This month’s member spotlight is on Z Liberacion (they/he)! Z has been a resident of N’dakinna (Vermont) for 1 year and is based in Addison County. They operate in the agriculture sector as the co-steward of Abolition in Action Farms, an organic, no-till, Black-led farm and care space.
To learn more about Z’s work, visit ko-fi.com/abolitioninactionfarms.
Tell us a bit about your background before arriving in VT and what brought you to the state!
I am a detribalized Black Afro-Panamanian born in Panama. My family & I were displaced to Kentake so-called “kentucky.” As a teen, we moved to so-called “florida” where I lived until 2023. As an adult, I was displaced by gentrification to Lenapehoking, “philadelphia” where I met my partner Jamie, who traveled long distance to see me. We both wanted to be full time farmers & my director position at a 56 acre tree preserve was coming to a close summer 2024. What brought me here was my love for this land, N’dakinna, & for my spouse, Jamie who has lived here for 7 years.
How did you get into your career?
All our collective members have seen a lot of communities be deprived of organic, local, nourishing food that was grown ethically. There is also not enough access to healing, especially for disabled folks. So we started this organic, no-till farm & care space last summer.
Why are you a member of the Vermont Professionals of Color Network?
We want to connect with other POC who want to make the world a kinder & safer place to live.
What aspects of life in VT do you find most fulfilling? What about your professional life here stands out to you?
We are so grateful for the fertile soil stewarded by Munsee-Mohican, Abenaki, & other indigenous folks, for the incredible scenery created by the earth & all the creatures we get to witness. Being grounded in the land & community is the best part of labor.
Looking back, what advice would you have appreciated receiving about being a professional of color in VT before you arrived?
It would have been nice to know beforehand that there are some free services for farmers that we can access, & funding to apply for from orgs like NOFA.
What are some challenges that you’ve faced on a professional level since living in VT? Any strategies or resources that have helped you overcome them?
It has been tough farming in insular white-majority rural communities. Connecting with other POC aligned with our communal goals has helped.
Tell us about the work you’re currently doing and what drives you in your profession!
At AIA Farms in N’dakinna we offer mindful foraging, farming, pruning, plant propagation, ecobricking (ecobricks.org), in-ground composting, & herbalism workshops. We offer DEIASJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, & Social Justice) training for farms, collectives, affinity groups, institutions & individuals. We host plant, seed, herb & clothing swaps & giveaways. We also speak about environmental racism & land sovereignty at panels, in-person groups & online. Keeping our communities fed, housed, & well keep us going.
What future opportunities do you see for your industry, particularly in the context of the state?
We see more opportunities in collaborating with orgs to fund survival learning opportunities to multi-marginalized people in N’dakinna.
In your opinion, how can VT better support its BIPOC residents, both professionally and personally?
The State could better support by directly redistributing stolen land back to indigenous peoples.
Are there other things (events/opportunities/jobs/etc) you’d like to share with the VT BIPOC community?
We need volunteer support May-September to make our free community programs continue. Reach out if you can volunteer in-person (packing care packages, farming, foraging, ecobricking, etc.) or virtually (outreach & research). To give material offerings, we have a list of items we need to continue programming on our website that can be sent to our P.O. Box.
