Deep Roots
Tracy Pepper envisions a communal garden space that spans cultures BY LAURA PETERSEN
S
uddenly, she felt the sense of connection and
belonging she was seeking. In the midst of sadness—tending plants, pulling weeds, with the sky overhead— flashes of Tracy Pepper’s grandmother appeared in her mind. As she wrestled with feelings of deep sorrow and devastation, Tracy felt a gap in her Being, like something had been stolen from her.
She couldn’t find the stories of her people, her lineage in Africa. There was no recorded history of her ancestors beyond the slave ships that took them away from the Congo. “For me, the garden is a magical place that brings me back to my roots that can hold me up; it gives me a sense of place and time. In this place, I feel deeply rooted and connected with my grandmother.”’ Tracy is the Director of Color Me Human, a new nonprofit organization working to dismantle systems of oppression
BriarPatch Food Co-op | Summer 2021
From Left to Right: Ana Mendez, Youth Development Coordinator; Tracy Pepper, Director; Daniela Fernández, Program Director
on people of color and the LGBTQ community within Nevada County. The organization is actively pursuing a community garden project called Grandmommy’s Garden, which will honor Tracy’s beloved grandmother—a woman of strength, compassion, and generosity—and all of our grandmothers. “The idea of grandmother is something most folx can relate to. For many of us, Grandmothers represent the matriarchal figure. Truly unconditional love,” reminisces Tracy. 15
