Rooted in Change: A YELI Showcase
Rooted in Change: A YELI Gallery Walk was an immersive community event where the brilliant young minds of YELI (Youth Environmental Leadership Initiative) showcased their work and vision for a healthier, more just future.
Instead of a traditional sit-down gala, this event invited participants to move through the space, engage with student-led exhibits, ask questions, and witness the powerful environmental justice work happening right here in Marion.
Indigenous & Black American Land Stewardship
Stewardship Rooted in Relationship: Indigenous and Black Traditions of Caring for the Land
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For Indigenous peoples of South Carolina, including the Pee Dee, Catawba, and Edisto, land is not a possession. It is a living relative, deserving of respect, protection, and reciprocity. Stewardship was guided by the belief that what is done to the land must support the well-being of future generations. Farming, hunting, and gathering followed natural rhythms, and ceremonies honored the land as sacred, not as a commodity to be exploited.
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Indigenous communities used controlled burns, seasonal farming, and rotational harvesting to care for the ecosystems around them. Fire was not feared but used with skill to rejuvenate forests and grasslands. Waterways were kept clean, and plants were only gathered when abundant. This ensured that nothing was taken without also giving something back to the earth.
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After emancipation, land became a lifeline for Black Americans. Families who had worked the soil as enslaved laborers began building self-sustaining farms and gardens. These spaces were used not just for survival, but for liberation. Land meant food sovereignty, safety from violence, and the chance to pass something on to the next generation.
Wisdom from Ancestors and Africa
Black agricultural practices were deeply informed by ancestral knowledge from West Africa, including composting, natural fertilization, seed saving, and companion planting. These methods maintained soil health and crop diversity. Farming became both science and culture, connecting generations through the act of growing and tending the land.