In this profound and deeply reflective episode of Compost, Cotton & Cornrows, Dominique sits down with acclaimed author, essayist and climate writer Mary Annaïse Heglar for a conversation about what it means to bear witness in a world shaped by ecological crisis. Drawing from her upbringing in Alabama and Mississippi, Mary reflects on the Black Southern traditions, elders and landscapes that first taught her environmental stewardship happening before sustainability became a mainstream movement. Together, they explore how storytelling, memory and lived experience become powerful tools for challenging dominant environmental narratives.

Throughout the conversation, Dominique and Mary unpack the complicated relationship between mainstream environmentalism and Black communities, the emotional realities of writing through climate collapse … buy also, why honesty remains the highest calling of any artist. From discussing her acclaimed novel Troubled Waters and children's book The World Is Ours to Cherish to exploring caregiving, gardening, generational healing and the importance of reclaiming Southern environmental histories. Mary offers a timely reminder that the future will be shaped by the stories we choose to tell, whose voices we amplify and our willingness to return to the wisdom that has always lived within our communities.

https://www.maryannaiseheglar.com/

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