With Soil & Souls, Rev Dele nurtures resilient leaders
In today’s world where urban landscapes often overshadow the verdant expanse of nature, Soil & Souls stands as a beacon of hope and empowerment for African American communities.
The more we speak about a few professionals turning heads and garnering more headlines with their pioneering work in their chosen fields- all on their own- building and thriving everything from the ground up, the more we feel the need to discuss them for the world to know their genius. Who better than Rev Dele to serve as an example here?
Rev Dele, a powerful speaker, consultant, author and advocate for the environment blends spirituality and practical skills for climate resilience through the Soil & Souls cooperative. Founded on the principles of ancestral wisdom, ecological sustainability, and social equity, Soil & Souls is a native and medicinal plant farm that offers leadership training and community education in resilience. This revolutionary, worker-owned cooperative operates across several states, creating a tapestry of green spaces and resilient leaders committed to nurturing both Earth and their home communities. Under the leadership of Rev Dele, every member is driven by their mission to nurture leaders who can guide their communities through the challenges of climate change, using an approach integrating Indigenous land stewardship and spiritual teachings.
“My experience with Soil & Souls has been enlightening in every sense of the word”, says co-founder Darciea Houston. “It has deepened my understanding of the interconnectedness between nature and personal well-being….The nutrients of the soil and the intricate pathways of the root systems are like the continuous efforts I make to improve circulation, both in the literal sense of maintaining good health and in the figurative sense of fostering dynamic relationships and networks.”
Soil & Souls’ Intergenerational pr-axis ensures that wisdom is passed down and adapted to meet the needs of modern communities facing the climate crisis. With their deep-rooted belief in purpose-based business, Soil & Souls is more than just a farm; it’s a movement dedicated to reviving and preserving the agrarian traditions and medicinal knowledge passed down through generations. This cooperative is a sanctuary for young adults seeking to reconnect with their ancestral ways of growing food, while simultaneously acquiring the skills needed to manage the accelerating climate crisis in their neighborhoods. Resilience hubs are currently forming in Albany, NY, Dallas, TX, and Unionville LA.
Says Albany apprentice, Ocasio Wilson, “My journey began with Soil and Souls in 2020… I was inspired by the wisdom of Rev Dele and her experience with things I had just become aware of. She welcomed my energetic curiosity and support of her vision for land restoration and earth-centered leadership. I stumbled along and helped to launch a weekend immersion in a forest claimed by Lenape tribes. We sang, we yelled, we ate, we drank, we talked, we listened, we created, we remembered, we revealed, we healed and we left with tangible and intangible outcomes. …I left with a perspective that I never had before. And now, I remain steadfast to the original impetus for it all: living according to nature and nature’s God. I am delighted in the fruit of Rev Dele’s tireless consistency in her cause and I consider myself honored to be a part of history in the making.”
With Soil & Souls, Rev Dele has inspired a living example of how nurturing our connection to the earth can also nurture our souls, providing a firm foundation upon which we can all grow. They are open to new members…Is that you? In this case, the earth, too, is waiting to embrace and be embraced by the generations that Soil & Souls is inspiring. We are in this together, planting seeds of hope and empowerment for a thriving future.
