Hey you, good to see you again.  On this day, our fifth birthday, we are so happy to bring you our final episode of the three we are releasing on 13th July 2025. The final episode before we go off on Summer Hiatus also. Rest is needed. We've been celebrating far too hard! In this episode, Sheree is in conversation with Pauline Mayers, a multidisciplinary artist based in Leeds. In this episode, they talk about: • How Pauline and Sheree first connected • Creative Methodologies, Cambridge University • Situating ourselves – living in Leeds, greenest cities in UK• Looking up is a humbling act• Ginnels, is a narrow passageway or alleyway, typically between buildings, often used as a shortcut• In a new season of healing and reclaiming • A multidisciplinary artist starting from the age of 15• Ruptures in life• Leeds is not very kind to black artists• The ebb and flow of work• The use and abuse of black artists• The lack of care and respect for black artists, refusing to be a conduit for this• Entire rupture of social network, and dad’s passing• Looking to heal in the NOW• Having autonomy of our lives• Walking journey as healing • Convincing people of our knowledges, abilities and humanity • Reclaiming the person you are right now• Touchbase with the self, right now• Acknowledging our scars• 9 times out of 10, it’s righteous anger• Rebuild my relationship with Leeds• The Nikel Boys film• Healing walking journey of 2025 – Leeds Country Way • Being with nature through all the senses• Come Outside CIC• The Kettlewell Circular • Transforming anger into reclaiming peace for the self• So much more beauty in the world than the ugliness of people• Taking pictures while out there• The journey of photography to writing • Seeking homeness a place of safety• Ingrid Pollard, Pastroal Interlude • Being in community with people who look the same, exist and be and safe• Boundaries teach people how to treat me• Zine creation for healing and reclamation • Rupture to rapture• Railing against everything as production • We refuse and nature is there to help the process• Fugitive feminism Akwago Emejulu• Walking with our ancestors• The joy of just being in nature and always be in connection with• Continue to create in community • The Earth Sea Love Podcast 5th Birthday    Bio: Pauline is a multidisciplinary theatre-maker, movement director and performer based in the North of England. She creates and curates artistic experiences that opens audiences, artists, and communities to have conversations they wouldn’t usually have. Beginning as a Rambert trained dancer, Pauline who has appeared in stage and television since the age of 15, began her career as a dancer in repertory dance companies across the UK in a career spanning years, including Janet Smith and Dancers, Diversions Dance (Wales), The Ensemble Group (Scotland), Phoenix Dance Theatre (England) as well as being acting artistic director for Teeside Dance Initiative, leaving dance for theatre in 2010.  Since then, Pauline has amassed a rich background as director, writer, movement director, performer, and facilitator and has collaborated with theatre and live art companies across the UK. Pauline's work as movement director and performer has seen collaborations with Selina Thompson LTD’s Twine (2024), live performance artist Paula Varjack’s Nine Sixteenths (2024), Improbable Theatre on An Improbable Musical (2022), Tell Tale Hearts Children's Theatre on Yummm! (2013), Burmantofts Stories (2013) which featured in the programme for Transform Festival that same year, working with the community of Burmantofts area in Leeds, and Red Ladder’s Promised Land (2012). In her own work, Pauline explores themes of identity, participation, intimacy, and care. Pauline’s previous work, the critically acclaimed What If I Told You written and performed by Pauline premiered at the Leeds Playhouse (formerly the West Yorkshire Playhouse) in 2016 and toured across the UK. The show was presented at the Edinburgh Fri

Welcome back to our birthday celebrations with our second episode of the three. In this episode your host, Dr. Sheree Mack gets to speak with Maxine Greaves MBE. Their conversation covers: • Location in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, living across from a park• Sheffield losing some trees  • LUSH – word of the year • Work towards it, not harder, work towards your dreams with purpose • TOC – The Outdoor Citizen• 25 years in Higher Education, creating own role in faculty • Coaching and mentoring people to get where they want to be into teaching• Serving a purpose in a particular space and place in time• High level teaching role  • Interconnected teaching with equality leading it and how is the environment impact it also• Dr. Maxwell Apaladaga Ayamba BEM -Founder and CEO of Sheffield Environmental Movement -correct dates for award 2021, BEM 2023  • Sheffield Envinrmantal Movement reengage people from global majority back to nature • Build their knowledge about the impact on the environment on themselves and how they can lobby to improve it • For us/ by us• Toni Morrison quote racism as distraction echoed by Maxine  "The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.” - Toni Morrison • Childhood curiosity within an Afro-Caribbean community • Play and heightened imagination and applying yourself • Understanding of your purpose and your why for knwing your direction • The future is extremely wealthy if we contirnue to bank our knowledge to build capacity• Tina Campt quote: "The grammar of black feminist futurity is a performance of a future that hasn’t yet happened but must … It is the power to imagine beyond current fact and to envision that which is not, but must be. It’s a politics of prefiguration that involves living the future now … as a striving for the future you want to see, right now, in the present."   Bio: Maxine Greaves Likes Loves Reasoning & Research #ActsOfSelfLove, #Freedom, #StyleAndFashion, #EthicalAmbition #HoldingSpace #Climate Mary J Blige, Good Morning Gorgeous, My Life, Betty Wright, Keep Love New, NAO Lifetime, Cleo Sol Mother, There Will Be No Crying Ledisi Love You Too Aretha Franklin Day Dreaming Luther Vandross Here And Now Maxwell Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder) Jamaican Breakfast Drinking Iced Ginger Beer, Turkish Grill Sipping Hot Chocolate Ramen thick noodles Fudge Brownie Watching Grand Designs, Chilling On The Sofa, Over The Yardarm Apple Juice And Fridge Fresh H2O, Utopia Theatre Anna Hibiscus’ Song, DATKH Theaster Gates Black Madonna, Afro-Mingei Matt Small Natasha, Kelly, Angela, Justina Claudette Johnson  Standing Figure (2015), Figure In Blue (2018) Blues Dance (2023)  Ta-Nehisi Coates The Message  Ngugi Wa Thiong’O The Language Of Languages Azeezat Johnson Beth Kamunge And Remi Joseph-Salisbury The Fire Now Malcolm Gladwell Blink, Outliers Jesmyn Ward The Let Us Descend Converse Cool Sneakers, Fenty Smell Good Look Good, Lip Gloss London, Camden Town, Brixton, Kingston Upon Thames Durban Waking Along The Golden Mile, Countryside Man Tor, Ben Nevis, And Scarfell Pike, Yvonne Battle-Felton Remembered  DJ Paulette Welcome To The Club Cebo Cambell Sky Full Of Elephants In Conversation Jeffrey Boakye (Blacklisted), Kehinde Andrews (Nobody Can Give You Freedom) MB Games Frustration; Fitbit Pilates, Peace Walk  Cycling Along The Tissington Trail, Roller Blades, Skates; Cat Ramsey My Words Purpose, Focus Lazy Day Greys Anatomy, Rewind And Come Again, all things Marvel Ramping    

Welcome back to The Earth Sea Love website. We are so happy to share the first of three episodes we are dropping today to mark out fifth birthday celebrations.  This episode is a conversation with Yvonne Witter. Chair of Trustees for Peak District Mosaic, Yvonne and Sheree talk about: • Situating the self – the walk home from work• Walking for mental health • Supporting patients with health and well-being one to one • Creating a caring space for people to be themselves through the grief journey • Championing the National Parks Project• Peak District Mosaic and Community Champions• Improve national parks work practice working with diverse communities• Mosaic Champion what it is? – Campaign for National Parks• Childhood in Jamaica• Volunteering time to support people outdoors • Representatives of the global majority in positions of making decisions• Legacy of the project, a turning point, providing a path way• Loss of identity when leaving the landscape• Grief, writing and walking  Bio:  Pioneering Peak District Community Champion, Yvonne Witter, has been well recognised for her efforts to uplift diverse communities through the Peak District national park and surrounding areas. Her passion and duty to protect the countryside and provide accessibility for everyone are endless as she works tirelessly to introduce new training programmes, group activities and trips for diverse communities to access and explore the countryside. Yvonne has committed her time as Chair for Peak District Mosaic and is keen to see the organisation grow and continue to meet the needs of communities in enhancing the health and wellbeing in the outdoors.   https://peakdistrictmosaic.org  

Hey Welcome. Welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast. We're so happy that you could join us, and why not join us in celebration of our birthday. The Earth Sea Love Podcast is five years old. 13 July 2020, we pressed the button to release three shiny new conversations into cyberspace as a means of keeping the nature connection going with ourselves and nature, and with each other far and wide. During those troubling times, your host Dr, Sheree Mack, had the honour and privilege to talk with so many wonderful people across the globe. And then share them with you, dear listener.  We are very happy to see this birthday come around after years of precarious survival. And things are not all plain sailing now, but we recognise our achievement.  And why not come celebrate with us? We are super excited to share three new episodes to mark our fifth anniversary. And they do not disappoint. Episode 079 - A daughter of the soil, Yvonne Witter Episode 080 - Creating a wealthy future through banking our knowledge, with Maxine Greaves MBE Episode 081 - Ruptures, healing and reclamation with Pauline Mayers  

***Trigger warning, this episode contains swearing and is talking about death and inhumane practices. Be warned.   Adriana Smith did not give birth. Adriana couldn’t give birth. Adriana was unalive. Adriana died in February 2025 because she didn’t receive a life-saving medical procedure. Adriana was pronounced brain dead in February but was kept alive for a further 114 days. 114 days. Why? Because Adriana was pregnant, and the white man wanted to play GOD! Let’s back up a bit. For me, and this isn’t about me, I find this difficult to share. It’s harrowing, horrific, cruel and downright racist. But share it I must even when it pains me, it’s much worst for Adriana’s family who had gone through a whole heap of fucking shit and continue to do so. This ‘experiment’ is triggering and is history repeating itself again and again, blatantly right in front of us. NOW. And what are we going to do about it? I’m writing and sharing it with you now as a start. In February this year, Adriana Smith, a 30 year old nurse based in Atlanta, Georgia, went to hospital where she worked, went to her people, complaining of an intense headache. No tests were run. Adriana was sent home with pain relief. The next morning her boyfriend awoke to Adriana gurgling and struggling to breathe. Emergency services were called and Adriana was rushed to hospital. There they finally carried out a cat scan to establish that Adriana had blood clots on her brain. You have to ask why wasn’t this test carried out the day before, in time to probably save her life? I’ll tell you why, because of racism and sexism within the medical institution that results in black people, black women in particular not being listened to when we express pain. Apparently, black women don’t feel pain. We have a higher pain threshold than anyone else, so if we’re complaining about pain within our own bodies, we’re lying. The pain is that bad so just shut up and put up the practice goes. We are not given the rightful respect of being experts of our own bodies and knowing that we are in pain. Knowing that something is wrong.Read this article for more about this. Let me continue. So the hospital calls Adriana’s mother to say they want to complete a procedure that will ease the pressure on Adriana’s brain and can they have her permission to do so. Of course her mother agrees. This procedure will save her daughter’s life. The hospital, Emory Hospital in the state of Georgia, called back not long afterwards to say they weren’t going to bother with the procedure. They couldn’t do it because Adriana was pregnant. Adriana was 8 weeks pregnant. I’m not sure if she knew she was pregnant or not before she went into hospital complaining of headaches. Adriana was pronounced brain dead soon after this. The doctors didn’t give Adriana’s family any choice, they put Adriana on a life support machine. This was against Adriana’s wishes as she had a do not resuscitate order and was against her family’s wishes also. The hospital did not have Adriana’s or her family’s consent to follow this course of action. But the hospital acted as if they did. They disrespected Adriana in life as well as in death as they kept her alive on a ventilator, pumping her body with a cocktail of drugs all in the name of saving the foetus. The hospital kept Adriana’s body alive while she was brain dead all in the name of the law as they claimed that the law of the state would make it illegal to allow the baby to die within it’s mother. They claimed it would be an illegal termination and they could be prosecuted. Therefore they chose to go against the wishes of Adriana, taking away her personhood, autonomy, bodily rights, reproductive rights and even when she couldn’t speak for herself, her family spoke up for her rights. They were all disallowed, dismissed and Adriana was kept alive solely as a human incubator. The hospital in the state of Georgia cruelly used Adriana in a sick, warped medical experiment to find out what they

Welcome back to another episode of The Earth Sea Love Podcast. It is with gratitude pleasure that we share this lovely conversation with Soraya Abdel-Hadi. Soraya is the founder and managing director of All the Elements, as well as running her own successful coaching business, soraya earth > In this episode, your host Dr Sheree Mack and Soraya, talk about: situating self,  seeing nature emerging  slowing down to notice nature there are other ways of being in this world  All the Elements developments since 2021, it’s a community learning about self through developments  centring on the people,  buying into capitalism, the grind,  the achievement and the  allyship ‘v’ comradeship Timber Festival, a celebratory event  and finding your people  Rehearsals for Living by Robyn Maynard and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson The Outdoor Citizen (TOC),  what is it? professional skills development to create change  the anti-urgency at All the Element, a way of working nature connection  Grief around mums passing creativity through Substack creative practice and legacy  a reminder it only takes 5 minutes to go outside   Bio: Soraya Abdel-Hadi is a sustainability specialist, life coach, facilitator and the founder and driving force of nature behind All the Elements, a CIC supporting leaders working on access and representation in the UK outdoor sector. She’s an energiser, a maker of change and connection.   Whale Song on Substack - An environmental and social change newsletter from Soraya Abdel-Hadi

Welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast. We are so pleased to be back with you for another episode release, within a week of the last one. We are trying to keep to our word! This episode, 075, in our 7th season is with our wonderful Sista Dal Kular. We are such a fan of Dal. Talking with your host, Dr Sheree Mack, in this episode you will hear, Dal talking about: * Situating the self in the present moment of recording * How has this season been treating Dal                                                   * The long recovery from head injury* Walking in winter - practice and confidence and joy * Disrupting this hard season of grief and loss* Changes after a head injury adjustments  - * Rest and planning time as part of being human* Learning how to be with a head injury and manage health and wellbeing * Challenging ableist constructs, the interview, the exam * Black Nature In Residence programme with identity on tyne * Gusset wisdom shared* Creatives learning, freedom to create* Creating a giant journal as part of a residency* Quiet disruptions and dislodging colonial narratives * Cheap travelling to remote places* Deepen strength and honing in on creative practices * The future of nature writing  * Embracing the extraordinaryness of the everyday   Bio: Dal Kular (she/her) is a writer, maker, zinester and facilitator of creative and nature-allied arts for healing, liberation and joy. She left school at 16 years old with 3 O-levels having been told she could never be a writer – returning to the power of words in her late forties – as an act of radical care and healing. Her debut poetry book (un)interrupted tongues, published by Fly on The Wall Press, emerged from a zine she created during her masters dissertation about the therapeutic and healing powers of zine-making. She loves making zines and handmade books. Dal’s latest zine is called ‘Dear Nature…’ and created during her writing residency with Peaks of Colour. She lives in Sheffield.  You can read more of her work here.    

New Year. New Season.  Welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast, as we celebrate our 5th year of production.  We are so happy to be back with you all after our winter hibernation. Rest is important. Rest is a weapon. And we must use it. Welcome back to our first episode of the season which is with our lovely guest and friend, Nabila Cruz. Nabila Cruz is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Sheffield, specialising in critical AI studies with a focus on how generative artificial intelligence impacts trust in digital news media. Within this episode we talk about:  * Situating ourselves in the country and placing ourselves in nature nearby* Situating ourselves through the seasons and having plant children * Learning to let go of control* What you be/ who you be at this time? * Brazilian, Italian and Arabic mixness, and growing up in the UK, therefore British* Mess in nature, mess in life, complicated realities* PhD a source of joy and headache - generative AI affects trust in the news* Expressing ourselves with whatever tools are at our disposal* AI developments - critical study of the pros and cons* Being curious and creative* Zine making as research method* Over Here Zine Festival  * Peaks of Colour walkshop - Dal Kular facilitating * Access to nature, reclaiming it for belonging * Zine: a letter to nature from my inner child * The danger isn’t AI it’s the people behind AI* Zines in the making * Future plans/ learning * AI with a more caring face, a human touch* Self-care on the journey of the PhD* Therapy as a thru line throughout life for free * Important for more people of colour to become therapists* Mutual appreciation club   Bio: Nabila Cruz is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Sheffield, specialising in critical AI studies with a focus on how generative artificial intelligence impacts trust in digital news media. With a background in information science, she has worked in various roles in libraries and universities in the UK. She has taught university students, run training sessions, and organised events. She also leads creative workshops whenever possible. Born in Brazil with African and European heritage, Nabila moved to the UK as a teenager and found a sense of belonging in its diverse cultures. She writes short stories and poetry in her spare time and discovered zine-making recently. Her stories, poems and zines reflect her personal journey and act as a form of self-care. But she feels the most sense of healing in nature, when she goes for hikes or visits the sea.   Here are some of Nabila's zines  online: Living with PCOS https://heyzine.com/flip-book/c84b65bda3.html A Letter To Nature From My Inner Child https://heyzine.com/flip-book/f4276f2f18.html Herbie is my favourite person https://heyzine.com/flip-book/3a20638e30.html Nabila's website: www.nabilacruz.com.   Also mentioned in the introduction of this episode is the Over Here Zine Festival mini pop up festival in collaboration with Dal Kular and Migration Matters.   You can find out more information about this event happening on Saturday 28 June here. 

We are so exited to bring you a special mini series of podcast episodes created in collaboration with identity on tyne and their Black Nature in Residence Programme.  Created and project coordinated by your host Dr Sheree Mack, the Black Nature in Residence Programmed (BNIR) aims to offer creative opportunities within nature for the global majority.  Started in 2019, the Black Nature in Residence Programme not only offers time and space in nature for creatives, focusing on the creative process and practices rather than putting the pressure on to produce produce and produce. The process is the focus rather than the outputs and outcomes. identity on tyne believes that when you give creatives the time and space to {BE},  something magical happens in the way they see themselves and their practice. The creatives have permission to play, experiment and create on their own terms. And nature is the guide in this process. In this episode Sheree talks to Jola Olafimihan about her residency in the Northumberland National Park. They talk about: * Where Jola is situated * Who she be? * What progression has there been from BNIR to BNIA 2:0? * Nigerian indigo dying technique Adire * Having two homes and combining them within this residency * Walking groups both white and global majority  * Disconnection from nature and the consequencs * Healing with nature  * Black-led creative projects * Solastalgia * Racism and harm and self-care practices    Bio: Jola Olafimihan writes as a way of understanding all that is around her. She writes as a form of mindful practise and a way to focus her mind. She’s an industrious individual with a conscientious and positive attitude towards her work, creating, and exploration of newthemes. She’s a resilient and a forward-thinking creative, who likes developing her skill set. She’s an independent thinker who takes the initiative, self-driven to achieve successon independent projects such as being writer in residence for Durham Wildlife Trust (2020- 22), where she developed original pieces of writings and artworks.

We are so exited to bring you a special mini series of podcast episodes created in collaboration with identity on tyne and their Black Nature in Residence Programme.  Created and project coordinated by your host Dr Sheree Mack, the Black Nature in Residence Programmed (BNIR) aims to offer creative opportunities within nature for the global majority.  Started in 2019, the Black Nature in Residence Programme not only offers time and space in nature for creatives, focusing on the creative process and practices rather than putting the pressure on to produce produce and produce. The process is the focus rather than the outputs and outcomes. identity on tyne believes that when you give creatives the time and space to {BE},  something magical happens in the way they see themselves and their practice. The creatives have permission to play, experiment and create on their own terms. And nature is the guide in this process. In this episode Sheree talks to Testament about his residency in the Yorkshire Dales. They talk about: * Where Testament is situated * What he does and how he came to doing this? * How Testament 's residency has been going? * Testament's research and critical tabulations around the runaway slave Thomas Anson ( Apologies for using Hansen in the podcast introduction) * Fugitive and fugitivity * Being artists and the mycelium network * Patterson Joseph and his 2022 debut novel The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho  * Self-care practices    Bio: Testament is an acclaimed writer, spoken word artist, playwright and rapper. He is currently based in West Yorkshire.Testament’s work has received praise from a wide range of voices including Lemn Sissay, Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, writer and graphic novelist Alan Moore (Watchmen/ V for Vendetta), actor and writer Patterson Joseph, BBC presenter Lauren Laverne and theoriginator of Hip- Hop DJ Koolherc.Testament is passionate about using words to connect communities and ideas, and in so doing challenge assumptions and start conversations. Testament has worked as a freelance artist since 2007, teaching, writing and performing nationally and internationally. As well as writing and performing, Testament has done extensive work as an educator and workshop facilitator.Before becoming a writer, as a musician in 2009 Testament released an acclaimed album No Freedom Without Sacrifice under his “Homecut” moniker featuring Grammy Winner Corinne Bailey Rae, MOBO winner Soweto Kinch and US rap legend J-Live among others.He also features on the MOBO jazz nominated album Faces by David Lyttle.

We are so exited to bring you a special mini series of podcast episodes created in collaboration with identity on tyne and their Black Nature in Residence Programme.  Created and project coordinated by your host Dr Sheree Mack, the Black Nature in Residence Programmed (BNIR) aims to offer creative opportunities within nature for the global majority.  Started in 2019, the Black Nature in Residence Programme not only offers time and space in nature for creatives, focusing on the creative process and practices rather than putting the pressure on to produce produce and produce. The process is the focus rather than the outputs and outcomes. identity on tyne believes that when you give creatives the time and space to {BE},  something magical happens in the way they see themselves and their practice. The creatives have permission to play, experiment and create on their own terms. And nature is the guide in this process. In this episode Sheree talks to Nadia Emam about her residency in the North York Moors. They talk about: * Where Nadia is situated * Who she be? * How Nadia's residency has been going? * How has her practice been changing during this time? * Taking time out in nature to be * Journey back home to Egypt and Scarborough * Working with predominately white organisations  * Anti-racism training  * Black-led creative projects *Healing in nature * Next steps within the residence    Bio: Nadia Emam is a a freelance director for theatre and film, working as an actor, poet and dramaturg.She has over 10 years experience as a facilitator in drama & poetry with young people, adults and communities working with Sheffield People’s Theatre, Aesthetica Film Festival + BFI NETWORK and The Crucible. Nadia’s practice is fuelled by kindness, silliness, inspiring creativity to nourish and build confidence.  

We are so exited to bring you a special mini series of podcast episodes created in collaboration with identity on tyne and their Black Nature in Residence Programme.  Created and project coordinated by your host Dr Sheree Mack, the Black Nature in Residence Programmed (BNIR) aims to offer creative opportunities within nature for the global majority.  Started in 2019, the Black Nature in Residence Programme not only offers time and space in nature for creatives, focusing on the creative process and practices rather than putting the pressure on to produce produce and produce. The process is the focus rather than the outputs and outcomes. identity on tyne believes that when you give creatives the time and space to {BE},  something magical happens in the way they see themselves and their practice. The creatives have permission to play, experiment and create on their own terms. And nature is the guide in this process. In this episode Sheree talks to Wajid Hussain about his residency in the Lake District. They talk about: * Where Wajid is situated * Who he be? * How he has developed from BNIR to BNIR 2:0 * How he has been rehabilitating after covid * What he's focusing on within his residency * Being present in nature and observing * Demystifying the creative  * Self-care as a creative practitioner   Bio: Wajid Hussain’s deepest passion is the ability of words, both spoken and visual, to connect with people from all walks of life. What makes his creative journey unique is how he’s blended his engineering background and cultural heritage into art. It's a blend of the sensory and the intellectual, where stories come to life through multiple senses. Wajid often combines poetry, word streams, and abstract illustrations to stir emotions and thoughts. Live poetry performances,commissioned projects, and visual creations are all part of his artistic toolkit. His fervour for artistic expression propels his mission: to inspire and empower others to embrace their creativity while providing safe spaces that amplify their voices. Dear Deddy-ji (Waterloo Press, 2012), Wajid’s first published collection of prose poems is dedicated to his late Father, covers themes fatherhood, legacy and identity. 

Welcome back to a very special episode of The Earth Sea Love Podcast. After four years of recording the podcast, with this nearly being our seventh episode, we bring you our first LIVE face to face recorded conversation. We are really excited to share a live face to face recording that took place during the wonderful Tremula Festival on Saturday 21 September 2024. The Tremula Festival, the first of its kind, was a selections of talks,  production skills and workshops focusing on the connection between audio, the outdoors and the activism happening in those spaces. Your podcast host, Dr. Sheree Mack, was invited along to take part by the lovely Francesca Turauskis,Founder and Lead Producer of the Tremula Network. And it was Fran who introduced Sheree to Alinah Azadeh, the guest of this special podcast. We are so pleased to share this episode with you as it was such a powerful conversation between the two creatives.  The conversation covers: * where the podcast is taking place in terms of situating themselves * responding to the question, who you be? * being radical/ creating radical situations within culture and the arts * nature connection explored through art projects within community * writing stories set in the future * being the Seven Sisters' writer in residence and creating a writing community of the global majority * creating a major audio walk in collaboration along the South Downs coastline - WE HEAR YOU NOW * Alinah reading a section from her speculative fiction story based in 2053, WE HEAR YOU NOW * You can read this story yourself at Alinah's substack, The Colour of Chalk  * the two kinds of legacies which have been created through WE HEAR YOU NOW * the criminal damage that has happened to this public artwork * responses to the South Downs National Park Press Statement about the racialised attack against this walking trail   * the trauma experienced of having our stories erased for centuries * the power of the collective voice in pushing back against racism * the difficulty of putting into practice black-led projects for everyone involved * what does 'Landscape for All' translate into, in practice, or should mean * progress in the use of language used to describe us by others, taking the lead from us * Alinah's childhood and being brought up within nature * more opportunities are welcomed to meander and wander and wonder with people within the landscape * how the power of audio can be used to cross boundaries and borders * followed by questions from the audience.    Bio: Alinah Azadeh is a writer, artist, performer and cultural activist of British Iranian heritage. She uses writing, audio, and live practices to create poetic narratives that activate spaces, amplifying untold or overlooked stories and future imaginings. Alongside a 30-year visual arts career, Azadeh has been published, most recently in Best British Short Stories 2023 (Salt) with The Beard, a feminist tale of power, hair and revolution. As first ever writer-in-residence at Seven Sisters Country Park and Sussex Heritage Coast 2020-23, for South Downs National Park, she led We See You Now, a decolonial landscape and literature programme exploring the coast through the lens of climate change & justice, loss, migration and belonging. This led to her podcast The Colour of Chalk and the co-writing and curation of We Hear You Now, an audio and performance series of poetry, speculative fiction and myth by women and non-binary writers of Black and global majority heritage, now installed on 14 Listening Posts across the coast and online, co-funded by Arts Council England. Alinah is working on numerous writing projects and commissions, including her artist memoir and is also Writing Our Legacy/ Changing Chalk Associate Artist for The National Trust.    

Hello and welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast. This is the last episode of the summer before we return in September with the special episodes created in collaboration identity on tyne and the Black Nature in Residence programme.  In this episode, your host, Dr. Sheree Mack is talking to the lovely and knowledgeable Nadia Shaikh. Calling in from the Isle of Bute, they talk about: * Situating themselves * The Isle of Bute and Scotland * Land Justice Activism * What is the Right to Roam? * Land ownership  * Scotland's Right to Roam * Colonialism upon British soil * The Raven Network * The Earth Sea Love Episodes exploring Racial Equity Network of the National Trust * You don't have to know the names to have a relationship with nature * Wild Service the book.   Bio is: Nadia Shaikh is a naturalist and ornithologist who has worked in nature conservation for over 14 years. She left the sector to focus on the links between our legacy of land ownership, limited access to nature and the link to biodiversity loss. She is co-director of the Right to Roam Campaign and is one of the authors of Wild Service. She founded The Raven Network, a group for people of colour who work in the nature conservation and environment sector, the network seeks to understand how to decolonizing the way we think about nature conservation.  

Welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast. So glad that you’ve come back to us. This episode, as we hurtle towards Summer, was recorded close to the Spring Equinox with Christian Totty. Christian has a Healing Arts Practice and a juicy Substack newsletter called Wholly Earth. In this episode, talking with your host Dr. Sheree Mack, Christian explores: * Being thankful * Situating ourselves in the landscape * The Spring Equinox quickening of season’s change * Hold both at the same time - grief and the quickening * Ruth Gilmore -‘ life is precious, life is precious ‘ * Astrological eclipses and change * Finding those ways of being present * What is a healing arts practice? * The reluctance around embracing herbal medicine  * The slowdown and being present * Tapping into the unknown and our ancestors * Childhood experiences with grandmother * Theatre and community arts can save you * Taping into astrology later in life as a thru-line * Multidisciplinary practices are necessary * Embracing liminal spaces  * What is embodiment?  * Abbey Lincoln and Wholly Earth  * The Nature Writing Collection on Christian's Substack * Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Clearing    Bio: BioChristian Totty (she/her) is an Afro-Indigenous mother, gardener, and interdisciplinary healing artist based in northwest Ohio in the traditional homelands of the Kickapoo, Shawnee, and Miami peoples. Through her work, Christian explores rituals, embodiment, intersectionality, and interdependence.  Wholly Earth Wholly Earth About Inner Ecology: Writing with Nature Series

Hello and Welcome Back, to the Earth Sea Love Podcast, with your host Dr Sheree Mack and special guest Sile Sibanda. Recorded back in February 2024, Dr Mack muses on how everything happens in good time. Editing this episode in June, Dr Mack realises she needed to listen to this episode again. To revisit and re-engage once more with what flowed throughout this conversation as the wisdom and insight were on point then as is now. In this episode you will listen to Dr Mack and Sile, radio presenter,  talking about: * The concept of time * Circular living with the seasons * The Rasheedah Phillips' reading mentioned * The Joy of Sharing Knowledge * Situating ourselves with artificial plants * Fitting in creativity around different jobs * Colouring in and play as a practice * BNIR programme with identity on tyne  * Connecting with nature as a child in Zimbabwe * Connecting with nature in the UK * Femininity and Nature * Belonging in Nature * Is the British countryside racist? * Not Black and White, either/ or but and/both * The BNIR Zine is here for free if you want it * Writing in Nature     Bio: Sile Sibanda is a Spoken Word Performer, BBC Radio Presenter, Events Host Creative Producer/facilitator and amateur dj. She has been involved in creative and community projects for over 12 years starting with a glee club at the age of 12 and speaking at the House of Lords. Recently, she hosted a conversation with former Sheffield Lord Mayor Magid Magid for the off the shelf Festival and Munroe Bergdorf for Shefest. Created a short film about belonging as part of the Migration Matters Festival. Sile became a creative producer for Storytrails, creating an immersive storytelling experience about untold stories of people living in Sheffield. Had a debut dj set at tramlines fringe and facilitates creative writing workshop for primary school and community groups.     Let’s connect   @silesibanda –  on all social media platforms   W silesibanda.com   For BBC content sile.sibanda@bbc.co.uk Listen to my shows on BBC Sounds   Nominate the person in your community making a difference [bbc.co.uk/makeadifference]  

Welcome back. As promised, we're trying to keep The Earth Sea Love Podcast regular, every two weeks. So here we {BE}. Your host Dr Sheree Mack is super excited to be talking with Charlotte Holmes, who pregnant at the time, met Sheree through their work with the Race Equity Network within the National Trust and Black History Month 2023. Within this episode, Sheree and Charlotte enjoys a conversation around: * Sharing their happy news around pregnancy and motherhood * Situating themselves in places and home * Sharing who they {Be} and what they do * Connecting with nature and the land on their own terms * Education and career taking them away from their true selves * Exhaling within the kinship of Race Equity Network for the National Trust * Is the British countryside racist or not? * Witnessing People of the Global Majority taking up space in the countryside * Being visible enjoying nature *Accessing nature on our own terms with our ancestors * Museums and objects and changes   Bio: Charlotte Holmes, Curator and Assistant Director Engagement. Working part-time as Associate Director of Engagement for Birmingham Museums Trust and part-time Cultural  Heritage Curator at the National Trust. Charlotte's passion and professional goals centre on connecting people with their histories and equipping people with the skills they need to fulfil their potential. She has excellent communication and research skills, which have allowed her to lead practice in a range of heritage settings. Charlotte frequently speaks at professional conferences, and facilitate workshops and public events. She loves what she does, and brings both emotion and intellect to her work, which includes exhibition interpretation, public events, and workshop and meeting facilitation. LinkedIn Birmingham Museums

Hello and Welcome back to The Earth Sea Love Podcast. It's been a hot minute since we've shared one of our awesome conversations. But we're back now with your host Dr. Sheree Mack, getting over the mental and emotional and psychological blocks she created herself around the podcast and YouTube to bring you the podcast in its original form. The voices of inspiring women, feminine and non-binary people who are Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour and their connection with Mother Nature.   In this episode, Sheree has a conversation with Juanita Valture, is a South African born, Bristol based Creative Studio Manager, amateur potter and volunteer hike leader. In this episode they all about: * Stepping away from employment to rest * Retreating from 'life' in order to find space and rest * Recognising that things need to change instead of staying in the same loop * Taking the leap and trusting that the universe will provide * Trusting and Intuition *Leaning into the belief in abundance rather than scarcity *Creativity and Sustainability and Regenerative  * Making small changes in our day to day lives * Creating a Race Equity Network within the National Trust  * Research into racism in rural settings could be retraumatising for volunteers * Rhiane Fatinikun MBE, Creator of Black Girls Hike UK * Diversifying Mountain Leadership within the UK * Rest is active * Mindful Pottery and moments within nature to {BE}   Bio: Juanita Valture is a South African born, Bristol based Creative Studio Manager, amateur potter and volunteer hike leader.Her love of the outdoors began from an early age, but her time working at the National Trust was where she discovered a profound connection with nature; and taking on the role as co-chair of the Race Equity Network allowed her to delve into the intersection of sustainability and creativity, advocating for inclusivity and representation in outdoor spaces. Recognising the disparities in access, safety and representation, particularly within Black spaces, Juanita has dedicated herself to fostering change by volunteering as a hike leader with Black Girls Hike, striving to create a safe space for Black women to connect and explore the beauty of nature. Juanita aims to become a qualified mountain leader to address the lack of representation in outdoor leadership, as currently there are only two Black female mountain leaders in the UK. Her hope is that this will pave the way for others and champion diversity in outdoor leadership.    LinkedIn  Black Girls Hike UK

Hello again and welcome to the Earth Sea Love Podcast. Episode 063 is a special episode being released in connection to the walkshops we completed in 2023 with a number of groups of the global majority with the help of funding from the Northumberland National Park Communities Fund. Northumberland National Park Communities Fund was a grant scheme set up for communities within the North-East of England to create projects that supported and contributed to the National Parks remit of being designated for everyone. This grant helped us in supporting the Northumberland National Park's purpose of  becoming more welcoming to more and different people.   Within this episode, your host, Dr. Sheree Mack talks about: * her love affair with the concept of Palimpsest * the different definitions and meanings of the term Palimpsest * how the practice of Palimpsest turns up in her creative practice * how Palimpsest was used within walkshops in Northumberland National Park * what the participants of the walkshops have to say about their connection to nature.     Music within this episode is Melatonin Dub by Jangwa from Free Music Archive

Episode 062, ending season 5. This is a recent episode recorded by your host, Dr Sheree Mack while walking the North-East coast and taking you along with her. While filling her creative pot, Sheree shares the road ahead for the podcast with season 6 in 2024. As the Earth Sea Love Podcast diversifies its guests, while  partnering with identity on tyne with their Black Nature in Residence Programme 2:0, they also thought it might be a good idea to broaden the audience through a Youtube channel.  Here at Earth Sea Love CIC , they are just trying to tie everything in with the podcast, the zine, the website and the YouTube channel. Let's see how it goes but they're excited. In this episode, Sheree walks and talks about eating out there and giving herself the gift of time and space. Not working to any agenda and changing up perspectives so she can work within a system which is beneficial for her wholeness.