We recently connected with Dr. Monique Williams and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dr. Monique thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Heirloom’s story begins with Cancer, Covid and Connection. 8 months before COVID began my family was already experiencing the isolating conditions of quarantine because my younger brother had been diagnosed with T-cell histocyte rich large B cell lymphoma. For 8 months our faces were covered with masks, our wardrobe was medical grade PPE (personal protective equipment) and we fretted over every invisible microorganism that could potentially send my brother’s immune system into panic. Four months into this nightmare my youngest brother and I were told that we may possibly need to serve as stem-cell donors to assist with our brother’s recovery. Seeing as how I was prepared to give all of my organs to my brother if the need arose, giving stem cells felt like the very least I could do. So, I began to prepare my body to offer him the best. I went vegan, ate clean and began to run. The running was my first re-introduction to the land. Running through the world-renowned Houston Medical Center, down through Rice Village, around Hermann Park and back upstairs to my brother’s hospital room became my routine for months. I ran for him and for me. As I ran, I breathed the fresh air, felt the sun’s warmth, saw the trees and heard the birds all on his behalf. It just so happened that I didn’t need to produce any stem cells for him, he produced his own and has been thriving ever since. But I continued to run. My brother was released from MD Anderson Cancer Center one day before the medical center shut down completely due to COVID. We were released from cancer and walked straight into COVID. Needless to say, the world then joined us in quarantine what would be another year. Inside again, there was no safe place for us to go. We were on high alert, concerned about bringing any dangerous germ into the house while my brother’s immune system rebuilt itself from ground zero. Office building and streets with all vacant, everyone in the world was afraid to breathe the air of their next door neighbor. This was particularly true of those in urban areas. Most people had nowhere to go…most. We however, had the country. My grandfather’s land in Somerville, Texas. Nearly 20 acres of land that we shared with no one became a regular refuge for our family. We were safe together and were also given the opportunity to connect with our familial and land roots. I took the opportunity to pause, breathe and consider the gift it was for us to have this land purchased by my grandfather more than 5 decades before. In my conversations with my grandfather we discussed the land history and the land future. He inquired about what I thought we would do with the land years from now. I didn’t have an exact strategy in mind but I promised that I would make every effort to keep it in our family, resource it and use it for good. Who knew that connecting with this land would begin my journey in eco-theology, eco-therapy, land conservation and justice.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Dr. Monique Williams pursued her education at Howard University, Duke University and Creighton University earning degrees in Business Administration, Theology and Community Resilience, respectively. Dr. Monique’s academic experience open doors for her work as an organizational trainer and administrator in a number of helping industries including religious institutions, universities, senior care, and foster care.

Dr. Williams began The Heir+Loom Foundation in response to a series of conversations she had with her grandfather regarding the preservation of their family land in Somerville, TX. Right now, Heir+Loom has no specific product or service, we exist to learn about black land ownership, sustainability and uphold stories about people of color who have returned to nature as a means to cope with or recover from challenging circumstances that have had a negative impact on their physical, mental, spiritual or emotional health.

The long-term vision is to establish a fund that will support Hester Farms for generations to come, it is also to revitalize Hester Farms and utilize the land for therapeutic and recreational purposes for all people but with special emphasis on vulnerable individuals and communities (i.e. communities of color).

For now, The Heir+Loom Foundation is seeking was to show up in the local Houston community and online. This has manifested itself in speaking engagements at Duke University, Methodist Theological School in Ohio/Seminary Hill Farms and Houston Climate Justice Museum/Plant-It Forward. We also host a regular IG Live Series called “In My Nature” where we discuss the unique ways people of color show up in green spaces. We have interviewed vegan chefs, cancer survivors, urban gardeners, farmers, entrepreneurs, educators, therapists and more.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Courage and Authenticity. There are people that I have approached online that have a following quintuple the amount of Heir+Loom. I learned that they too are people with missions, values and heart. My courage to approach them for advice or an interview revealed their humanity. Nearly 95% of the people I have asked to interview have far more followers than us but had never done IG live before I approached them, my courage primed the pump for theirs.

Additionally, authenticity gives me freedom to be me. I never have to worry about what story I told one person or another because its the same story. I don’t have to worry about perfection because my authentic self is extremely confident in my imperfection. People crave a safe space and there is no better way to create than to operate without a mask.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Almost 2 years after Heir+Loom was founded, and I am still here. We are still here. Existing and pushing forward are key elements in resilience. I should know. My doctorate degree was in the resilience of youth post-foster care and the one thing they taught me that still existing today despite yesterday’s challenge is the greatest success of all.

I am still here and still learning. Every day I consider re-branding, revamping my mission, pivoting to an entirely new direction and I no longer consider change a failure.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theheirloomfund.org
• Instagram: @theheirloomfoundation
• Facebook: Search: The Heirloom Fund
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-heir-loom-foundation/
• Youtube: Dr. Monique Williams
• Other: Tic Tok: The Heirloom Foundation

Image Credits
Farm Photos: D. Roshard Photography