Press Release

Philaldelphia, PA—Join us at Morris Arboretum & Gardens for an engaging conversation exploring ancestral plant knowledge, forgotten traditions, and the cultural stories rooted in the natural world in Roots & Remembrance: Reclaiming Plant Knowledge & Cultural Heritage, Sunday, October 12, 2025, 3 – 4:30 pm. The cost is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. Virtual registration is $25. Get more information and register at morrisarb.org/lectures. 

Through personal narratives and shared wisdom, speakers Abra Lee, Tracy Qiu, and Guina Hammond will illuminate how plants carry memory, identity, and healing across generations. This event invites us to reconnect with the land, honor lost legacies, and rediscover the deep relationships between people and plants that have shaped our histories and can guide our futures. This in-person event will take place at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. A livestream of the conversation will be available via Zoom.

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Abra Lee is the director of horticulture at the Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to her role as a public horticulturist, Abra is a historian, writer, and author of the forthcoming book Conquer the Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers. Her research focuses on Black garden history, and she raises awareness of Black gardeners and farmers, helping to put them into their rightful places in the overall history of American gardening and horticulture.

Guina Hammond is the program manager of public gardens and landscapes at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, where she uses gardening as a tool for social change, bringing people together to connect with nature’s beauty and healing power. A certified organic land-care professional, PHS Tree Tender, Penn State master gardener, and fifth-generation herbalist, Guina is deeply involved in Philadelphia’s community. She is a founding member of the Chester Avenue Community Garden, where she has grown award-winning produce for 38 years. She is also a planning team member for the Mid-Atlantic Woody and Perennial Plant conferences.

Tracy Qiu is a post-doctoral researcher at Concordia University in Montreal, specializing in the colonial history of botanical gardens and their roles in contemporary society. With over a decade of experience as a researcher, consultant, and artist, she applies decolonizing and inclusion-focused practices to help public gardens address issues of racial diversity, colonial legacies, and community belonging. Tracy is a former Longwood Graduate Fellow and has worked with Niagara Parks and the National Tropical Botanical Gardens. Her interdisciplinary approach combines qualitative research, visual art, and horticulture to explore how gardens can reconcile their colonial pasts while fostering inclusive futures.

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