OPENsource Conversations: Sustainability, A Cultural Legacy

OPENsource serves as a channel where interdisciplinary artist James Williams III strives to make space for compelling conversations with advantageous insights to empower the self-taught and self-starters. The ultimate goal of the OPENsource Conversations series is to engage the community with unique high-impact activations in efforts to stimulate personal development and eliminate barriers due to gatekeeping or the lack of information literacy.

Join Williams for a thought-provoking panel during Atlanta Design Festival featuring an eclectic Atlanta-based group of speakers who will explore sustainability through the ancestral lens of agriculture, fashion, and architecture. Williams will take a deep dive with Quianah Upton of Nourish Botanica, El Lewis of O. STUDIO DESIGN, and Hailey Wilkins who specializes in architecture/interiors. This event addresses the POC community and invites those beyond to engage in a deeper conversation about how sustainability is not a modern trend but a cultural legacy passed down through generations.

Our ancestors practiced sustainability through farming methods that nurtured the land, eco-conscious craftsmanship, and architectural designs that harmonized with nature. These practices were not just about survival, they reflected a profound respect for the earth ensuring balance and longevity.

Through this panel, we’ll hear from individuals in practice of advocating for the reclamation and integration of ancestral wisdom into contemporary practices. Speakers will share insights into sustainable agriculture, forward thinking eco-fashion, and environmentally conscious architecture, drawing connections between these fields and various cultural heritages. They will discuss how often-overlooked traditions can offer critical solutions to today’s challenges.

This conversation serves as a reminder that sustainability is deeply rooted in our cultural identities. If we don’t embrace and honor these practices, we risk losing the valuable wisdom of our ancestors that can guide us toward a more equitable and sustainable future. This panel aims to inspire us to reclaim our role as cultural stewards of sustainability.

* *Please arrive a little ahead of time, chairs are limited.

* * Rideshare heavily encouraged.

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