Seedcast

Seedcast is a story-centered, Webby-nominated podcast where we dig up, nurture, and root stories of the Indigenous experience from around the world. Produced by Nia Tero.

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Seedcast

Sending Light This Winter Solstice

December 20, 2023 • Nia Tero • Season 3 • Episode 14

Here in the northern hemisphere, as the winter solstice approaches, the light is changing quickly, and the sun sits lower on the horizon with each passing day. By now, all the harvest celebrations have come to an end, but the practice of gratitude and acknowledgement for the rewards of summer’s hard work continues.

As we wrap up Season 3 of Seedcast, this very special final episode is dedicated to the hard work that has gone into this podcast. We revisit the diversity of nine productions created since last autumn by different producers. Through this journey, Executive Producer of Seedcast, Tracy Rector, shares her gratitude for how each of these creatives have played a vital role in the storytelling of Seedcast.

Storytelling is one of the most connective experiences people have with each other. Throughout the world during the coldest months, Indigenous Peoples wintertime traditions most often include sharing stories about who they are, their histories, and lessons of the season to offer wisdom and inspiration across the generations. Winter is a time to share what we have, to draw from what has been gathered to give us energy and offer lessons of survival through the coldest of seasons and it is through storytelling that the link between humans and all life on Earth – seen and unseen - is understood, maintained, and nurtured.

As our team settles in for the winter, we ask you, our listeners: How will you come together in kinship this winter? Wintertime is the perfect occasion to get to know one another better through storytelling, ceremony, and joy. Enjoy!

Special thanks to special artistic contributors Jennifer Kreisberg, Joel Schomberg and Mia Kami.

Host + Co-Producer: Tracy Rector. Co-Producer + Story Editor: Stina Hamlin: Audio Mix: Ha’aheo Auwae-Dekker

Episodes Mentioned:

Seedcast is a production of Nia Tero, a global nonprofit which supports Indigenous land guardianship around the world through policy, partnership, and storytelling initiatives.

Enjoy the Seedcast podcast on the Nia Tero website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

Keep up with Seedcast on Instagram and use the hashtag #Seedcast.

Winter Solstice
Seedcast Season 3 Episode 14
December 20, 2023

[00:00:00] Jennifer Kreisberg: I’m gonna use my bracelet [sound of bracelet shaking] as a rattle…

[Jennifer starts to sing song “Creek Lullaby”, and the music continues in the background]

[00:00:30] Tracy Rector: Hey everyone, this is Tracy Rector, executive producer of Seedcast; and this is the beautiful voice of singer and composer Jennifer Kreisberg. We're grateful that she shared her gift with us for this very special episode.

[Jennifer continues singing]

We are wrapping up Season 3 by celebrating the winter solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, and by giving gratitude to our incredible Seedcast team in acknowledging the hard work over the past year in creating stories from around the world with, by, and about Indigenous Peoples.

[Jennifer continues singing until the song ends]

For many Indigenous cultures, winter solstice is a time to go inward. We're reminded to slow down, take pause, and prepare for colder weather—this includes resting, eating nourishing foods, and engaging in storytelling that carries us through the season.

[ethereal crystalline music plays, and then fades in the background]

In winter, everything lies dormant in the silent earth. It is a sacred time of rest and reflection before the awakening of the slow build towards brighter days. The energy of winter is that of going within. It's the fruitful darkness and silence out of which our soul's yearnings and new inspirations can eventually emerge. As we consciously link our awareness to nature's cycles, our understanding of our own personal growth cycles begin to deepen.

[ethereal ambient music continues in the background]

[00:03:20] Tracy: Through Seedcast, we've been able to honor so many different lived experiences, and at the root of them all is our relationship with the Earth. On this winter solstice, in deep expression of gratitude and love, and in the spirit of storytelling, I want to reflect on a few of the episodes we have shared on Seedcast and give some flowers to our amazing team that brought them to life.

First, let's start with our host, Jessica Ramirez, who is the voice, heart, and common thread of most of our episodes. What I love about Jess is their fire and ability to see what's not always visible. This unique strength allows them to dive into the depth and nuance of complicated stories. Her heart really shines through in this latest piece that Jess produced about birth worker Camie J. Goldhammer.

[00:04:22] Jessica Ramirez: Camie grew up needing affirmation and connection to her Native Dakota identity. As a mixed-race person, she looked to her grandma for cultural connection, and yet she still often looked for what is unseen. She looked for a sign for connection to her Dakota ancestry.

[00:04:42] Camie Goldhammer: The only way I can describe this is similar to how I hear some people talk about religion and what they would call a god. That kind of thing of like, “Are you there? Show me a sign.” I always had that when it came to my ancestors, ‘cause I knew that the ancestors were there, that they were like watching out for us, that kind of thing; but never actually felt that in my core, if that makes sense. And it was something that I wanted.

[00:05:18] Jessica: What Camie is saying here does make sense to me. As someone who was born and raised in what is currently known as South Texas in the United States, I know this feeling very well. My ancestors’ Indigenous culture and knowledge is a vital part of my Mexican family's identity; and it’s complex work to piece together the stories and the names. It's so hard to find belonging in something that wasn't designed for me to feel like I have claim to. So yeah, I often am left wondering. Who are my ancestors? What are their stories? And what are the lasting effects of their experience that continue to leave an impression on my life?

[introspective melodic music plays in the background]

Camie shared with me a story from her Dakota teachings.

[00:06:17] Camie: And I've shared this story many times, but it does kind of go back to our Dakota teachings, which is, we believe, or are taught, that babies choose us. So babies are with our ancestors, they're in the stars. They're not, you know, it's not a heaven or anything like that. It's just they're stars, and we're star people. And a baby looks down and decides, “You're my mom, you're my dad” or, “You're my parent”, you know. And they make that decision, which I think is a really empowering thing. And that's something that in my work that I've done over the last 20 years, it really does come—that is like a core value of mine, that that baby chose that parent. Like, they had that ancestral knowledge that they were the right person for them. And that's why and how I've been able to just devote my life to supporting people and parenting their children. I don't know. It's just so easy for me to look at parents through their baby's eyes and see why they picked them.

[instrumental music continues and fades]

[crystalline sounds fade in again and play in the background, then fade]

[00:08:00] Tracy: Indigenous languages hold so much power and knowledge, and many have been lost or are severely endangered. But there's a movement around the globe to reclaim or remember these deep knowledge systems, and work towards revitalization. I love this episode produced by Kavita Pillay about Gwich'in language revitalist, Princess Daazhraii Johnson. Kavi brings so many skills and understandings to this work. She's a gracious and elegant woman with a beautiful command of words and style. What I love about Kavi is her generous smile, bright eyes, sharp wit, and her memorable voice, which will carry you forward always.

[soft uptempo music plays in the background while Kavita is speaking]

[00:08:47] Kavita Pillay: I'm not fluent in my ancestral language of Malayalam, which is a South Indian language. I grew up hearing it, but it's only as an adult that I've put some effort to learn it better; and it's a challenge for sure to learn any language as an adult, even when it's a flourishing language—and you know, one that tens or hundreds of millions of people speak. So, imagine learning a language that's spoken by only a few hundred people—an Indigenous language; a language that belongs to a people and a land that have been in relationship with each other for countless generations. That's what the woman we'll hear from today is doing. Her name is Princess Daazhraii Johnson. Princess is Neets'aii Gwich'in, and her family is from the far north of Turtle Island. Princess is learning, and reclaiming, and revitalizing her ancestral language of Gwich'in. It's a severely endangered language—there's only a few hundred Gwich'in speakers in the world.

[00:09:54] Princess Daazhraii Johnson: [Singing in the Gwich’in language]

My parents, my forefathers, take care of me,

Time goes on and on and we along with it,

My parents, my forefathers, take care of me.

[Introduction in Gwich'in] My Relatives, My name is Tundra Swan. I am from the Neets’ąįį Gwich’in country. My grandparents are the late Katherine and Stephen Peter. My mothers name is Attline and the late Ernest Raboff. My sons are K’edzaazhe’, Aldzak, and Delmore. My husband is James. I am happily fulfilled today. Thank you.

[00:10:42] Princess: I introduced myself with my name, and naming also who my grandparents are, because when you go to any community in our region, the first thing if you don't introduce who your family is—because that's really how people know you—they're gonna say, "Whose kid are you?" [laughs] Or, “Who are your grandparents?” And that is how we really know who people are. Generally, you would also say where you're from. So, my home village is Vashrąįį K’ǫǫ:, even though I didn't grow up there, it's still my home village, it's where my grandpa was from.

[00:11:27] Kavita: Princess lives with her husband and children on the ancestral lands of the Dene people of the Lower Tanana River. It's now known as Fairbanks, Alaska. Often when I talk with her, I get an update on what it's like just outside her door. I've heard about the colors of the leaves in October, how many degrees below zero it gets in January, the snowmelt in April, and in late May…

[00:11:52] Princess: Well, today it is gorgeous. In Gwich'in you would say, Ch’itaii shroonch’yaa or Gashrain’ai: / Ch’itaii gashrain’ai:—it's beautiful, it's bright, it's sunny, it's warm. It's supposed to get up to 70 degrees today.

[melodic music continues in the background]

[00:12:11] Kavita: And at that latitude, springtime means that the days start getting long.

[00:12:16] Princess: Well, sunrise at 3:52am. Sunset is at 11:42pm!

[00:12:23] Kavita: There’s another really important springtime event for the Gwich'in community.

[00:12:28] Princess: So, the Caribou should be on their migration back to the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, back to the calving grounds. And in Gwich'in we call it [speaks in a Gwich’in phrase], or “The sacred place where life begins”. So, they'll go up to the coastal plain, and in a two week period of time they're going to have up to 40,000 calves.

[00:12:53] Kavita: As I've gotten to know Princess, and listen to her talk about what it means to be Gwich'in, this central relationship to the Caribou comes up again and again. It's like there's water, and air, and land; and the Caribou.

[crystalline sounds fade in again and play in the background, then fade]

[00:13:16] Tracy: Our team is comprised of folks from all different backgrounds, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, with unique lived experiences. We feel so lucky to work with many allies on this creative path. One such person is our senior producer Jenny Asarnow, who often shares teachings from Judaism, reminding us about our sacred duty to repair and improve the world. Jenny is our teacher and guide, who grounds us in production, and brings vast experience from the radio world to our team of filmmakers and creatives. What I love about Jenny is their commitment to ethics, integrity, and sharing their knowledge with others. One of my favorite episodes that Jenny produced takes us to the Sungai Utik of Indonesia.

[Elder Apai Janggut speaks in Iban]

[the sounds of birds and bugs in the forest play in the background throughout the conversation]

[00:14:16] Kynan Tegar, translating for Elder Apai Janggut:

The land is our mother. For generations, it has been our everything.

[Apai Janggut continues speaking in Iban]

The forest that is our sanctuary is our father.

[Apai Janggut continues speaking]

And the river that we cherish and protect symbolizes the flow of our lives.

[Apai Janggut continues speaking]

The river is our blood.

[Apai Gadja speaks in Iban]

[the sounds of birds and bugs in the forest continue in the background]

Since the age of our elders, it had always been an uphill battle protecting this forest.

[sounds of the forest fade]

In our island, there's still a lot of extractive activities happening.

[sounds of gas-powered equipment fire up]

Gold mines that are like, visible from the streets. Palm oil plantations that just spread. Places that's been reforested, and you can just hear in the distance chainsaws, excavators, working to tear through the earth; taking whatever is there.

[sounds of gas-powered equipment running full blast continues]

[Apai Gadja continues speaking]

This is the forest of our ancestors, and we will protect it.

[sounds of gas-powered equipment fades and the sound of running water plays, and then fades]

[ambient crystalline sounds begin again]

[00:16:22] Tracy: Behind every Seedcast episode, there is a person carefully crafting the language for social media that conveys the essence of that audio story. This is where Julie Keck's wordsmithing is a huge part of Seedcast. Her heart touches every episode in her thoughtful outreach and communications. Everyone loves Julie, and we so benefit from her ability to connect and build trusting partnerships with so many. Every once in a while, she'll also produce an episode. Here’s an excerpt from an episode Julie produced on the imagineNative Film and Media Festival, the world's largest Indigenous gathering of creatives, featuring the institute manager Jamie-Lee Reardon.

[00:17:09] Jamie-Lee Reardon: Indigenous narrative sovereignty is a process of taking back what was stolen from us, and is closely tied to Indigenous land sovereignty and water sovereignty and food sovereignty, which are all important steps in coming back to ourselves in various different ways. And, I mean, that means different things for different people, definitely. But I think it's reclaiming the power to tell our stories, whether from an individual perspective, a community perspective, or from the perspective of our Nations.

I think that it's key to have Indigenous people on at the very beginning of the story creation in order to kind of keep that narrative sovereignty intact throughout the story, not an afterthought for adding on an Indigenous person to a project. That's when I think it's a real big highlight as to the intentions and the way that that production moves around their decision-making. Having that allowance to be able to give the final check mark of approval for an Indigenous creative on a project that is focused on Indigenous characters, or has Indigenous characters in it, or even topics that strongly affect Indigenous people; a lot of times things could be misunderstood—and not always in a malicious or kind of destructive sort of way. It could just be a misunderstanding of a perspective that is being portrayed in a way that isn't attached to the truth to that story. So being able to give a final go-around at it, I think is a really important thing.

[ethereal crystalline sounds play]

[00:18:38] Tracy: This episode was so important to me to talk about the intersections of Black and Indigenous solidarity and how intertwined our struggles truly are, as well as our joys and successes. I co-created this episode with consulting producer, Stina Hamlin. Stina brings an incredible work ethic and vision to everything she touches, and I always truly enjoy collaborating with her because, well, she really appreciates everyone in their full humanity without judgment. Here are some powerful words from my conversation with Rev Yearwood from Hip Hop Caucus.

[00:19:19] Tracy: [Excerpt from featured episode] For me, Black and Indigenous solidarity is an important shift in consciousness, socially. Both groups—which oftentimes overlap too; there are many people who are Afro-Indigenous as well—are realizing that it's time to work together, build bridges, and draw from shared lived experiences for a better future for all people.

[00:19:49] Reverend Yearwood (Rev): That’s right. And that’s key. ‘Cause I love y’all. I love my allies, my freedom fighters. But I really do love you. This is not a game, so we need us to do well. And I would much rather us fight and be happy and lose, than be like, “Well, listen, y'all everybody has some dirty water. Y'all gonna have some dirty air. I'm sorry. We fought hard, too, we wasn’t makin’ it but we did.” We can have both. We can fight for clean air and clean water, and we can have joy. We can do well, and also we can make sure activists and people in this movement can be taken care of. That's the thing about this main thing—people can be okay. There's no right to passage. That's not what this is about. Our goal is to stop white supremacy and the mechanism they're using to kill our people. That's it. That's our mission. And if we use our joy and our power, and our love, our spirituality, our essence, who we are; then we can win. That's actually the funny thing about this—who we are is actually our best tool. Let's let your light be a joy so folks can be, “What are you fighting for?” “I'm fighting for our liberation. I'm fighting for our freedom, and we gonna win.”

[crystalline sounds fade in again]

[00:21:05] Tracy: Taylor Hensel of the Cherokee Nation comes to us from her sibling initiative, Reciprocity Project, where she contributes as a film producer and journalist. What I truly adore about Taylor is that she's an animal lover, a kind-hearted human, and someone who consistently asks great and insightful questions. Taylor's background in filmmaking really came through in this story about Katsitsionni Fox, a Mohawk storyteller who's helping to revitalize the ancestral practice of making clay pots. Here she is in an excerpt from this very cozy story.

[00:21:45] Katsitsionni Fox: I think the practice of making clay pots is important because it connects us back to our ancestors, to our grandmothers, and that's what I feel like when I'm making pottery myself. Whether it's gonna be a functional piece that we're gonna cook in, or it's more of an artist work that's an artist statement. One of the things that I do, just in my own practice as an artist when I'm making pottery, is I hold the clay before I even start. So, I take a piece of the clay off and I hold it, and I connect to that clay. I feel the energy of that clay, and I ask permission from that clay. I'm talking to the clay. I'm saying my name, and my clan, and where I'm from, and what my intentions are with working together. So we have, like a relationship, even when we start. So, we're working together—myself and the clay—to make whatever's gonna come forth. And I think that's one thing that people forget, is your intention and your relationship you have with everything that you handle, that you touch.

[ambient crystalline sounds continue]

[00:23:00] Tracy: Lofanitani Aisea, popular Indigenous TikToker, was our first artist in residence, and her goal was to fully produce an entire episode during her time with us about TikTok, and how Indigenous storytelling and movement-building is gaining traction there. It was great to work with Lofanitani and gain her perspective and insights as a young Pasifika Native Black woman. What I love about Lofanitani is her Indigenous joy and her intergenerational collaborative approach in life, which is so dear to our hearts here at Seedcast. You can feel her vibrant energy in this excerpt.

[00:23:46] Lofanitani Aisea: [Introduction in Tongan and Maqlaqsyals] I'm a Black Indigenous woman who is Black and Tongan, and my tribes are Modoc, Klamath, and Tahlequah. I was born and raised urbanly in Portland, Oregon, as well as rurally on my Klamath homelands in Southern Oregon; and I'm currently based on Tongva land here in Los Angeles, California. I'm an influencer, content creator, actor, writer, and director; and I'm really happy to be a part of the Seedcast podcast and being in this residency.

[00:024:16] Jessica: Oh my God, you, honestly, you said “influencer” and then everything just stopped. I was like, influencer! Oh you know social media!

[Jessica and Lofanitani laugh together]

The episode that we're about to hear has to do with social media. Can you tell us why this particular topic area is something that you gravitated towards for this episode?

[00:24:37] Lofanitani: Yes, so I've been telling stories in the digital space since I was—since I can remember, since I was young. I had a video recorder from Best Buy when I was younger. I had an iPod Touch that was all cracked up, and I'd take videos of my friends around like, my homelands, or anything I could get my hands on. I've always been telling stories, whether it be digital, or writing—anything. And so once I got to college, and especially during the pandemic, I grabbed onto social media as a creative outlet. And especially as a Black Indigenous creative, storyteller; navigating the digital space has been very interesting and it has definitely been a layered experience. And so I'm very interested in talking with other Indigenous creators—other Black Indigenous creators, people of color—about how they show up to the digital space, how they tell their stories, how they set boundaries; and how they support themselves, center joy, and their communities. So I'm really interested in that.

[00:25:35] Jessica: I love this, oh my gosh, that is so sweet!

[ethereal crystalline sounds play and then fade]

[00:25:41] Tracy: So much change is happening in Brazil, where there's an enormous amount of biodiversity and wonder inside the Amazon. There are many Indigenous Peoples caring for Mother Earth—not just for themselves, but for the world. For these stories from this region, we have the honor to work with Marianna Romano, a podcast producer, writer, and editor, who's been our conduit to Brazil in both Portuguese and English for multiple episodes. What I love about her so much is her ability to write creatively and bring a level of poetry to all her productions. Her story on DJ Eric Terena really encompasses the beauty of Marianna's work.

[bright melodic music plays]

[00:26:29] Marianna Romano: After a time of darkness, walking again towards prosperity feels very new—scary, even. We can start to heal the trauma, or at least try; and then open the path for new ideas and plans. Living in terror evokes a sense of emergency in every action, and everything else feels superficial, frivolous. But in fact art, rest, beauty, and curiosity are a key part of what it means to be human. To live is different than to only survive. So in celebration of the political transition Brazil is currently under, we wanted to introduce you to a person who has their feet grounded in both places: the political urgency, and the arts. On the political front: coordinating, engaging, and reporting. And on the arts, elevating other Indigenous artists with his original creations in various media forms.

[Eric Terena begins speaking in Portuguese]

[00:27:35] Felipe Contreras, translating for Eric Terena: I'm Eric Terena. I'm from the Terena people of the Mato Grosso do Sul. I'm 29 years old. I'm an activist.

[00:27:45] Marianna: Eric calls himself an activist, but if we fold that word open in his life, it also means that he's a photographer, a journalist, a DJ, a musician, and educator for the collective good.

[Eric continues in Portuguese]

[00:28:02] Eric/Felipe: That's how it goes in the Western non-Indigenous society. You can only be one thing in your life. And then with an Indigenous society, you can be whatever you want, as long as it's for the collective good.

[00:28:19] Tracy: Aww, it's so nice to hear Felipe's voice on the English narration for the Eric Terena episode. We've really missed Felipe. Felipe Contreras was an important part of the launch of Seedcast in 2020, and only recently decided to strike out on his own to produce and direct films in addition to start some new podcasts out in the world. We miss you, Felipe, our super mixed little brother. [laughs]

[ambient crystalline sounds play and then fade]

Our newest addition to the team holds a special and important perspective as our youngest voice. Ha’aheo Auwae-Dekker has stepped in with their full heart, sharing their personal story in the first episode that they produced for Seedcast. What I love about Ha'aheo is their knowing eyes, powerful presence, and thoughtful curiosity of the world.

[the sound of Pacific Islander singers and performers at the Ho’olaule’a plays in the background]

[00:29:26] Ha’aheo: As a Kanaka Maoli person, I found myself reflecting on Ara-Lei and Agaiotupu's words. In Hawai’i, our cultural identity is known as māhū. Māhu describes a third gender that reflects the embodiment of both the feminine and masculine found in each of us. I think deep down, I always knew I was māhū, but I wasn't sure how to speak that part of myself into existence. I would find myself resting in the middle, unsure of where to place myself. I felt like I wanted to be like my older brothers and my younger sisters, simultaneously seeking out boyhood and girlhood at once. My family and the people in my life didn't know how to care for this part of me, and I spent a time unknowingly with this feeling of drifting at sea. [sighs] The clarity I needed would come at 15 years old, where a major accident put me on bed rest, and a concussion rendering me unable to watch or listen to anything without great pain. Alone with my thoughts, I had never experienced such solitude with myself. And it was in my dreams, and visits from my ancestors, that I had spoken this piece of myself into the world.

Māhū.

It was in one of my darkest moments of life that I found my guiding star.

As someone living in diaspora, I wasn't sure how to answer this question of living in Indigenous queerhood. I found myself in the predominantly white queer community in Seattle, but never quite fitting in. It wasn't until I came back to Hawai’i that I understood.

To be held with such care and strength felt like I was always meant to be there. And that's how I felt at the Ho'olaule'a, being able to witness that same care and strength with this community. And being with Agaiotupu and Ara-Lei felt like I was close to that feeling of home. I found that feeling strengthened by their fa'afafine wisdom, and being reminded of my connection to my māhu siblings.

I think of all my connections in my life. The long lineage of queer elders that have carved this path for me to walk on. My many relations, holding me securely and safely in this journey. And I think of home. I think of my ʻāina, and the many times my body felt like it fit into the lands of Hawai’i nei.

[melodic crystalline sounds fade in again]

[00:32:23] Tracy: Huge flowers go out to those behind the scenes, including the many reviewers who took part, listening and giving feedback to our stories this year. We also couldn't have created all of this magic, full of integrity, without our fact-checker Romin Lee Johnson, with the support of transcripts by Sharon Arnold, and language translations by Neyda Ortiz Sundt. If you follow us on Instagram, you'll see the many beautiful designs by graphic designer Cindy Chischilly.

[the ethereal crystalline sounds continue]

[00:32:58] Tracy: As we all get cozy in for the winter, I hope that you'll go back and listen to all of the episodes from this year. Each one is so different, and brings a unique story from Indigenous relatives around the world.

[we hear Jennifer Kreisburg singing “Creek Lullaby” in the background]

To learn more about Nia Tero, visit us at www.niatero.org; and please check out Seedcast on Instagram at @niatero_seedcast.

This episode was co-produced by myself, Tracy Rector, and Stina Hamlin, who also did the audio editing. Audio mix and additional support by Ha’aheo Auwae-Dekker. Opening song, “Creek Lullaby", was written and sung by Jennifer Kreisberg.

Nia Tero is a Seattle-based foundation. We are both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples with a mission to secure Indigenous guardianship for all vital ecosystems. That means we provide support to Indigenous Peoples globally who are protecting their homelands from colonization and destruction. Their practices are one of our best guides for making Earth livable for generations to come. Here at Seedcast, our guests represent themselves. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Nia Tero. We honor their honest perspectives and lived experiences. You can learn more about Seedcast and about our work at Nia Tero at www.niatero.org. And please check out Seedcast is on Instagram at @niatero_seedcast.

[Jennifer Kreisburg continues singing in the background]

Executive producer of Seedcast is me, Tracy Rector. The senior producer is Jenny Asarnow. Additional producers include Julie Keck and Jessica Ramirez. Fact-checker is Romin Lee Johnson. Nia Tero social media is by Nancy Kelsey. Transcripts by Sharon Arnold. Seedcast graphics by Cindy Chischilly. Nia Tero website support by Laurine Peel. And the Seedcast theme song is “Rooted”, by Mia Kami.

[ambient crystalline sounds play]

And to close out this episode of sharing and gratitude, I'd love to highlight the beautiful voice of Mia Kami, who composed and performed our theme song, “Rooted”. This song shares the essence that we want you to feel after every episode of Seedcast—the strength in you, and the strength in us. I don't think that we've ever shared “Rooted" in its entirety, so we thought this would be a beautiful parting gift to hear it in full.

Here is “Rooted”, by Mia Kami.

[Rooted by Mia Kami plays in its entirety]

“Once pristine, once untouched, once pure, all of that's no longer there anymore.

Stripped down, torn apart, chipped away a piece of our hearts, yet still we breathe.

Like the wind we still move, like the waves we rise high, like the sun we never die.

We will stay standing, hear our calling, we are rooted to the ground, we're here to stay. No staying quiet, we stand united, we are rooted to the ground, can't tear us down, we're here to stay.

We’re here to stay.

There is hope, there is strength, there is power, there is change, in you and I (you and I), in you and I.

There is hope, there is strength, there is power, there is change, in you and I, in you and I.

Like the wind, we still move, like the waves, we rise high, like the sun, we never die.

We are standing, hear our calling, we are rooted to the ground, we're here to stay. No staying quiet, we stand united, we are rooted to the ground, can't tear us down. We're here to stay.

We’re here to stay.

There is hope, there is strength, there is power, there is change, in you and I, in you and I. There is hope, there is strength, there is power, there is change, in you and I, in you and I.

Like the wind, we still move, like the waves, we rise high, like the sun, we never die.

No staying quiet, we stand united, we are rooted to the ground, can't tear us down. We're here to stay.”

[00:39:42] Tracy: Until next year, with much love and deep gratitude, your Seedcast team.

Happy Solstice!