"This plant has so much more to offer us than the narrow uses that have been told to us" — Aicila Lewis, Organizational Strategist

In this grounded and energizing episode of Gaia Gossip, host Mary Jane Oatman is joined by Aicila Lewis to explore hemp as more than a plant, but as a pathway back to relationships with ourselves and each other. Together, they discuss hemp as an ecosystem solution rooted in Indigenous knowledge, the power of community as a source of healing, and what it means to build systems that truly sustain both people and the planet. This conversation is a call to reconnect, to celebrate what we already have, and to remember that the antidote to greed is community, connection, and care.

Tune in for a refreshing episode with plenty of dirt from Mother Earth.

Aicila (EYE-ee-sila) is a strategic advisor, dynamic community organizer, and the founder of BiCurean Consulting. She has a deep, long-standing connection to the Her Many Voices Foundation, having partnered with Alicia Fall as the organization's Organizational Strategist for over six years. With over 20 years of experience in leadership, advocacy, and systems design—including earning a Congressional Certificate of Special Recognition for her community organizing—Aicila guides visionary entrepreneurs and mission-driven organizations in building systems that honor their capacity and values. She is the creator of The Energy Equation™, a framework that helps leaders manage not just their time and money, but their most critical and renewable resource: energy. Aicila is also the host and producer of the Business as UNusual podcast, where she explores human-centered business strategies that challenge hustle culture and redefine what sustainable success looks like. Queer, unapologetically geeky, and deeply passionate about social justice, Aicila is a powerful voice for founders and activists ready to lead with clarity, integrity, and ease.

Her Many Voices Gaia Gossip programs empower climate solutions and community connection to be amplified for the betterment of Mother Earth. Our host, Mary Jane Oatman, is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe and a descendant of the Delaware Tribe, as well as a proud mother. She serves as the Executive Director of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA), founder of the Indigenous CANNabis Coalition (ICANNC), and publisher of THC Magazine.

Produced by BiCurean.com.

Technical production by Peggy McCartha.

Narrative strategy, graphics and design by Victoria Carrington Chàvez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vanessa Blacknall-Jamison, Her Many Voices Board Member, leads Theo EJ Wilson in a discussion on the origin of Black History Month, tracing it from Carter G. Woodson’s Negro History Week near Abraham Lincoln’s birthday to its expansion after the civil rights era. He explains what it means to be in a Black historical family, citing lineages like Douglass, Tubman, Shabazz, King, and his own connection through his grandfather, Tuskegee Airman Theobald Wilson. Wilson argues attempts to erase Black history will fail because knowledge is widely accessible, and critiques anti-“woke” politics, DEI rollbacks, and book bans. He links Black and Indigenous histories through shared resistance, colonization, extraction, and decolonization, emphasizing accurate storytelling that contextualizes divisions such as slavery among some tribes and Buffalo Soldiers’ role. He recommends restoring banned books, centering displaced voices, and using the 1619 Project’s rigor against efforts like PragerU/1776 Project, framing Black and Indigenous history as resilience, community wisdom, and a guide to resisting tyranny.

00:00 Welcome and Setup

00:49 Origins of Black History Month

01:36 Growing Up in Black History

03:28 Can Black History Be Erased

05:31 Black and Indigenous Parallels

07:42 Why the Right Targets History

10:16 DEI Backlash and Reality Check

12:29 Reclaiming Education with 1619

16:00 Indigenous History and Who Tells It

18:25 Responsible Storytelling Together

21:34 Protecting History in Practice

23:45 Final Reflections and Sign Off

Her Many Voices Gaia Gossip programs amplifies climate solutions and empowers community connection for the betterment of Mother Earth.

Host Theo Wilson powerfully blends artistic expression with a profound commitment to social justice. As a founding member of the National Poetry Slam-winning Denver Slam Nuba team and Executive Director of Shop Talk Live, Inc., he inspires community dialogue and healing. Theo is the author of "The Law of Action," and was launched nationally with his widely viewed TED Talk, "A Black Man Goes Undercover in the Alt Right". Theo is a recognized media personality and the host of The History Channel’s "I Was There" and a recognized media personality.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"When you have Elder women in your life, there is matriarchy." — Dr. Renee Tsinigine Holt

In this episode of Gaia Gossip, host Mary Jane Oatman sits down with Dr. Renee Tsinigine Holt (Navajo/Nez Perce), a Post Doctoral Research Scholar for the Indigenous Resilience Center (IRes). Together they sit at our communal table to discuss the power of matrilineal wisdom, motherhood, and science in land conservation. Dr. Renee brings her experiences as a mother, community leader, and scientist to share ancestral wisdom that reminds us when we stand in our identity with responsibility we create safe spaces for collective care to grow.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode:

• A deeper understanding that matriarchy is not limited to raising children. It includes safety, economic stability, wisdom, and collective strength.
• A recognition that Indigenous knowledge systems differ from colonial institutions. True learning goes beyond college. It means becoming a student of the world, finding mentors, learning multiple languages, and reclaiming ancestral ways of knowing.
• Indigenous people are natural-born scientists because knowledge of land is inherited, embodied, and practiced.The land is grandmother, teacher, and caregiver.
• The reclaiming of women’s leadership, that challenges Western misinterpretations of Indigenous women’s power.
• Leadership begins in the home but extends into governance, land stewardship, and resistance.
• An invitation to know yourself deeply—because self-knowledge builds respect. Even internal tension becomes part of growth when guided by ancestral wisdom.

About the Guest:

Dr. Renee Tsinigine Holt (Navajo/Nez Perce) is a Post Doctoral Research Scholar for the Indigenous Resilience Center (IRes). Prior to joining IRes, she was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Idaho working with the Native American Law Faculty & Student Association and the Indigenous CIRCLES faculty, before joining the University of Arizona. Her research foci centers Indigenous healing & ancestral ways of knowing, resilience, survivance and cultural knowledge, Native-FEWSS (Native Food, Energy & Water Security and Sovereignty), and the protection of traditional gathering places.

Renée works in tribal communities along with faculty, staff, students, and community members in environmental resiliency research that further develops and supports local, regional, and national Indigenous environmental sustainability. Dr. Tsinigine Holt was born in LA, but raised on Navajo Nation and is an enrolled member of the Nez Perce Tribe and a Post-Doctoral Research Scholar at the University of Arizona Indigenous Resilience Center.

Her Many Voices Gaia Gossip programs empower climate solutions and community connection to be amplified for the betterment of Mother Earth. Our host, Mary Jane Oatman, is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe and a descendant of the Delaware Tribe, as well as a proud mother. She serves as the Executive Director of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA), founder of the Indigenous CANNabis Coalition (ICANNC), and publisher of THC Magazine.

Produced by @bicurean and narrative strategist, Victoria Carrington Chàvez.

Technical Production: Peggy McCartha

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Gaia Gossip, presented by Her Many Voices, host Theo EJ Wilson sits down with two talented Black storytellers, Actor Merrick McCartha and Filmmaker Dr. Karen Moore. They talk about why representation in film and storytelling matters and how it shapes how Black lives are seen and valued. A powerful conversation around the impacts of colorism, the importance of Black-led storytelling, and why some stories must be told by those who live them.

This episode is a call to support Black art at every level—because storytelling is not just entertainment. It is a force that shapes culture, builds community, and invites us to see ourselves and one another more clearly.

Her Many Voices Gaia Gossip programs empower climate solutions and community connection to be amplified for the betterment of Mother Earth.

Host Theo EJ Wilson powerfully blends artistic expression with a profound commitment to social justice. As a founding member of the National Poetry Slam-winning Denver Slam Nuba team and Executive Director of Shop Talk Live, Inc., he inspires community dialogue and healing. Theo is the author of "The Law of Action," and was launched nationally with his widely viewed TED Talk, "A Black Man Goes Undercover in the Alt Right". Theo is a recognized media personality and the host of The History Channel’s "I Was There" and a recognized media personality.

Produced by BiCurean.com.

Technical production by Peggy McCartha.

Graphics and design by Victoria Carrington Chàvez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Artists call out the sickness." — Josée Bourgeois

In this episode of Gaia Gossip, host Mary Jane Oatman sits down with Josée Bourgeois, an Algonquin First Nations actress, model, dancer, and activist. Together, they sit at our communal table and explore the ways in which art is the cure to the modern sickness of disconnection and oppression. Josée shares her transformative journey from the national dance stage to the front lines of the sovereign cannabis industry, proving that when you authentically declare what you want, the Universe has your back.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode:

• Moving Passion to Purpose: How Josée transitioned from a self-produced dance career to managing brand development and advocacy in the sovereign cannabis space.
• The Power of Representation: Dismantling stereotypes and "mimicry" in mainstream media with authentic Indigenous storytelling.
• Art as a Truth-Teller: Why theater and performance are unique mediums that allow creators to call out the sickness of the world in ways others cannot.
• Reclaiming the Circle: Josée’s personal 180-degree journey from city life to living authentically in the community through powwow dancing and cultural retention.
• Self-Care for the Matriarch: Navigating chronic pain, depression, and the vital role of the sweat lodge and massage in maintaining balance.
• Mentoring the Next Generation: A candid look at the realities of the modeling industry and the responsibility of parents as vessels of possibility.

About the Guest:

Josée Bourgeois is an Algonquin First Nations trailblazer. A professional dancer since 2008, she has completed residencies at the Banff Center and performed at the National Arts Center. In 2019, she transitioned into the sovereign cannabis industry, serving as an advisor to Educannation and co-authoring recommendations for the Cannabis Act. You can catch her in the series The Last Frontier on Apple TV and the upcoming 2026 debut of Bon Cop Bad Cop on Crave TV.

Her Many Voices Gaia Gossip programs empower climate solutions and community connection to be amplified for the betterment of Mother Earth. Our host, Mary Jane Oatman, is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe and a descendant of the Delaware Tribe, as well as a proud mother. She serves as the Executive Director of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA), founder of the Indigenous CANNabis Coalition (ICANNC), and publisher of THC Magazine.

Produced by @bicurean and narrative strategist, Victoria Carrington Chàvez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Gaia Gossip, host Mary Jane Oatman is joined by Danny Desjarlais for an inspiring conversation on fatherhood, Indigenous male leadership, and the responsibility of carrying wisdom forward.

As a father of five and the Industrial Hemp Construction Project Manager for the Lower Sioux Indian Community, Danny shares how guidance from elders, care for the land, and community-centered leadership shape his work and his parenting. Together, they explore what it means to lead with accountability, rebuild for future generations, and strengthen community through lived example.

Tune in for an invigorating episode with plenty of dirt from Mother Earth.

Her Many Voices Gaia Gossip programs empower climate solutions and community connection to be amplified for the betterment of Mother Earth. Our host, Mary Jane Oatman, is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe and a descendant of the Delaware Tribe, as well as a proud mother. She serves as the Executive Director of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA), founder of the Indigenous CANNabis Coalition (ICANNC), and publisher of THC Magazine.

Produced by @bicurean and narrative strategist, Victoria Carrington Chàvez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Gaia Gossip, host Mary Jane Oatman is joined by Chenae Bullock, Founder and CEO of Moskehtu Consulting and a member of the Shinnecock Nation. Mary Jane leads a conversation that delves into the contrasting business philosophies between Western and Indigenous practices, emphasizing community and sustainability. Together they reflect on the importance of winter as a time for rest, renewal, and storytelling, and the role of plant medicines and aromatherapy in personal wellness. Chenae shares her experiences in preserving and protecting water and plant life, and highlights the shared responsibility of humanity in caring for the Earth. Tune in for an invigorating episode with plenty of dirt from Mother Earth.

Her Many Voices Gaia Gossip programs empower climate solutions and community connection to be amplified for the betterment of Mother Earth. Our host, Mary Jane Oatman, is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe and a descendant of the Delaware Tribe, as well as a proud mother. She serves as the Executive Director of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA), founder of the Indigenous CANNabis Coalition (ICANNC), and publisher of THC Magazine.

Produced by BiCurean.com and narrative strategist, Victoria Carrington Chàvez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Gaia Gossip by Her Many Voices Foundation, host Theo EJ Wilson sits down with Jane and Melissa, the mother-daughter team behind the Wynne Farm Ecological Reserve in Kenscoff, Haiti. Together, they share powerful firsthand accounts of how escalating violence, political instability, and deforestation are threatening not only lives but also Haiti’s most critical watershed.

For decades, the Wynne family has worked to conserve soil, restore biodiversity, and protect the Sourçailles watershed — a vital water source for over four million Haitians. But as gangs overrun communities and ecological systems collapse, Jane and Melissa describe a country in crisis: displaced families sleeping in churches, farms destroyed, children out of school, and a center for sustainable development burned to the ground.

Despite unimaginable loss, their commitment to the land — and to one another — remains unbroken. They remind us that resilience is not just survival; it’s a sacred act of stewardship.

Theo, Jane, and Melissa explore:

• The historical and ecological significance of Wynne Farm

• How environmental destruction and social collapse are intertwined

• The urgent humanitarian needs of displaced families

• Why global awareness and coordinated action matter now more than ever

Support the Work: Learn more and contribute at HerManyVoices.org/donate

“They can burn the buildings, but they can’t burn the mission.” — Melissa

Her Many Voices Gaia Gossip programs empower climate solutions and community connection to be amplified for the betterment of Mother Earth.

Host Theo EJ Wilson powerfully blends artistic expression with a profound commitment to social justice. As a founding member of the National Poetry Slam-winning Denver Slam Nuba team and Executive Director of Shop Talk Live, Inc., he inspires community dialogue and healing. Theo is the author of "The Law of Action," and was launched nationally with his widely viewed TED Talk, "A Black Man Goes Undercover in the Alt Right". Theo is a recognized media personality and the host of The History Channel’s "I Was There" and a recognized media personality.

Transcripts and notes generated with Descript and Castmagic and then edited by human eyes and hands. Lightly edited and produced by BiCurean Consulting, BiCurean.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.