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In response to pressing challenges in our fast-paced and profit-centric world, Clarissa Shane began the “Foraging Stories” project. Clarissa’s aim was to connect with nature, promote plant preservation, and inspire a shift in societal consciousness. Despite the generations of plant species that have been meticulously preserved in herbariums, Clarissa believes that there is a deeper, more personal connection to the plant world that can be established.
The project cultivates a more balanced relationship with nature and unlocks its transformative potential. She sees plants as a powerful solution to many of our global issues, providing sustenance, healing, and a blueprint for a sustainable future
The project challenges the prevailing societal norms and raises questions about health, habitat conservation, and the detrimental impacts of capitalism and neoliberal policies.
Through research and storytelling, her work acts as a beacon to shed light on the personhood of plants, promote sustainable living practices that are in harmony with the natural world, and promote the potential of plant-based medicine.
Collaboration and support
The project received support from OSUN , which enabled her to travel to Mexico, create videos about wild plants, and learn from the local community. She acquired traditional knowledge regarding wild plants from elders in Mexico and documented stories that were influenced by these plants. In Berlin, she organized a foraging event to gather wild plants for medicinal and culinary purposes. Here is a compiled list of herbs that can be found in Berlin
The launch event was held at Bard College Berlin on Saturday, April 22, 2023, and this event included the following:
- presentations on the project practices and discussions on the environment’s link to good health and sustainability.
- An exhibition that highlighted the impact of land ownership, neoliberal policies, seasonal migrant labor from Mexico and the U.S., monoculture agricultural practices, and climate change on both human and nonhuman inhabitants, with particular relevance to Berlin
The project will continue its campaign and activities through the website, workshops, and educational festivals, demonstrating the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Follow Clarissa to learn more about her action project
