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My name is Silas (they/he). I am a first-generation Assyrian-American born and raised in Skokie, IL. From their homeland in the Middle East, my family brought their love of gathering wild edibles. As a young child, I have many delightful memories of reaching up for berries and fruit on branches and bending down to the ground for aromatic greens. While in the middle of a high-density suburban neighborhood, I could still feel the abundance and nourishment of Mother Nature. As I grew up, I was surprised to find out that many of my peers were not aware of the food freely growing around them. I now regularly bring others into my foraging escapades, and witnessing their excitement and awareness grow is a blessing. The ability to increasingly call more of our local flora by name, receive their gifts, and foster stewardship of their ecosystems is a profound pleasure.
