Thursday, Sept. 11 | 5:30 – 8 p.m. | $60

Location: Center for Creativity

Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden
Presenter: Camille Dungy

In Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden, poet and scholar Camille T. Dungy recounts the seven-year odyssey to diversify her garden in the predominantly white community of Fort Collins, Colorado. When she moved there in 2013 with her husband and daughter, the community held restrictions about what residents could and could not plant in their gardens. In resistance to the homogenous policies that limited the possibility and wonder that grows from the earth, Dungy employs the various plants, herbs, vegetables, and flowers she grows in her garden as metaphor and treatise for how homogeneity threatens the future of our planet, and why cultivating diverse and intersectional language in our national discourse about the environment is the best means of protecting it.

Definitive and singular, Soil functions at the nexus of nature writing, environmental justice, and prose to encourage you to recognize the relationship between the peoples of the African diaspora and the land on which they live and to understand that wherever soil rests beneath their feet is home.

Each session features thought-provoking presentations, complimentary refreshments, one beer/wine drink ticket, and opportunities to connect through Q&A and mingling. Members receive a 10% discount on session tickets.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The “Down to Earth” Speaker Series, presented by The Gardens on Spring Creek in collaboration with Larimer County Colorado State University Extension and City of Fort Collins Utilities, delves into the fascinating world beneath our feet. This engaging new 6-session series invites thought leaders from across the state to uncover the intricate connections between soil, plants, and people. From native plant design to understanding how our relationship with nature can affect our mental health, each session examines these connections through diverse lenses and perspectives, offering a rich exploration of the ground that sustains us. Join us on this enlightening journey of discovery, growth, and connection to the Earth.