Tierra Burrell has been living a plant-based lifestyle for 12 years, long before it was trendy or popular. Prior to beginning Tierra Goes Green (TGG), she was a makeup artist who was known for bringing her own snacks on set. Clients couldn’t help noticing her infectious energy and glowing skin and soon they were demanding to know her secrets. When she left the makeup industry, creating a business that allowed her to share her knowledge seemed like an obvious next step.
Burrell describes TGG as a lifestyle language program that focuses on mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health to help clients learn the language of themselves. She offers her handmade, plant-based creations on TGG’s shopify, with products that include dietary supplements, hair growth oils, and skincare serums. On her popular YouTube channel, she shares tips for tackling tummy issues, sustainable beauty rituals, and workout routines.
Tierra’s passion comes from a deep-seated desire to address chronic illness in the Black community. She began to notice how many people were sick at her family functions, not just physically (although that too was common), but spiritually ill. She said, “We are in such a sick, sick world, energetically, financially, emotionally, and I want people to feel as good as I do. I want people to know there’s a way out and that even though the world is sick, they still deserve to feel good as individuals.”
When it became obvious just how much Burrell’s priorities differed from colleagues in the predominantly white wellness industry, the Atlanta-based influencer became determined to carve out a space that placed focus on the Black community.
“It’s a very racist, segregated industry and I am very outspoken about the fact that I don’t do this because of the animals, but out of a motivation to keep Black folks alive and healthy,” she said, adding, “There’s a huge cultural difference where a lot of people in the industry seem to care more about animals than the people who are being shot by police and kids in cages at the border. They want me to feel bad because of how the animals are treated, but I don’t apologize for feeling good and celebrating life and loving who I am and that bothers them.”
She thinks that if more Black people understood the actual power of their melanin they might join her in a plant-based lifestyle.
“If Black people really understood the chemistry within their melanin and how powerful it is, I think more people would adopt this lifestyle,” she said. “I eat things that look like me. I put fruits and vegetables into my body because they are vibrant and alive like me, I don’t eat dead things because that’s not the type of energy that I want to take in.”
She acknowledges that it can be difficult to make this shift, especially for those living in food deserts or without access to nutritional education.
“Because our society is so out of alignment with nature, it’s difficult to go against the grain and take a stand against that, it really takes a concerted effort and a desire to change.”
She hopes to make that transition a little easier with TGG products and tutorials.
Burrell travels often for speaking engagements and appearances as well as for pleasure. She was happy to share her tips for staying healthy on the go and how plant-based living impacts where she travels.
“Most of the places I travel to are tropical and heat rich where fruits and veggies are abundant, but I always advise people to get travel packs of green powder which they can easily mix with any juice or water to make sure they’re getting plant nutrients,” she offered.
“It’s also important to maintain your water intake, especially when flying because that has a really big impact on our body chemistry and people often get dehydrated or constipated after a flight. I always tell people to hydrate as soon as they touch down on land.”
Her final suggestion is to, “Pack supplements so even if you’re in a place that doesn’t have the same fruits and vegetables that you’re used to, you’re still maintaining your cellular health.”
As for Burrell’s must-have travel products?
“I never go anywhere without my face flavor, which is a facial moisturizer with natural soap that absorbs and blocks the sun at the same time. Hemp oil also does wonders for the skin and you’ll always find that in my travel bag. Lastly, I always have an assortment of stones and crystals to keep me in balance. Amethyst, citrine, tiger’s eye, and clear quartz are my go-tos for travel.”
Tierra will be sharing more of her plant-based wisdom in a book that’s expected for release in October 2019. It’s about her personal experiences of having blissful, pleasurable experiences in a fulfilling way and how she let go of detrimental behaviors to truly honor herself.
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