Black and Indigenous Groups Establish Intentional Communities to Reclaim Land Across the US

Intentional communities are small groups of people living together based on shared values and a common vision. These communities include co-housing in urban areas with private units and shared spaces, as well as rural ecovillages where residents live off the land and prioritize sustainability. They often involve communal governance and resource sharing.

Black Americans and Indigenous people have formed such communities historically, particularly after the end of enslavement, to support business and agriculture amid racial violence. In recent years, people of color in states including Alabama, Massachusetts, and California have established these groups to reconnect with ancestral agricultural and ecological knowledge.

The communities aim to provide spaces rooted in care and tradition.

Land in California Black to the Land is an ecovillage in Boonville, California, located 115 miles north of San Francisco.

The community stewards 76 hectares of land featuring redwoods, Pacific madrones, oak trees, dozens of fruit trees, and a garden with squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, corn, and peppers. A small stream runs through the valley surrounded by hills. The site operates off the grid using well water and solar panels.

They raise funds through grants, fundraising, and workshops on building, gardening, and foraging, while some work remotely for personal expenses. Zappa Montag, 57, and his daughter Bibi Sarai, then 16, conceived the idea for Black to the Land in 2015.

They sought to create a healing space in nature for Black people after observing gentrification in Oakland. In the initial years, the project hosted community gatherings such as concerts. In 2021, a friend connected them with the Emerald Earth Sanctuary in Mendocino County, an intentional community founded by white activists in 1989 that was winding down operations.

The sanctuary's non-profit transferred stewardship of the property to Black to the Land via verbal and written agreements. Montag described the arrangement as involving time spent learning land stewardship rather than monetary payment. For the first two years, Montag divided his time between teaching high school in Oakland and weekend visits to the site.

In February 2023, Bibi Sarai died unexpectedly, raising questions about the project's future. However, reports from visitors that summer indicated improved mood and wellness, prompting Montag to continue and move there permanently the following summer.

Over the past two years, Montag has recruited additional stewards and developed skills in agriculture and building through mentorship from former Emerald Earth members.

The group includes African plant medicine practitioners who prepare herbal remedies for members. No medical services have been needed, but a nearby clinic is available, and the non-profit covers insurance for emergency transportation.

Roots is an organization involved in similar efforts, though specific details on its operations were not provided in reports.

These intentional communities affect participants by offering spaces for cultural reconnection and self-sufficiency. Future activities may include expanded workshops and retreats, depending on funding and recruitment.