Stanford Earth Celebrates: Gail Myers and the Rhythms of the Land
Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the legacy and continuous contributions of African American and Black communities in this country. It also represents an opportunity to reflect on continuing systemic racism and discrimination in the U.S. and on our responsibilities to address these inequities.
The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Stanford Earth, in partnership with the O'Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm and the Environmental Justice Working Group at Stanford, invite you to celebrate Black History/Liberation Month by joining in a conversation with Professor Gail Myers to discuss her new documentary film “Rhythms of the Land" (a trailer of this documentary will be screened during the event).
In 1920, there were over 920,000 Black families farming in the United States, although the majority were sharecroppers and tenant farmers. Today there are just over 48,697, a 95% decrease in 100 years. Black farming families have lost their land and their stories are quickly disappearing and should be preserved so that we may understand the history and nature of lives on the farms. Rhythms of the Land documentary is a valentine to generations of Black farming families in the United States, from the enslavement period to the present. Their story is long overdue.
Prof. Gail Myers is a cultural anthropologist and creator of this film project. She is also the Co-founder of Farms to Grow Inc based in Oakland, CA, as well as an active advocate for African American farmers for more than 20 years.
Stanford Earth celebrates the contributions of all our African American & Black members. In the story "What does it mean to be Black in the geosciences?" you can learn more about the impact of some of these members.
If you need a disability-related accommodation, please contact Isabel Carrera Zamanillo via email: micz@stanford.edu. Requests should be made by February 17, 2022.