDEd nur...