Be enchanted by folklore, magic, art, breath work, and nature at Galvez Garden. Inspired by the moon & intended to ground you, as a family.

We are thrilled to be welcoming our newest Artist-in-Resident, Plantainfutures! Samille Ganges is going to be offering the Lunar Astronomy Circle series starting in October.

Plantainfutures

With a diverse background in theatre, education, community outreach, tech, and the healing arts, Samille brings a unique blend of creativity, and a deep commitment to community building that aligns beautifully with the mission of the NOLA Artist Incubator. Under the name Plantainfutures, Samille is committed to leaving the environment better than when she arrived. Samille has a lot in common with the mighty garden weed, plantain. They both hold healing properties, wisdom and lore. Plantainfutures offerings are always community centered and a refuge for artists in need of repair. Samille is a wounded healer and a practitioner of many different artistic mediums. As Plantainfutures she finds that storytelling is a common thread.

Samille holds a degree in Musical Theatre from New Jersey City University and began her journey in the arts at Morgan State University where she studied Opera and Vocal Performance. During college, she performed professionally and supported myself herself by different Box Office Manager positions, catering, and Teaching Theatre Arts to urban youth. She became the Box Office Manager and later Community Outreach Coordinator at Art House Productions in Jersey City—one of Jersey City’s most prominent visual and performing arts organizations. There, she cultivated partnerships with nonprofits and other cultural institutions, strengthening their community presence and deepening her understanding of arts programming and engagement. This job was pivotal in gaining understanding of the role community centered arts organizations played in her life and her neighbor’s lives.

After a traumatic birth experience and welcoming her daughter Earth Side, Samille started her healing journey with herbal medicine, nature walks, growing her own food, and indigenous technologies, – like her moon practice. Samille’s journey with the Moon, catalyzed after her Father transitioned. The Moon was one of the mediums that helped soothe her heart.Working with her daughter, they started to learn all that they could about the Moon. It brought so much wonder and joy into their lives and soon something they did as a family, grew to be an official offering that Samille shares with the community in New Orleans. That is how the Lunar Astronomy Circle was born. Always free, always communal, always divine.

If Samille is not performing, then she is busy creating other offerings that serve the collective. If Samille is not doing either of those things, then you can find her fighting climate justice from Baton Rouge to New Orleans in her current role as Communications Manager for Inclusive Louisiana. They are fighting for clean air, clean water & racial justice in the river parishes. It is clear that her life’s work is somewhere between Art, Land, Liberation, Education & Justice. Since calling New Orleans home, Samille has held positions at Grow Dat Youth Farm, Speakeasy Farm, Bricolage Charter School, Young Audiences, Hi Hostel, and more.

Lunar Astronomy Circle

The Lunar Astoninmy Circle connects children and families with their most consistent satellite, the Moon! These sessions blend science and spirit; exploring: folklore, magic, indigenous knowledge, story, song, art, and nature to children through land-based learning. What we know to be true is that these above components engage children’s imagination and spark wonder in the natural world. We teach children about lunar phases, gravitational pull, sleep cycles, calendars, and ancient ways of tracking time. We also explore the Moon’s cultural significance through indigenous knowledge, art-making, and song. The Moon illuminates more than just the night; it reveals how deeply our ancestors were in tune with the natural world. Understanding the Moon is not just for the “woo”—it’s rooted in history, survival, and shared human experience. It can conjure great remembering.

Our first session is on the Hunter Full Moon, October 7th from 5:30pm-7:00pm.

Space is limited and registration is required. Click the link below to sign up!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunar-astronomy-circle-hunter-full-moon-tickets-1694017304359