The Outstanding Scholar Award is given to applicants who we feel are utilizing their studies in promising ways, and show innovative and creative ideas for how they plan to build on their studies to bring healing and safety to our communities.
Sarah María
Acosta Ahmad
Sarah María is a Two-Spirit copalera, artist, trauma worker, herbalist and community organizer living on Three Fire Nations land in so-called Pontiac, Michigan. They use their Mexika ancestral wisdom to make medicines and to guide plant teachings that are affirming for Queer, Trans and gender gradiant folks. Sarah is pursuing a graduate studies program in Community, Liberation, Indigenous and Ecopsychologies at the Pacifica Graduate Institute. Currently, they are invovled in crisis work at a local anti-violence organization, designing and advocating for the implementation of culturally competent services for queer, disabled, low-income, immigrant and people of color in urban communities. When they are not block printing or gardening, Sarah focuses on building an ancestral apothecary that centers QTIGNCNB2S folks, mutual-aid medicine shares and decolonial care work. Their interests include Indigenous bearth work, textiles, ancestral foods for healing, shapeshifting with plants, bodymind liberation, and environmental justice.