In this episode, Sammie Ardito Rivera speaks with Brea Baker, author of "Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Ownership." In this new book, Baker reflects on her family’s roots and invites readers to explore their own relationship with land, food, and community. Midwest Farmers of Color Collective members are excited to use this book as an organizing tool and discussion piece. Sammie and Brea’s conversation highlights the role of Black-Indigenous solidarity in our past, present, and future.

Buy the book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/rooted-the-american-legacy-of-land-theft-the-modern-movement-for-black-land-ownership-brea-baker/20631593

BREA BAKER is a freedom fighter and storyteller who believes in the power of Black culture to drive change. Her writing has been featured in the anthologies Our History Has Always Been Contraband and No Justice, No Peace. She was recognized as a 2017 Glamour Woman of the Year. Her new book is Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Ownership. https://www.breabaker.com/

SAMMIE ARDITO RIVERA (Leech Lake and White Earth Ojibwe) is a member of the Midwest Farmers of Color Collective coordinating team. She also co-owns Sin Frontera Food and Farm with her family.

Growing Liberation is a podcast from the Midwest Farmers of Color Collective, a collective of Black Indigenous farmers of color centered on racial justice and the development of food and farming systems that honor our communities past, present, and future. Learn more at: https://midwestfarmersofcolor.org/.

CREDITS

Creator: Midwest Farmers of Color Collective with Real Food Media

Co-producer/host: Sammie Ardito Rivera, MFCC

Guest: Brea Baker

Recorded at: Minnehaha Recording Company, Minneapolis, MN

Audio editor: Jaime Roque

Executive producer: Tanya Kerssen, Real Food Media

Theme music: “Our Past Lives” by Moonfly

Podcast artwork by: @Emitxin

SHOW NOTES

Midwest Farmers of Color Collective, https://midwestfarmersofcolor.org/

Brea Baker, author of “Rooted”: https://www.breabaker.com/

Buy the book at Bookshop.org, https://bookshop.org/p/books/rooted-the-american-legacy-of-land-theft-the-modern-movement-for-black-land-ownership-brea-baker/20631593

“Making a Home on Black-Owned Land” by Brea Baker, Elle Magazine, https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a60941955/rooted-brea-baker-excerpt/

Join the MFCC book club! https://forms.gle/nKD7BdWMnmdw5Rui7

2:09 | Brea shares the story of Louis Baker, the first Black person in her family to own land, and of her grandfather, whom she honored in the writing of this book.

4:00 | Brea shares the journey of her relationship with the land, as someone born and raised in New York, from visiting her family’s land in the South

6:55 | How can BIPOC people heal their relationship with the land?

9:35 | “The book began with the case for reparations."

13:00 | “The original sins of this country happened to and on our backs. I just think there's no greater case for solidarity than Black and Indigenous American solidarity.”

15:20 | What do we owe each other as Black and Indigenous people and how can we get in right relationship with one another?

19:20 | “Black and Indigenous people should be in such deep communication with each other that we are really clear what the demands are across the board, and we're not settling for anything less.”

20:45 | Brea talks about land trusts and eminent domain reversals and mentions the work of the organization Where Is My Land.

22:23 | Growing Change in North Carolina rehabilitates former sites of jails and prisons to use as community gardens.

23:45 | Sammie: Midwest Farmers of Color Collective is working on a Land Fund for BIPOC growers—stay tuned!