Speaker Profile: Rowen White

Rowen White is a Seed Keeper and farmer from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne and a passionate activist for indigenous seed and food sovereignty.  She is the director and founder of the Sierra Seeds, an innovative organic seed stewardship organization focusing on local seed and education, based in Nevada City CA.

Rowen is the current National Project Coordinator and advisor for the Indigenous Seed Keeper Network, which is an initiative of the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance, a non-profit organization aimed at leveraging resources to support tribal food sovereignty projects. The mission of the Indigenous Seed Keepers Network is to nourish and assist the growing Seed Sovereignty Movement across Turtle Island.   She teaches and facilitates creative seed stewardship immersions around the country within tribal and small farming communities.

Rowen is the current Chair of the Board of Directors for Seed Savers Exchange, a prestigious non-profit whose mission is to preserve agricultural biodiversity by saving and sharing heirloom seeds.  She is the author of a book entitled ” Breeding Organic Vegetables” as well as a forthcoming book on the seeds and foodways of her ancestral Haudenosaunee people.  She weaves stories of seeds, food, culture and sacred Earth stewardship on her blog, Seed Songs.

Follow her seed journeys at www.sierraseeds.org