#VSGetsLit Book Club: April Staff Picks

Here are 5 books about ancestral knowledge, environmental justice, and our relationship with nature by women of color in STEM

Photo by Cottonbro Studio on Pexels

Let’s catch you up with what has been happening at VanguardSTEM! This Earth Month, we hosted a book club giveaway featuring Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, Ph.D. and her book “The Spirit of the Rainforest: How Indigenous Wisdom and Scientific Curiosity Reconnects Us to the Natural World” We gave away a FREE copy each week this month! Follow us on our social media platforms or read our recent article to get all the details.

VanguardSTEM #VSGetsLit February Book Club Featured author, Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza (left) and the cover graphics to her book, ““The Spirit of the Rainforest: How Indigenous Wisdom and Scientific Curiosity Reconnects Us to the Natural World” (right). Photo by Ana Elisa Sotelo for National Geographic and Octopus Publishing Group respectively.

There are so many incredible books out there so we want to share the love and add to our book club by curating an incredible stack (AKA reading list) about different facets of nature written by women of color. These are authors who are reshaping how we understand our relationship to the natural world. They invite us to rethink what counts as knowledge, whose voices are centered, and how we can imagine a more sustainable future.

Editor’s note: By no means is this meant to be an exhaustive list. We are not affiliated with the authors, nor responsible for the content or publication choice of any book below, unless specifically indicated. We simply want to #AmplifyBlackSTEM and #AmplifyBIPOCinSTEM by sharing books with our VanguardSTEM community.

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Ph.D.

Cover graphic of Braidingsweet Grass. Image credit to Gretchen Achilles.

“Robin Wall Kimmerer has written an extraordinary book, showing how the factual, objective approach of science can be enriched by the ancient knowledge of the indigenous people. It is the way she captures beauty that I love the most — the images of giant cedars and wild strawberries, a forest in the rain and a meadow of fragrant sweetgrass will stay with you long after you read the last page.” — Jane Goodall

Dr. Wall Kimmerer uses a moving, poetic voice to encourage us to adopt an Indigenous lens through which to view the world. This shift changes our view of the land from one of ownership to stewardship. Alluded by the title, the act of braiding sweetgrass — often regarded as the hair of Mother Earth — symbolizes the blending of Indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge. For anyone seeking a deeper relationship with the natural world, this one is for you.

P.S. Grab the free discussion and question guide to fully delve in!

What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Ph.D.

“This book had me at its title. Through a collection of thoughtful essays and interviews, Johnson explores the possibility of getting it right with a visionary group of environmental leaders, activists and other big thinkers working on the front lines. Johnson, who has become a prominent voice on climate solutions, reminds us that there is also joy in working toward a future where we can all thrive.” — Los Angeles Times

Fresh off the shelf! This book is a combination of clear-eyed essays, vibrant interviews, data, poetry, and art. Dr. Johnson, invites us to move beyond seeing nature as something to manage — and instead, as something we belong to. She brings together visionary farmers and financiers, architects and advocates to elaborate on the conversation of hope-filled possibilities of our climate futures. Originally published in 2024, Dr. Johnson released a new expanded version of her book last week complete with the most recent stats, some spicy new footnotes, and four new interviews!

P.S. Check out the accompanying reading guide! It’s divided in eight sections, mirroring the format of the book. It’s rich with reflections, questions, and actions to keep the momentum going. Book club IRL or across the hyperspace, anyone?

P.P.S. There’s a 2026 Book Tour for the new paperback edition. Check if there’s one in a city near you and join the climate dance party!

When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America’s Black Botanical Legacy by Beronda L. Montgomery, Ph.D.

Cover graphic of When Trees Testify. Image credit to Henry Holt and Co.

“A poignant and singular retelling of Black American history.” — Publishers Weekly

If trees could talk, what would they say? Dr. Montgomery, a leading researcher in plant biology, gives plants and trees a voice to the hidden truths entrenched in their roots. She artfully intertwines botany and the Black experience, bringing to light the often-overlooked plant expertise of Black Americans. There is much to glean from this book, which centers on seven specific tree species and how they have become inextricable from the histories of Black Americans. If you’re interested to see how the wisdom of science and history culminate in a powerful cultural reclamation of Black history and botanical mastery, then look no further.

P.S. Dr. Montgomery is also a long-time member and supporter of the #VSVillage and the #BlackandSTEM community. Check out her previous Community Feature on VanguardSTEM and April Book Club featuring her first book, *Lessons from Plants*!

As Long As Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock by Prof. Dina Gilio-Whitaker

Cover graphic of As Long as Grass Grows. Image credit to Beacon Press.

“Dina Gilio-Whitaker writes in succinct, powerful, and deeply historical ways about Natives and environmental justice or — almost always — lack thereof.” — Andrés Reséndez, author of The Other Slavery

Prof. Gilio-Whitaker, of the Colville Confederate Tribes, provides an accessible history of Indigenous resistance to government and corporate incursions on Native lands such as the 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests. She highlights the pivotal role that women have played in environmental activism along with a critique of the mainstream environmental movements and their exclusion of Indigenous voices. The book concludes with innovative strategies to move forward in the ongoing global fight to protect the land we’ve been entrusted with. This book will change your mind if you think environmental issues can be separated from history, politics, and Indigenous rights.

Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science by Jessica Hernandez, Ph.D.

Cover graphic of Fresh Banana Leaves. Image credit to North Atlantic Books.

“In Fresh Banana Leaves, Jessica Hernandez weaves personal, historical, and environmental narratives to offer us a passionate and powerful call to increase our awareness and to take responsibility for caring for Mother Earth.” A must-read for anyone interested in Indigenous environmental perspectives.” — EMIL’ KEME (K’iche’Maya Nation), member of the Ixbalamke Junajpu Winaq’ Collective

The Maya Ch’orti’ and Zapotec identity of Dr. Hernandez paired with her training as an environmental scientist creates an insightful critique between Indigenous science and Western conservation. She weaves case studies and personal histories that center women in Latin America and Indigenous knowledge systems. The title itself stems from a story about the author’s father, who sought refuge under a banana tree during a bombardment in El Salvador’s civil war. If you think environmental science is only found in labs — this book will expand your horizons beyond them.

P.S. Check out this Foodie Pharmacology Podcast, which features Dr. Jessica Hernandez and her book.

This article was originally published on April 24, 2026 on VanguardSTEM.com as part of our #VSGetsLit series.

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