LION Is TWO Years Old 🎉

LION Turns Two !

We're summer babies and this week we turn two years old since our inception under and apple tree. The past year and a half have been under restrictions and we have had to adapt to the circumstances of the time. That has meant most of the work we do went online and to this day continues to be. Yet despite it all we have grown and are looking forward to a summer of events and gatherings, the chance for our working group to meet and work in person, and the joy of being out on the land together with other Black and people of colour working in land, farming, nature-connection and those of us who just want to learn and know what we can do to achieve land and racial justice in Britain. We have been able to connect with brilliant BPOC organisers, collectives and organisations over the past year and have forged strong relationships with white accomplices, all making the future we are fighting for seem that bit more real. 

LION Hits the Tremendous Twos! 

It’s been two years since Land in Our Names was founded, on a warm day under an apple tree in south London. LION’s co-founders Josina and Olá, both keen food growers, met and dreamed of a better land system with racial justice at its heart. I (Josina) was buzzing from reading the Land for the Many report written by many admirable land activists & delving into my copy of Farming While Black by Leah Penniman. I am so proud of what our small team has achieved in this time, how our skills, confidence and knowledge base continues to develop. To our friends reckoning with an unjust land system and food growing, we see you and thank you for all of the time and inspiration you have given and gifted us. I’m delighted that our network has grown so wide; the friends, elders and accomplices who will carry us through a just land and food revolution.

ROOTZ INTO FOOD GROWING

Since February we have been conducting research into Black growers and growers of colour with experience of social enterprise/sustaining livelihoods in London and the pan-London area. Commercial growing in London is already pretty small and concentrated in east and north-east London, even more so when looking to interview Black growers and growers of colour. Despite these limitations, we were able to gather stories from ten generous and inspiring urban and peri-urban farmers who were able to sustain their livelihoods from growing and selling food. 

You can watch the launch event for our research here and read the report in full here 
Photo by Sandra (GoGroWithLove)