BIPOC Community Herbalist Group Discussion | With Lucretia Van Dyke

Herbal Radio

Welcome back to Herbal Radio plant people! We’re thrilled to share this special episode with you this week to highlight the BIPOC herbalist community in acknowledgment of Black History Month. We’ve opened our platform up to amplify the voices of 5 BIPOC community herbalists and activists for an impactful and thought-provoking group discussion.

Our featured guest host and long-time good friend, Lucretia Van Dyke, is joined with Christina Lynch, Khetnu Nefer, Tyrone Ledford, and Ruby Daniels to explore the topic of Black History Month and share their unique and collective experiences being Black individuals in the world of herbalism.

We’d like to extend our gratitude for joining us for this necessary and impactful discussion today. Thank you, as always, for tagging along for another botanical adventure!

About the herbalists:

Lucretia Van Dyke, author of “African American Herbalism” has been in the wellness industry for over 25 years, and is a Holistic Educator, Herbalist, Sacred Sexologist, Ceremonialist, and world traveler. One of the foremost experts on southern folk healing arts, Lucretia integrates rituals, plant spirit meditation, holistic food/herbal medicine, and ancestor reverence into people’s practices. Teaching herbal classes, cooking, storytelling, and foraging in the woods learning native medicine are what charges her soul.

Check out Lucretia on Instagram!

Christina Lynch is a community herbalist and entrepreneur based in Tallahassee, Florida. She received her Master’s degree in Human Resources and Employment Relations from Penn State University, and her Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting, Finance, and HR Management from Florida State University.

In addition to her role as the Interim Executive Director for the American Herbalists Guild, Christina is the Chief Executive Officer of Trydent Consulting, President of the Board of Red Hills Small Farm Alliance, and a board member of Florida State University’s Accounting Department, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend, and Florida School of Holistic Living.

Khetnu Nefer is the founder of the Gullah Geechee Herbal Gathering, an herbal conference for Black and Indigenous herbalists and community that takes place in Johns Island, SC. Khetnu is a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Educator, Massage Therapist, Herbalist, Reiki Master, Author, Vibrational Sound Therapist, African Dance Professor, and founder of A Soulful Touch Wellness.

Check out A Soulful Touch on Instagram!

Check out the Gullah Geechee Herbal Gathering on Instagram!

Tyrone Ledford, a native of Compton, CA received his Bachelor’s Degree from California State University, Fullerton in Child & Adolescent Development with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. He later received his Master’s Degree from Pacific Oaks College in Human Development/Social Change. Tyrone, who is the co-founder of Holistic Divine Innovations, founded and organized the Ridgecrest Community Garden and Herbal Zen Garden. Tyrone has been gardening intentionally for 10 years and grows a combination of fruits, vegetables, and herbs for both culinary and healing power. Tyrone’s experience extends as far as growing herbs to create his own teas and tinctures, and educating communities on how to grow their own food and how to use plants for their nutritional value and medicinal properties. Tyrone’s goal is to introduce individuals to the natural resources our earth provides and to increase fresh organic food resources throughout communities. Tyrone hopes to help you create a sustainable garden because he believes health is wealth.

Visit the Ridgecrest Community Garden on Facebook!

Ruby Daniels is a Soil conservationist tech with USDA, a farmer, manufacturer of herbal products, and herbalist/owner of Creasy Jane’s. Creasy Jane’s was formed to provide education, produce products, and provide fresh produce to the local community. Ruby Daniels gained her knowledge from her elders in West Virginia and expanded her plant knowledge by attending the Maryland University of Integrative Health. Ruby received a Master of Science in Therapeutic Herbalism, Ruby focused her study on Afro-Lachian foods and herbs, field botany, and phytochemistry. She previously worked with a non-profit organization as a consultant in the Agroforestry industry in West Virginia and is a board member of United Plant Savers. In addition to her work, Ruby Daniels works on cultural preservation and education focusing on African American relationships with the plants of Appalachia. Ruby Daniels and Creasy Jane’s mission is to educate the public about the power of plants and how to use them to support wellness.

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