Anna Smith is a student—of plants and soils, socio-spiritual prophets, and all caretakers, small and large, close to home and far away. She calls the southeastern coast of North America home, particularly the live oaks draped in Spanish moss and the fragrant, vast marshlands. Her enchantment and relationship with this coastal ecosystem have guided her to the Buddhadharma and a livelihood engaged in food systems. Most recently Anna lived and worked at the Happy Farm at Plum Village, the Buddhist monastery and practice center initiated by The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. She has temporarily stepped away from full-time work in food systems to pursue a Master's in Divinity at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Here, she's interested in deepening her experience with spiritual care, spiritually grounded engagement in social movements, and collaboration with others practicing collective healing. As a participant in the first Touching the Earth cohort in 2021, she returns to TTE with a glad heart for a fourth summer.
