Living Roots of Mountain Medicine - May 14, 2026

Spend an evening in conversation about traditional and modern practices of working with plants for healing and wellness from Indigenous and Afrolachian traditions, presented by Rene and Ruby.

Rene Bio:

Rene Reynolds is a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist with over 33 years of experience in holistic health and medical-based bodywork. She serves as an Adjunct Professor at Forsyth Technical Community College, where she teaches Chinese medicine theory and its practical application. Rene’s approach to healing is deeply informed by her cultural heritage, drawing from the traditions of the Overhill Band of Georgia Cherokee, the Meherrin people of Virginia, and the Gullah Geechee people of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. She integrates this lineage into her work, offering a holistic and culturally rooted perspective on wellness.

Ruby Bio

Ruby Daniels is a repeat presenter at the Yew Mountain Center because she is a gifted educator and storyteller, with an abundance of knowledge and life experience that she shares generously. Ruby is an herbalist and the owner of Creasy Jane’s, a sustainably sourced herbal products business. She lives on her family’s homestead in a former African American coal-mining town. She has a Master of Science in Therapeutic Herbalism. Ruby is also a forest farmer and soil conservationist with the USDA.

This evening is made possible by the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.

An optional taco bar following the presentation is available to keep the conversation going.