Ashley Gripper

Ashley Gripper aka Dr. Grip is a fifth generation Philadelphian with North Philly roots that trace back to South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Texas. She is an environmental health scientist, an educator at heart and in practice, and a creator of nurturing spaces and experiences that nourish people’s spirits and desire for building community. Ashley founded and is now co-leading Land Based Jawns, a spiritually-rooted and spiritually-grounded project that offers land-based skills and healing workshops for Black Philadelphians. All of her work – interpersonally, professionally, and academically - is about helping Black folks' re-member and reclaim our relationships to the Creator, to our ancestors, to each other, and to our Earth mama. Ashley was a co-creator of Philadelphia’s First Urban Agriculture Plan, a multi-year project that has defined new ways to collaborate and share decision-making among grassroots organizers, City agencies, and urban planning firms.