New interdisciplinary publication centers Indigenous voices and decolonial practices in dialogue about water, land, and community
New York, NY, November 17, 2025 — Groundwater Arts proudly announces the release of "Start with the Ground: a journal on decolonization," an ambitious interdisciplinary publication that brings together Indigenous artists, writers, and community leaders to explore the intersections of decolonization, climate justice, and artistic practice.
"In an era of societal polycrises, the greatest barrier isn't lack of resources or knowledge, it's our inability to dream beyond present disasters," explain co-editors Annalisa Dias and Tara Moses (Seminole/Mvskoke). "If we cannot imagine a better world, how will we be galvanized to bring it into being? This journal exists to inspire, provoke, and ignite our imagination."
The inaugural issue features contributions from prominent Indigenous and allied artists including Tara Moses, Ashley Minner Jones (Lumbee Nation of North Carolina), DeLesslin George-Warren (Catawba), Quita Sullivan (Shinnecock/Montauket), Dillon Yruegas (Coahuiltecan), and Madeline Easley (Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma), Annalisa Dias, Linda Parris-Bailey, Phaedra Scott, and Stephanie Ybarra. The journal was co-edited by Sabine Decatur, Annalisa Dias, and Tara Moses. Book design and illustrations by Melissa Dias-Mandoly.
“Building upon years of collaborative engagements, generations of knowledge and care, Start with the Ground reflects both a new approach to Indigenous storytelling, theorizing, and creative expression, and an insistence on belonging to ancestral traditions,” notes Indigenous studies scholar, Dr. Joseph Pierce (Cherokee).
"Start with the Ground" shatters conventional academic boundaries, weaving together creative writing, critical essays, and hands-on worksheets that transform readers into active participants in decolonial practice. From Tara Moses's "Creative Sovereignty" to Ashley
Minner Jones's "Rivers" and a provocative roundtable on settler colonialism, each piece demands engagement, not passive consumption.
The journal's very title embodies Groundwater Arts' revolutionary philosophy: "Start with the ground. Give thanks for the water. Seed a just future."
The project emerged from seven years of Groundwater Arts' commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and community building. With generous support from the Mellon Foundation and JKW Foundation, the journal represents a significant investment in decolonial arts practice and Indigenous artistic expression.
Review Copies Available Upon Request
"Start with the Ground: a journal on decolonization" is available in print and e-book here.
For interviews with contributors and media related inquiries, contact Annalisa Dias at groundwaterarts@gmail.com. For general information about Groundwater Arts, visit www.groundwaterarts.com.
About Groundwater Arts
Groundwater Arts is a US-based artist collaborative committed to reenvisioning the arts field through a climate justice lens. Our decolonial approach is activated through the principles of a Green New Theatre (GNT), a movement-building document penned by Groundwater Arts in partnership with countless arts makers throughout the country. Our mission is to braid together new ideas, living knowledge, and immediate strategies to bring the arts and culture field to the decolonized and climate-just future faster. Like mangrove tree roots, we are adaptable, committed to protecting frontline communities, and ready to face the biggest challenges of our time.
