“Holy Ground” is a testament to Flowers’ faith and her commitment to justice. She opened by reflecting on the spiritual foundation of her activism, sharing the book’s origin story: a ceremony that she participated in with Gore and other CEE team members at a sacred site—Holy Ground—in her native Lowndes County, outside of Montgomery, Alabama.
The book weaves together her personal history with the ongoing fight for environmental justice, demonstrating how her upbringing and deep rootedness in Lowndes County shapes her activism. “I think that we learn some things by osmosis,” Flowers said when speaking of her parents’ deep involvement in civil rights and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). This legacy of justice, she explained, informs her work today as she fights for clean water, sanitation and environmental protections for marginalized communities.
Faith was a recurring theme throughout the evening, with Flowers using biblical examples to frame contemporary struggles. She spoke of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus as a metaphor for political corruption, warning against leaders who “sell out the community” for corporate interests.
Her faith instills a deep belief in transformation and redemption. This guides her work, which often involves engaging with people who, at first glance, seemed to be adversaries, including Tommy Tuberville and Jeff Sessions. “I think it’s possible to change,” she said. “We have to believe that people can be transformed, and that’s where faith comes in.”