TrAncestors Garden Project

When I am dying, will someone lay warm stones in the palms of my hands, on my chest and pelvis and against the bottoms of my feet? I want to feel the land. If I could be laid on the warm ground of the garden that would be fabulous. I want the people tending me to care about and for my trans body. After I die, I would like to have caring community members wash and attend my body in observation of Jewish funeral traditions. I would like to be composted and returned to land that is lovingly tended. Grow flowers from my body year after year. Let me rest in community.

The TrAncestors Garden Project emerged through a series of events that prompted me to consider how I want to die and what I want to contribute while I am living. I am envisioning a land-based project where this community care work can take place and trans bodies can be lovingly reincorporated into the land where we live. I am bringing to this my prior experience with farming and environmental education, and I am seeking to center a love ethic, disability justice principles and decolonizing practices. I am now in a process of researching, networking and assessing the need and feasibility of this project. I am looking for collaborators - both individuals and organizations - who are working at the intersections of land stewardship and community death care to serve as an advisory commitee. At this time, I envision this project being a membership-based all volunteer project. This project is currently based on Coast Salish land. I will update this page as this project progresses and I would welcome inquiries from those with similar interests.