Library Hours:
Virtual Program — It will be offered via Zoom.
Celebrate Earth Month with BlackForager, Alexis Nikole Nelson. A forager, outdoor educator, chef, and influencer based in Ohio, Nelson uses her platforms to yell, sing and celebrate all the edible plants hiding in plain sight. She invites all to come on her foraging journey with her via @alexisnikole (TikTok) and @blackforager (Instagram). Through her search for freely accessible edible plants, she peels back historical layers on African American and Indigenous food traditions that have traditionally been repressed and empowers those living in food deserts with greater self-sufficiency.
Nelson has also cooked up quite a few awards, receiving the James Beard Award for “Best Social Media” 2022, being chosen as a ‘TikTok Tastemaker’ for Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and honored as part of Fortune Magazine’s Creator 25 in 2021. With 5 million followers joining, Alexis takes audiences into the woods and to the oceans in search of edible plants and tasty recipes to enrich their palates and the planet. As Alexis would say, happy snacking, don’t die!
Nelson will be joined in conversation by Natalie Evans, a wild edible foods instructor based in Chicago.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com.