Origin Story

In 2016, Nashville became an anchor partner for the Black Land and Liberation Initiative (BLLI). A national vision, strategy and training program to build shared models for land-based reparations toward self-determining black community spaces. Through collective education, farming, and fellowship, BLLI Nashville took shape and began to envision a community that was in right relationship to land, right relationship to economics, and right relationship to each other. The Water Bear Cooperative Land Project is the manifestation of this vision coming alive.

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The Water Bear Cooperative Land Project (WBCLP) is a cooperative makers space and land trust dedicated to maintaining a safe haven for black people to learn, heal, rest, and be in our full power. We are based in Nashville, TN on Tsalagi (Cherokee), Shawnee, and Yuchi land stewarding 6 acres. We honor the original stewards of this land recognized and unrecognized.