Founding Mothers

Ara Katz (she/her) is co-founder and co-CEO of Seed Health, a microbiome science company pioneering innovations in probiotics and living medicines to impact human and planetary health. Ara is also a co-founder of Seed Health's environmental division, SeedLabs, and LUCA Biologics, Seed Health’s women’s health venture in partnership with Dr. Jacques Ravel, which develops living medicines targeting the vaginal microbiome for unmet medical needs in urogenital and reproductive health. Her work has encompassed the intersections of health, consumer tech, media and design.

In this episode, Ara and Emily discuss the healing potentials of the microbiome on human and planetary health, the parallels between climate change and the destruction happening inside of our bodies, how communicating science in accessible ways can be a source of agency, and what Seed is doing to translate leading microbiome science into breakthrough innovations.

You can learn more about Seed Health, SeedLabs, and LUCA Biologics on their websites, or follow Seed and Ara on Instagram. 

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on our website.

Grace Anderson (she/her) is a network weaver, strategist, and dreamer working at the intersection of race, healing and the environment. With over a decade of experience in the outdoor and environmental sector, she is committed to building the capacity of People of Color in the environmental space by moving resources towards their dreams and by creating structural programming to support their growth.

In this episode, Emily and Grace discuss the importance of embodiment for both processing and visioning, strategies to reclaim time and space at work, slowing down to identify what brings you joy and your talents, and redistributing resources for a healthier society and planet.

You can follow Grace on Instagram and LinkedIn.

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on our website.

Jodi Grass (she/her) is in her sixth year as Head of Oak Grove School, a progressive day and boarding school in Ojai, California. Jodi has worked at Oak Grove School and the Krishnamurti Foundation of America in different capacities for the past 17 years in addition to her experience with several nonprofits, community organizations, K-12 schools and a community college.

In this episode, Emily and Jodi discuss the freedom that Oak Grove's teachers have to implement activities that foster personal and social growth, outdoor and travel experiences to prepare youth and parents for the transition to adulthood, how students can support their mental health, and the value of questioning one's thoughts to develop compassion.

You can follow Oak Grove School on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and visit their website for more information.

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on our website.

Danielle M. Jones (she/her) is a nature educator, systems thinker, and facilitator of yoga and somatic liberation practices. She is a weaver of Sankofa Village Arkansas, an intentional community whose mission is to transform multigenerational community health through land stewardship and education for the purposes of housing affordability, wealth-building, and climate resiliency. This work centers Black healing, liberation and regeneration.

In this episode, Danielle shares many ways that communities could be designed around healing for those who have been marginalized, using everyone's unique talents to sustain a healthy community, co-creating processes and models of living that avoid harm, and building an intentional space for Black people in Arkansas to thrive.

You can learn more about Sankofa Village on Instagram.

To support Sankofa Village:

• Folks can make a tax-deductible donation via our fiscal sponsor, the Foundation for Intentional Communities and be sure to comment "for Sankofa Village Arkansas."
• You can make easy non-tax deductible contributions via Venmo, Paypal, and Cashapp @SankofaVAR

Donations are currently going toward building organizational capacity and covering costs for community events.

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on our website.

Wen-Jay Ying (she/her) is the founder of Local Roots NYC, a cafe, market space and CSA provider in Brooklyn. She’s a spokeswoman and cultural translator for regenerative agriculture, working towards making local food resonate with a growing and more diverse demographic. Wen-Jay believes the way we eat can change the world and is dedicated to healing our local food system and bringing urbanites closer to their food source. 

In this episode, Emily and Wen-Jay discuss how distance away from farms affects the quality of your food, why soil health matters, eating locally in an urban area, getting curious beyond the label and taking small steps to supporting your local community and a local food system.

You can follow Wen-Jay on Instagram and also follow Local Roots on Instagram.

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on our website.

Maria Cincotta (she/her) has been playing in bands since 1995 and has been teaching and band coaching with the Rock Camp for Girls movement since 2001. She is a certified teacher with experience teaching all ages, from kindergarteners to adults. She has also toured in both Europe and the United States with a few of her bands, including elcassette and Sally Rides.

In this episode, Emily and Maria discuss the JAMS Music Nonprofit, why music is important for community, how music can expand our ability to connect with others, and why girls and non-binary folks need their own music and creative spaces. 

You can connect with and support the JAMS Music Nonprofit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and their website. You can email Maria directly for lesson inquiries at maria@jamsmusic.org.

Full transcripts are available on our website.

Rowen White (she/her) is a Seed Keeper and farmer from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne and a passionate activist for Indigenous seed and food sovereignty. She is the Educational Director and lead mentor of Sierra Seeds, an innovative Indigenous seed bank and land-based educational organization located in Nevada City, CA. Rowen is also the Founder of the Indigenous Seed Keepers Network, which is committed to restoring the Indigenous Seed Commons.

In this episode, Emily and Rowen discuss the intersection between food sovereignty and cultural revitalization, creating an intimate relationship with seeds and food, and using radical imagination to create a kincentric food system.

You can learn more about Rowen on Instagram or Twitter, and visit the Sierra Seeds website and the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance website for more information.

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on 

our website.

Riane Eisler, JD, PhD(h) (she/her) is internationally known for her groundbreaking contributions as a systems scientist, futurist, and cultural historian. Her innovative whole-systems research offers new perspectives and practical tools for constructing a less violent, more egalitarian, gender-balanced, and sustainable future. Dr. Eisler is President of the Center for Partnership Systems, which provides practical applications of her work.

In this episode, Emily and Riane discuss a paradigm beyond the binary matriarchy-patriarchy model, what it means to live in a domination system versus a partnership system, and how hierarchies can move from power over towards power to and power with.

You can learn more about Dr. Eisler’s work on her website as well as on the Center for Partnership Systems website.

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on our website.

Valenca Valenzuela (she/her/ella) has her Master’s in Social Work and has been holding space for people in grief and end-of-life since 2007. Valenca is the owner of Raven & Rose, a Grief Counseling, Death Doula, and Life-Cycle Celebrant business in Portland, OR. Additionally, she currently works at a national center for grieving children & families. Valenca was born on Día de los Muertos, so it was in the stars that Valenca would work with Death, Grief, and Ancestral Healing. Valenca believes that the life-cycle is our greatest teacher and we can change the way we live by changing our connection to how we die.

In this episode, Emily and Valenca discuss death as a part of the life cycle, how the world could provide better end of life care, allowing grief as a natural experience, and continuing bonds with ancestors.

You can follow along with Valenca on Instagram or find her programs at her website.

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on our website.

Kalah Hill (she/her/hers) is a Freedom Doula and pleasure activist who founded In Pleasure We Trust. Through her coaching programs, Kalah evokes permission for sovereignty within the landscape of our social interdependency and unravels the illusions of systemic oppression that create communities of conformity and insatiability. She rests in trusting that when people affirm and integrate their pleasure, freedom will be born. 

In this episode, Emily and Kalah discuss how true liberation is interconnected, creating a dream reality, leadership that counters the delusions of colonization, the inherent worth of pleasure and how it can be used as capital.

You can follow along with Kalah on Instagram or find her programs at her website.

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on 

our website.

Bria Bloom (she/her), along with her older brother, grew up in an unschooling family, and now is a parent of a self-directed young person, and a passionate advocate for collective liberation, Self-Directed Education, & young people’s rights.

In this conversation, Bria and Emily discuss the definition of self-directed education, the importance of play in education, what could be possible if we rethink our society’s schooling system, and the true origins of self-directed education wisdom.

You can connect with Bria more on her Twitter, Instagram, or website. You can support and learn more about the Alliance for Self-Directed Education on their website. 

Full transcripts are available on our website as weel as a ton of resources that were recommended by Bria to learn more about SDE and our schooling.

Stephanie Leah (she/her/hers) is an Ecosattva, one who expresses a Buddhist response to climate change. She uses stillness, heartfelt Listening and Breathwork to open up the pathways that can lead us through our innermost selves toward healing and unbearable compassion for ourselves and our beloved Mother Earth.

In this episode, Emily and Stephanie discuss the need for humanity to come back to nature, why gardening is often the best pathway to reconnect to ourselves, and in all decisions, putting the planet first.

You can follow along with Stephanie on Instagram or on her website. 

You can find full transcripts, links, and other information on our website.

Mallory Combemale (she/her) is a visionary leader who guides individuals and teams into new ways of relating with themselves and one another. As a co-founder of the Inheritance Project, she facilitates groundbreaking inclusion, leadership, and cultural programming through the lens of inheritance.

In this episode, Mallory and Emily discuss the need to unpack the beliefs, ideas, and systems that we’ve inherited in order to create a better future. Mallory shares her perspective on why the examination of both our inner and outer worlds is critical to growth and progress, how we can ultimately change and shape society through breathwork and healing, and what lessons we can and should learn from the natural world about creating a thriving ecosystem.

You can follow along with Mallory on her personal Instagram. Check out the Instagram account or website for the Inheritance Project, and learn more about her breathwork practices on Instagram or the Breath Connection website. 

If you’d like to work with Mallory and the Inheritance Project, she recommends their free online workbook or attending one of their free public quarterly workshops. 

You can find the full transcript for this episode on our website.

Lorena Nascimento (she/her) is an educator, working with environmental justice, urban forestry, community engagement, and data empowerment. Originally from Brazil, Lorena moved to Portland, OR to pursue a Ph.D. in Urban Studies. In her dissertation, she described the Western criminalization, acculturation, and cultural appropriation of Black and Indigenous values regarding cultural ecosystem services.

In this episode, Lorena and Emily discuss the need for more drug education, how powerful harm reduction can be, using psychedelics as a way to reconnect with ancestors, and cultural appropriation of psychedelic drugs. They also discuss the People of Color Psychedelic Collective and their vision for the world.

You can follow along with Lorena on Instagram or Twitter. You can follow along with the People of Color Psychedelic Collective on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, as well as on their website.

Our recommendation is to watch this webinar first.

Full transcripts are available on our website.

Sarah Vitti (she/her) is Senior Manager of Culture Change at Caring Across Generations, a national campaign that is transforming our country's care infrastructure and the way that our society relates to and values caregiving. Sarah is also a creative in her own right. She's a producer, a poet, and digital collage artist. She’s currently birthing an artist residency in the woods of the Mohawk Valley in upstate New York called The Root Community.

In this episode, Sarah and Emily discuss the importance of changing our cultural relationship with care and caregiving in the United States. Sarah shares her perspective on why our care system is broken, what a world of better care could look like, and the unifying experience of care in our society.

You can catch up with Sarah on her personal accounts here:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

And you can keep up with Caring Across Generations here:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Website

And you can check out the Root Community here:

• Instagram
• Website

You can find full transcripts on our website.

Alondra Sanchez (she/her) is a labor and postpartum companion who devotes herself to whole family wellness. She believes in a slow and gentle way of life by practicing things like urban homesteading, sustainable living, organic nourishment, and deep self and community care. Her Mexican Indigenous roots led her to hold a village-centered method of life; that she believes will bring her home to a life of happiness and fulfillment.

In this episode, Emily and Alondra discuss the importance of postpartum care, break down the myths and negative connotations that come with the word ‘postpartum,’ getting back to a more intuitive way of parenting, and how critical doulas are to the entire pregnancy process and beyond.

You can follow Alondra on her private Instagram here, support her collective with other practitioners here, and you can support her non-profit, Solar Road, by donating here.

Full transcripts are available on our website. 

Naila Francis (she/her) is a writer, grief coach, death midwife, and ordained interfaith minister. She holds space and offers rituals for people at many of life’s sacred thresholds, including birth, marriage, death, and other transitional passages. Naila is the founder of Salt Trails, an interdisciplinary Philadelphia collective making grief shared, public and visible through community rituals. 

In this episode, Emily and Naila discuss the need for a more grief-literate society, why grief rituals with community are so important to the healing process, and how we can better show up for other community members experiencing grief. 

You can connect with and support Naila on the Salt Trails Instagram or the This Hallowed Wilderness Instagram.

You can find full transcripts on our website.

Lauren Hage (she/her) is Executive Director and co-founder of the Weaving Earth Center for Relational Education, an educational nonprofit that encourages the study and practice of "Earth Intimacy", "Co-Liberation", "Embodiment" and "Prayerful Action" as key approaches for addressing the social and ecological crises of our times.

She comes from Ashkenazi Jewish (Odessa), Sicilian, and Scottish ancestry.

In this episode, Emily and Lauren discuss what relational education is, what it means to take prayerful action, how nature-based educational programming can bring us back to ourselves, and why the intersection of ecological, social, and personal systems is imperative for global change.

Follow along with Weaving Earth on Instagram, Facebook, and their website.

Full transcripts are available on our website. 

Claudia Serrato (she/her) is an Indigenous culinary anthropologist, a public scholar, a doctoral candidate, and a professor of ethnic studies. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California predominantly on an Indigenous Mesoamerican diet. At an early age, she began to cook alongside her elders, gaining time-tested food knowledge.

In this episode, Emily and Claudia discuss the decolonization of foodways, how reconnecting with native food can help re-indigenize communities, using foodways as a way of resistance, and the importance of a body archeology. 

You can connect with Claudia on Instagram. 

Full transcripts are available on our website. 

Amber O’Neal Johnston is an author, speaker, and worldschooling mama who blends

life-giving books and a culturally rich environment for her four children and others

seeking to do the same.

In this episode, Emily and Amber dive into the world of homeschooling and Amber’s vision for a better education system for all. Amber shares her perspective on the importance of creating a tapestry of cultural and community experiences as a main part of her children’s education, what questions we can start asking ourselves about how to improve the education process, and why standardization strips us of our knowingness.

You can catch up with Amber on her website, Instagram, and Facebook. Pick up a copy of her book, A Place to Belong, too.

Full transcripts can be found on our website.