This inspiring episode captures how an accidental discovery turned into a community-driven vision for sustainable farming for landowners Sheila Lewis Collins and Donnie Turner–assisted by Deron Lacey, executive director at LRLEAN, an SFLR member site. The trio discuss land clearing challenges, SFLR's pivotal support and their vision for a farm that feeds families and uplifts the region.
Dr. Clarence Bunch, Prairie View A&M University (former SFLR site) reflects on how SFLR’s presence in Texas catalyzed their engagement with African American forest landowners for the first time. He outlines the importance of accessible forestry education and how his program is empowering producers across the state.
Set on St. Helena Island, Alexis Martin with SFLR member site Center for Heirs Property Preservation, explores the intersection of Gullah Geechee heritage, sustainable land use and legal advocacy. Her vision includes biodiversity, educational gardens and generational healing through community access and ecological restoration.
Tyrah Littles, former Outreach Manager, McIntosh SEED (GA) shares her unplanned but deeply fulfilling journey into land stewardship. From a background in retail to managing one of the nation’s largest Black-owned community forests, she talks about shifting mindsets, building trust, and helping landowners see their land as a resource, not a burden.
Dr. Terri Lyles & Ellis Lyles, a mother-son duo, tell the story of their land acquisition, their work with SFLR member site Roanoke Electric Cooperative (NC) and how they’ve transformed their land into a shared vision for their family. They speak candidly about generational healing, land management challenges, and modeling collaboration and co-leadership.
Shawn Boler, a remote landowner of 60-acre family timberland in Arkansas, shares how he became steward of his family's timberland from afar, leaning on trust, transparency, and SFLR’s network of experts. He opens up about forming a family trust, writing dividends checks to heirs and the personal transformation that came from asking for help.
Frank Taylor and Tiari “T” Todman of Winston County Self Help Cooperative, an SFLR Network member site, recount their family's 148-year history of landownership and how they’ve translated that legacy into a multigenerational cooperative model. They speak on advocacy, self-determination and the cooperative’s role in educating landowners on forestry, nutrition, housing, and beyond.
Ebonie Alexander, Executive Director of Black Family Land Trust, an SFLR Network member site, reflects on her upbringing as the daughter of a farmer and how that shaped her commitment to land preservation. She shares her philosophy of the African American Land Ethic, urging landowners to treat land as they would a beloved family member and to adopt sustainable, asset-minded stewardship.
