Rooted in Community: Art, Disability Justice, and Growing Something Beautiful with Amaranthia Sepia

Welcome to season 4, episode 6 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! One of my very favorite people is back on the pod: Amaranthia Sepia, co-founder of Sista Creatives Rising, commissioned seed packet artist for Sista Seeds, and now digital media manager for the disability and design podcast Down to the Struts. Amaranthia is a 26-year-old Black, disabled, neurodivergent artist and organizer based in New Hampshire, and in this conversation we get to really dig into her story, not only as a creative behind Sista Creatives Rising, but as an artist whose work is rooted in her family's gardening history, her love of Black women and the land, and her own hard-won journey toward self-preservation and community.

We talk about her stunning seed packet illustrations for Sistah Seeds, founded by Amirah Mitchell. From the website: "In 2021, Amirah founded Sistah Seeds to connect black and brown growers to our culturally-important seeds. Sistah Seeds is one of a small but growing number of black-owned seed businesses in the U.S., changing the landscape of the seed industry. Together, we are part of a multi-ethnic, multi-national movement of farmers and seed-keepers, working to preserve our heritage and create a strong agricultural future for our communities."

We also talk about hydroponics, healing, and how growing food for her mom during a health crisis sparked something lasting. We talk about Amaranthia's new role at Down to the Struts, how an unexpected $3,000 Social Security notice lit a fire under her to pursue additional work, and why remote, disability-justice-rooted employment is the difference between thriving and burning out.

We also discuss what it's meant to find a vibrant disabled community online after years of navigating bullying, racism, misogynoir, and ableism...including the assumption that being homebound automatically means your life is sad and small. (Spoiler: it absolutely does not.)

We also talk about Lilette, the tiny blue masking frog who has become the mascot of Sista Creatives Rising and might just end up in a children's book. No promises. But also maybe.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Sistah Creatives Rising: sistahcreativesrising.com
• Sista Seeds: sistahseeds.com
• Down to the Struts (podcast on disability & design): downtothestruts.com
• Sista Creatives Rising on Instagram (for Lilette merch & links)
• The Sistas Uprising Fund micro grants

Mentioned or featured in this episode:

• Katrina Dreamer (my pacing buddy, ep. 1, season 2 & season 3)
• Lissy Donovan (long hauler and business owner, ep. 9, season 3)

📞 The Long Haul Line: 720-432-9368! Call or text to share a story, suggest a guest, or just say hi!

📧 Email: afriendforthelonghaul@gmail.com

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