My father grew up in the Mississippi Delta and experienced the outdoors as a place of sweltering heat incessant bugs and exploitative labor. In large part because of his experiences I did not spend any time in the outdoors growing up. Once I ventured out I was able to experience it as a place of restoration and empowerment a place to hit the ‘reset’ button from the many challenges of being a woman of color in America. Yet my time in nature - where I encountered God and felt my spirit restored - felt completely removed from my church experience. I have found ways to incorporate it in my preaching and in the liturgy I create but I believe women of color would benefit from a more intentional theology and praxis for how spending time in creation connects us to the Creator and all creation.

Inspired by Jesus's wilderness retreats and indigenous wisdom Reclaiming Sacred Ground: Nature Liturgy and Women of Color bridges spiritual practice intentional liturgy and nature connection with a particular focus on the unique experiences of women of color.

This project includes:
- Examining indigenous wisdom and contemporary research on nature's impact on spiritual and mental wellbeing.
- Conducting in-depth interviews with leaders who are creating spaces for people of color to connect with the land
- Writing and developing a culturally-attuned nature-based liturgy that speaks to the unique spiritual needs and experiences of women of color.
- Organizing and facilitating a retreat to implement and evaluate the newly created liturgical framework allowing for real-world application and refinement.

Through this study I seek to:
- Understand how nature experiences can be integrated with spiritual practice to address the distinct stressors faced by women of color
- Develop liturgical elements that resonate with diverse cultural identities
- Create a replicable model for nature-based spiritual retreats tailored to women of color