The Peoples' University Fellowship is an intergenerational gathering of community leaders from across the region to explore, experience and document the Black and Indigenous Ecologies of Virginia's Tidewater and beyond. Participants engage in collaborative and experiential learning opportunities including river tours, cooking demonstrations, and collect oral histories from local food system organizers, activists and advocates.
Participants toured more than a dozen locations, including:
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Menokin
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First Baptist Tapp Library
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Rapp Industrial Academy site
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Virginia Union
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Essex Community Garden
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Purple Tack Trail Rides
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Cat Point Creek
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Green Book sites
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July 31- August 1 2025
2025 Fellowship Activities ​
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Recorded 12 oral histories guided by professional documentarians and producers.
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Kayak tour of Cat Point Creek
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Traditional Indigenous Canoe Burn
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Tour of Lightfoot Lee Ruin
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Guided Harvest at the Menokin Heritage Garden and Yehakin
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Collaborative Open Fire cooking activity
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Shinny Scrimmage
2025 Fellows at a glance
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22 participants aged 13-59
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5 K-12 students
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3 Va Public School teachers
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8 post-secondary scholars from: Columbia, Harvard, Rutgers, William & Mary, RCC​
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4 Mattaponi, Pamunkey and Rappahannock Tribe members
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August 2, 2025
Colors of Cultural Exchange is a day long series of workshops, open to the public, that serves as the capstone event for the Peoples' University. A showcase of Traditional and contemporary skills from Black and Indigenous foodways, the
knowledge sharing event is led by Black, Indigenous and experts of Color from a wide array of backgrounds, drawing presenters directly from community centers of knowledge, Tribal organizations, and elite academic institutions from across the country.
2025 Highlights
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15 Black & Indigenous led community workshops
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​3 cultural musical performances
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Gallery exhibition of original works from 7 Black & Indigenous artists
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2 community health and wellness presentations
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Tastings from 2 Native chefs
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2 DIY workshops for beginning growers
The People's University and Colors of Cultural Exchange is part of a collaborative project by The Haven Shelter and Services and Just Harvest, Va. Programming research, development and support was provided by The Black Ecologies Lab and the Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice at Rutgers University.
Additional resources, support and funding provided by
