C. Gypsi Lewis (she/they) is a Black and Brown queer femme born in New Orleans, Louisiana (Bulbancha) of the Lewis, Thomas, Miller, (de)Leon, Ruiz, and Baham families. Their praxis include installation art, small batch herbal skincare goods, full spectrum birth support, reiki, herbal alchemy, urban gardening, and educational workshops. A nightlife and entertainment aficionado, Gypsi also produces events Ascendance, COUCHES, and most recently Live In America Festival at The Momentary Museum. Describing her work as necessary, expansive, and sacred, Gypsi’s growth is rooted in reverence for her Ancestors, Elders, and Community. In 2019, they were a chosen visual artist to partner with Ashe’ Cultural Center and the University of Cincinnati to participate in an art exhibit entitled (Inter)SEX/SHUN/ALL. The works in this exhibit centered the experiences of LGBTQIA+ communities of Color and the New Orleans Police Department. In the Spring of 2020, they were invited back to Ashe’ to participate in the exhibit “Black Feminist: The Future Is Now” in honor of Women’s History Month. Currently operating in her birthplace, a large part of Gypsi’s vision is to reshape the self-care, healing, food and reproductive justice climates in communities of BIPOC, queer, and undocumented folx. On her own or in solidarity with several grassroots and healing justice organizations like The NOLA Herb Gathering, Samara Herb School, Women with A Vision, LLC , Rosalie Botanicals, New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, and Black Trans Circles she’s able to offer accessible and cathartic resources, support, and education. During Gypsi’s residency, she used the time to reaffirm her relationship with the land and its medicines and also to develop a practice working with paper making.

“This land felt familiar. In an ever-changing physical and economic climate, that was a necessary medicine for me as a folk herbalist born here in New Orleans of migrant (voluntary and not) ancestry. During my stay I was able to sort through ideas, spreadsheets, feelings, and new  dreams….I’ll remember the excitement of seeing plants I recognized, the night sounds, and the boldly curious lizard friends I shared my studio patio with.” – C. Gypsi Lewis

Headshot by Fernando Lopez