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She/Her
Hey there, my name is Brooke! Currently, I am a student at the University of Calgary, studying Sociology and Gender and Sexuality with a passion for Greek and Roman studies. Through my Gender and Sexuality Practicum, I became connected with the Calgary Seed Library and have grown my appreciation for plants and nature. Through the Seed Library, I have been able to connect to the earth and community within. While still working on my green thumb, I can't wait to further my exploration of the land.
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Pronouns: They/Them
My name is Dianne and I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Calgary completing a combined degree in Mathematics, and Gender and Sexuality Studies. It was through the GSXS program that I connected with the CSL as a practicum student in the Praxis Seminar class. I am extremely passionate about food security and food sovereignty. I am so incredibly excited to continue connecting with friends of the seed library as I process seeds and learn more about seed saving and regenerative community building!
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Shelby is a gardener, seed saver, book nerd, and outdoors lover. After trading and lending seeds with friends, neighbours, and gardening clients for a few years, Shelby came together with many wonderful and talented people to create the Calgary Seed Library in 2020.
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She/ They
Hello, my name is Sayo! I’m currently a student at the University of Calgary studying both Biology and Gender & Sexuality Studies, combining my love for invertebrates with my love for social justice and change. I connected with the Seed Library through a Gender Studies practicum class, and have since stayed on to deepen my connections with community as well as to help out with event planning and creation of educational seed saving materials.
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She/Her
Courtney is a naturalist, illustrator, designer, and co-owner of Barun Fox — a two-person design shop in Ramsay. She is continuously exploring how environmental education and storytelling can be integrated and shared through creative mediums. Courtney believes creative forms of communication make our complex world more accessible and can help nurture deeper connections with our shared environment. Courtney created the logo and identity for Calgary Seed Library and painted the Seed Library mural downstairs with Lindsay Katherens at the Next Page.
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Hi my name is Erin! I am currently completing an Undergraduate degree at UofC. I was connected with the CSL through the Gender Studies program at the university and since I’ve been thoroughly enjoying processing seeds and building new connections within the community.”
Pronouns: she/her
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She/Her
Lindsay is a multidisciplinary artist currently based out of nvrlnd art studios in the Ramsay area of Mohkinstsis (Calgary). Her work centres primarily around hand-poked (machine free) tattooing, as well as painting and experimenting with textiles. Influenced by her background in environmental studies and geography, her work explores themes of built urban environments and their relationships with nature and plant life.
Lindsay is one of the amazing artists who painted the mural for the Seed Library downstairs at the Next Page.
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Giordano is a Red Seal Motorcycle Mechanic and works at Ill Fated Kustoms in Calgary. Giordano is passionate about gardening, volunteering, and handmade doors. He built the beautiful seed library cabinet.
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Joe Kadi spends as much time as possible outside in beautiful Treaty 7 territory. He is an okay gardener (sometimes…..) but that does not deter him from continuing. He is fortunate to work as a social justice educator in the Gender and Sexuality Studies program at University of Calgary. He’s begun working more closely with folks at the Calgary Seed Library, and has left each gathering feeling positive and connected.
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My name is Emilie and I work as a Qualitative Research Analyst at the University of Calgary. I am very new to gardening but have always felt drawn towards it. This is only my second year having my very own garden. I have been involved in the Calgary Seed Library through seed sorting and volunteer organizing, but I am mostly here to connect with the community and learn more about seeds, seed saving, and gardening.
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My name is Sean and I am an urban beekeeper and environmental educator! I became involved with the seed library because I love learning and meeting people who care about food security, plants, and community just as much as I do. I run the seed library’s instagram account - follow us @calgaryseedlibrary
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Pronouns: He/Him
My name is Charlie and I've been a volunteer with the Seed Library since it launched. I was introduced to houseplants and gardening through a tiny little seed library managed by a generous gardener in my neighborhood, which provided me with plants to grow and seeds to experiment with. Since then, my life has been consumed by gardening, mostly growing fruits and vegetables in my small home garden and community garden box. During the spring and summer, I work as a gardener with a local company, while in the fall and winter, I work towards completing a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies and Sociology. I recently completed the Master Gardener program with the Calgary Horticultural Society and hope to study horticulture at Old's College in the future. At the Seed Library, I primarily help with event planning and seed processing, and have fallen in love with the ever-growing community being built.
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Heather is a community development professional with a natural green thumb, mixed with a dash of ADHD. By day she manages Highfield Regenerative Farm- a 15 acre community urban farm hub in Calgary. By night, she grows her own garden, bakes bread and treats, hikes and camps and cares for her handsome dog, fancy fish, sourdough starter Shmeep IV, and 40+ houseplant babies.
Heather supports the Calgary Seed Library as part of the data management team, and random acts of ‘doing the things’.
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I’m a Ramsay dweller who loves playing with soil. For many moons I have planted many seeds just to see what will grow, not only as a gardener, but also in my practice as a Craniosacral therapist.
Gardening as a hobby evolved into permaculture as a passion. Seed saving seems like an integral piece of this puzzle. I was lucky enough to have Shelby land in my back yard one day picking cherries. It was meant to be and here I am!
Sharing seeds and sharing food is such a beautiful and bountiful currency. I am grateful to be on this team of contributors and I wish to see more of this work in the world.a
Lucille Light BCST, RCST
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she/her/siya
Julie is a gardener, seed saver and food preserver. She is also a Filipinx Mama bear of 2 kids (and 2 cats). She enjoys books, being outside in the garden and is an active community member. She supports the Calgary Seed Library by contributing to the data management team, growing out seeds and doing whatever interests her about the Calgary Seed Library.
The Next Page is a local bookstore in Calgary in the heart of Inglewood. Purveyors of new and old books sharing a love of reading to book lovers everywhere. The main floor houses new books and a coffee shop in the back, the downstairs contains used books and our Seed Library location! Check out their website.
The Next Page
Salt Spring Seeds is spearheaded by Dan Jason: “A passionate gardener since he planted his backyard in Montreal at age 13, Dan Jason is committed to empowering people to grow their own food and save their own seed. Since 1976 he has lived on Salt Spring Island, BC, where he created the mail order seed company Salt Spring Seeds, which specializes in heritage and heirloom open-pollinated and non-GMO seed varieties of vegetables and plants.” -Salt Spring Seeds Website
Salt Spring Seeds is one of our generous donators of seeds to kickstart our seed library!
“West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company, enabling an organic lifestyle and growing community. A leading purveyor of premium seeds and garden supplies, West Coast Seeds is a group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and service that better nature.” -West Coast Seeds Website
West Coast Seeds is one of our generous donators of seeds to kickstart our seed library!
West Coast Seeds
Salt Spring Seeds
University of Calgary’s gender and sexuality studies program
The GSXS program focuses on issues of gender and sexuality, as well as race, class, disability, citizenship/documentation, age, and environmental issues. This work is defined by an intersectional, global approach, and issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion are featured in all classes. GSXS instructors are committed to collaborative and participatory classrooms, decolonial learning, and a human rights agenda.
The Calgary Seed Library (CSL) has worked closely with the University of Calgary’s Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSXS) program where some of the volunteers are alumni and continuously engage undergraduate students. The CSL is strongly aligned to the values of the GSXS program including inclusivity and environmental justice. The program also shares the library’s vision to grow the seed library. In 2022, they helped the CSL to build a strategy for internal capacity building and provided guidance on increased inclusive community outreach. The program, with a strong focus on providing community-based opportunities and experiential learning, often works with grassroots groups and local nonprofits. With these efforts, undergraduate students are gifted the opportunity to learn about seed sovereignty, climate action, and community organizing.