.:. In June of 2019, I made a big decision to put all of my resources into jumping on an airplane from my home on Moku O’ Keawe (Hawai’i Island) to serve at the incredibly inspiring Global Youth Peace Summit in California. My friends reached out and encouraged me to go pick up their van in Santa Cruz after the Summit and explore the plant world, make herbal medicine and “do my thang!” I had some hesitations, as I didn’t completely feel like I was a “VanLife” kinda womyn, yet there was some intrigue and excitement about exploring the wild and more of Earth’s beauty, while allowing the mystery to guide me. So, I followed my curiosity with gratitude for the adventure ahead!

.:. Soon after I picked up the van and began my journey, I learned that the Mauna Kea Movement became extremely activated and there was a strong call to action for Kia’i (Protectors) to Occupy the Mountain and protect it from desecration. This movement is rooted in resistance to the proposed (and prior uninformed consent of ) building of a 30-meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea, the most sacred place on the Hawai’i Islands. Mauna Kea is an ecologically sensitive ecosystem and it is incredibly significant culturally, ancestrally, and spiritually to the Hawaiian People.

.:. I had deep moments of heartache regarding what was going on out there and that I was not on island to support the Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawai’ians) when they needed it the most. I took myself out into the forest where I was (in Cascadia - the Pacific Northwest) to lay down some prayers, give offerings, and also to release my frustrations and emotions about being so far away and unable to help more. Soon after I chanted and expressed myself, a couple lichens and plant medicines that I had never met before, Tree Lungwort and Cleavers, jumped out to introduce themselves to me and told me that they wanted to be sent in a package to the Kia’i to remind them that there was/is deep support for them from Turtle Island. They wanted to be a voice saying that the Hawai’ians were not alone…

.:.That experience sculpted the first Mobile Apothecary Journey. I traveled from Herbalist to Herbalist and Apothecary to Apothecary in various towns and cities (from California to Oregon to Washington to Canada and back down to California again) spreading awareness about this powerful Indigenous Rights Movement and seeking out herbal donations to send the Kia’i to assist their minds, bodies and spirits during the intensity of all that was encompassed in standing strong for their sacred mountain during harsh weather conditions, emotional turmoil, police confrontations and protecting what is sacred.

.:. On my travels, I was guided to attend the Lummi Intertribal Canoe Paddle Ceremonies near the Salish Sea, where I met with beautiful Kanaka Maoli from Maui Island who participated in the paddle. We united through our passion for the Mauna Kea Movement and they blessed me with fresh Ti Leaves, one of the most precious La’aus (Hawaiian plants). It was incredibly heartwarming to reconnect with these plant allies from 2,700 miles away through the shared inspiration to support Mauna Kea!

.:. After the first Mobile Apothecary Journey out on the West Coast, I came back and tended my familial roots in the Florida Everglades; created SubTropical herbal medicine; attended the Florida Herbalism Conference and the Florida Earthskills Gathering; and rested my bones a bit.

.:. Before I knew it, the 2nd Mobile Apothecary journey aligned and I began my migration out to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and assisted the amazing Medicine Weavers Retreat. I continued to expand the medicine trade route as I traveled South and spent time in the High Mountain Deserts of New Mexico and the High Deserts of Arizona. I reunited with, supported, and collaborated with dear Medicine Elders, teachers and herbalist friends; served as a consultant for and helped many herbalists to complete projects and organize their Apothecaries; assisted with Earth Ceremonies, visited old plant allies and met new plants friends; ethically wildcrafted and made small-batch herbal medicine along the way, all while I explored deep into the wild and witnessed and experienced beauty upon beauty throughout the various ecosystems.

.:. After venturing with multiple styles of vehicles to support the herbal allies in this way, I anchored in the HoneyBuzzMobile, my adorable little Medicine Bus, and I was off on my 3rd Mobile Apothecary journey out to the Sierra Nevadas and the Redwoods in California and back to the Pacific Northwest.

.:. Throughout the route, I continued on my path of collaboration, medicine-making, and sharing the herbs and botanicals from different regions, while also receiving the opportunity to work with amazing children at an Earthskills School, was able to support teenagers during a Survival Skills Vision Quest, setup and host a beautiful Elixir Bar, attend the NorthWest Herb Fair, and launch the Aligned Alchemy Apothecary with my dear herbalist sister, Emily Green. 💚

.:. It has been a beautiful journey that has been guided by the prayer I have held that Spirit shows me how I can most be of service to the Plant Allies, the Medicine People and the Elders. While living on the edge of the unknown during these adventures, I have been absolutely amazed by the magic that has blessed the path, and I feel so grateful for the opportunity of being able to travel with the inspiration leading the way. I hope to offer a glimpse of some of the beauty that I am fortunate to witness in the world and hope that you feel inspired to explore and connect to the wild more .:.