The Collective
Land in Our Names is a small collective made up of passionate people with experience in food growing and land work, as well as activism and community organising.
Within our core collective, we are experimenting with sociocratic models where we work across different circles. Roles are fluid and shaped by the circles each member chooses to be a part of, with opportunities to share and learn skills across circles.
We also have long-term relationships with collaborators who work with us in specific circles, such as finances or our projects, Dandelion and Fallow.
We are also in the process of creating an advisory board which will advice us on on big decisions, such as land purchase and which funders to work with, keep us accountable to the community and on track with our strategic goals, providing diverse perspectives, and support us to expand our networks of community, supporters, and funders.
Dee Woods
she/they
Dee Woods is the inaugural member of our advisory board. She is an award-winning food system leader – a passionate knowledge broker, pollinator and weaver who advocates for good food for all and a just food system. Her work meets at the nexus of human rights, food sovereignty, agroecology, community, policy, decolonial research, culture, climate and social justice.
Josina Calliste
she/her
Josina Calliste found her way to the land through community organising and food growing. Six years ago, sitting under an apple tree, she co-founded Land in Our Names (LION) to address racial inequalities in farming and food growing in Britain. She co-wrote a chapter on land in the anthology A World Without Racism published last year. Still in the early years of caring for the first LION cub, she combines writing, planting and singing with a merry ascent towards becoming the village herbalist old witch in her ancestors’ wildest dreams.
Marcus MacDonald
he/him
Marcus is a passionate South London-based grower, community organiser, tour manager and cultural advocate with Jamaican, Indian, and British heritage. He has extensive experience navigating the intersection of food sovereignty, racial justice, land justice, music, and community organising. Marcus brings a unique perspective informed by his working-class queer background and commitment to preserving and celebrating diverse cultural histories.
Jamila Versi
she/they
Jamila is a writer, filmmaker, community organiser and lover of land and water. Jamila grew up taking naps in the trees and by the ocean, and her work with LION is centred around reconnecting and prioritising our deep-rootedness with nature after our forced separation and displacement. Prior to joining LION, Jamila’s community organising has been based in Copenhagen, where they worked primarily in a housing justice organisation against the discriminatory ghetto-laws. Her filmmaking and writing centres on the Danish migrant experience and collectivising artistic practices.
Sumayyah Zannath
she/her
Sumayyah is a writer, community organiser and creative facilitator. Sumayyah is interested in collectively reimagining what care and solidarity can look like between communities and land, particularly in urban environments. Sumayyah is also a researcher at Nejma Collective, an abolitionist group centred on Islamic principles. She is deeply rooted in food and land justice organising in her community in Tower Hamlets.
Sam Siva
they/them
Sam is a Black and mixed (Black Jamaican, Sri Lankan) writer, grower and organiser. They are interested in liberation through healing and building resilient communities, and how access to land and nature are key to this. Sam often gives presentations, talks on podcasts and panels, facilitates workshops and writes or contributes to articles. They are passionate about building resilient and transformative systems, centring care and reparative justice in their work.