Black August: A Month of Resistance, Remembrance, and Rooted Resilience

Honoring the freedom fighters who came before—and the healing work we carry forward

There's a different kind of fire that burns in the month of August. It's not just the summer heat (though lawd, it's hot). It's a holy fire. A fire of remembrance. A fire of resistance. A fire that reminds us of the ancestors who refused to bow.

Black August isn't a celebration in the traditional sense—no party hats or confetti here. It's a commemoration. A season of study, reflection, and radical remembering. It's a time to honor the Black freedom fighters, revolutionaries, and political prisoners who gave their lives—and their freedom—so that we could keep doing the work of liberation.

Black August started in California's prisons in the 1970s, born out of the Black revolutionary tradition. In 1979, incarcerated folks at San Quentin came together to honor the lives of George Jackson, Jonathan Jackson, and other Black men who had been killed in the struggle for freedom. What began behind bars has since spread across the country and the world—a month-long call to reflect, study, and act in the service of Black liberation.

At Rising Rooted, we carry this legacy in our bones. Our ancestors—Black Americans who worked the tobacco fields of Virginia and the coal mines of West Virginia—knew what it meant to resist. They knew what it meant to endure. And they knew what it meant to heal. They passed down plant medicine through generations, turning pain into poultices and oppression into resilience. That's the spirit of Black August. That's the spirit of Rising Rooted.

Our Offerings for This Sacred Season

As we move through Black August, we invite you to join us in honoring this legacy through the practices that sustain us: herbal wellness, storytelling, community, and maybe a little dancing.

🌿 Pre-Order Stitching the Sun

My new book, Stitching the Sun, is now available for pre-order! This collection of visionary Afrofuturist stories weaves together resilience, herbal wisdom, and the sacred art of tending both land and spirit. It honors the Appalachian and Southern roots that shaped my family—and so many Black families—and the healing traditions passed down through generations. Every page is stitched with intention, just like the quilts of the grandmothers who came before us.

Be among the first to hold this labor of love. 👉 [Link to pre-order]

🌸 Herbal Wellness Essentials

Our small-batch herbal remedies are grown with intention and crafted with care—medicine that honors the traditions of our ancestors.

Herbal Cold & Cough Syrup – A blend of organic, immune-boosting herbs with Elecampane root, Ginger root, and raw local Virginia honey. Back in stock Summer 2026.
Herbal Throat Spray – Available in both glycerin-based (alcohol-free) and alcohol-based formulas. Crafted to soothe and protect.
Herbal First Aid Kit – Thoughtfully selected herbs and remedies for life's little bumps and scrapes. Because true preparedness is rooted in self-reliance.

Pre-orders are open now—these small batches won't last. 👉 [Link to shop]

🎨 Indigo & African Block Printing Workshop

Saturday, August 15, 2026 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Step into a hands-on workshop inspired by Stitching the Sun. Learn traditional West African block printing, work with a living indigo vat, and create your own hand-stamped, naturally dyed fabric. Space is limited to just 10 participants—reserve your spot today! 👉 [Link to register]

🧘🏽‍♀️ August Yoga Classes

Join me on the mat as we move with intention and breath. August classes are open for registration—a chance to root down and rise up together. 👉 [Link to class schedule]

A Call to Remember (But Not to Stress)

During Black August, we're called to remember. To study. To fast. To pray. To organize. But here's the thing—the freedom fighters we honor didn't fight so we could burn out. They fought so we could thrive.

So this month, I invite you to tend to yourself. Drink your tea. Take your tincture. Walk the back roads. Sit with the ancestors. And when you're ready, rise rooted—just as they did.

Movement and Joy: Because Our Ancestors Danced Too

Okay, I'm about to get real with you for a second—and then we're going to have some fun.

You already know that trauma gets stored in the hips. It's a whole thing. Our ancestors carried generations of pain in their bodies, and they also knew the medicine of movement. So this month, I'm giving you permission—no, I'm encouraging you—to move.

Turn on some music. And I mean good music. Something that makes your soul stir and your shoulders start to roll. Something that makes you forget about your to-do list for at least three minutes.

Then dance.

It doesn't have to be pretty. It doesn't have to be choreographed. Nobody's watching (unless you have nosy neighbors—then just close the blinds and go for it). Let your hips sway, let your shoulders roll, let your feet find the rhythm. Let the music move through you like water through a river. Let your body release what it's been holding.

Dance like your ancestors are watching—and cheering you on.

Because they absolutely are. And I'm pretty sure they're laughing with you, not at you.

Wrapping It Up with Love

Black August is about resistance and restoration—two sides of the same coin. So this month, honor the struggle, honor the legacy, and honor yourself.

Drink your tea.
Take your herbs.
Move your body.
Laugh a little.
And know that you are part of a long, beautiful lineage of people who refused to give up.

With gratitude, revolutionary love, and a little bit of groove,

Conya
Rising Rooted Yoga & Herbal Apothecary

P.S. Go ahead—turn on that playlist right now. I'll wait. And if you need a song recommendation, I've got a few. Just say the word. 🌿