D <i>eco</i> lonizing the Soil, D <i>eco</i> lonizing the Soul: Gothic Black Feminism and the Ecological Mirror

The current study employed interpretative phenomenological analysis and Gothic Black feminist thought to examine how nonbinary Black womxn (NBBW) in the United States conceptualize their gendered-racial identity and experiences in relation to nature. We recruited N = 11 participants using purposive sampling. Participants completed individual semi-structured qualitative interviews and photo elicitation to better understand how nature reflected and connected to their gendered-racial identity. Results comprised seven co-constructed themes referred to as the Seven Ecological Wisdoms: (1) Wisdom 1: Tripartite Consciousness and the Multidimensionality of Being, (2) Wisdom 2: Boundlessness and the Expansivity of Existence, (3) Wisdom 3: Seasonal Transformation and the Fluidity of Change (sub-wisdoms: Seasonal Transformation and Constant State of Flow), (4) Wisdom 4: The Deep Dive of Self-Discovery, (5) Wisdom 5: Hardship and Perseverance, (6) Wisdom 6: The Complexities of Community (sub-wisdoms: Community in Balance and The Imbalance of Power, Provision, and Reciprocal Care) and (7) Wisdom 7: Diversity is Naturally Occurring. Implications advocate for the integration of nature via a Gothic Black feminist framework to nuance how US Black womxn’s gendered-racial experiences are conceptualized and addressed in decolonial research and practice.