Meet Rabiyah Abdus-salaam

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rabiyah Abdus-salaam. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rabiyah, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I believe we are all born with our purpose and live it out as we fulfill our destiny. However, society often doesn’t support the diverse roles we are inherently meant to play, steering many of us toward conventional careers. As a child, I recognized this disconnect and stayed true to what I felt called to do. Growing up, I witnessed Black families in my community, including my own, struggle to access the basic resources needed for a healthy life, especially culturally relevant programs. Although I couldn’t articulate it that way as a kid, I knew there was something fundamentally missing.

My mother, despite having multiple sclerosis, instilled in me the importance of honoring the land, though her teachings were cut short. Both of my parents were firm in holistic practices, however, it was my mother who guided me to recognize listening to my body for answers to any issues. She showed me strength is standing firm on one’s beliefs and not to be swayed for the benefits of others. Inspired by this, I initially pursued a career in child development, hoping to protect children’s intellectual and occupational autonomy. I thought lending my expertise on evidence-based human development would allow me to make meaningful change in education and the programs that continue to pander communities of color, but I soon found that policy spaces often disregarded the voices of educators and scientists. I felt a calling to work in birth and foundational family support, but didn’t quite go that route, yet.

Transitioning into research and evaluation, I focused on advocating for community programs tailored to families’ real needs—housing, food security, and education. Yet, I felt a deep desire to work more intimately with future generations, offering holistic support. This led me to birthwork, where I could contribute to the foundation of family health. My research made me acutely aware of the systemic failures in healthcare, especially the disproportionate impact on Black families and BIPOC communities.

As I continued, I saw a gap in access to quality medicinal herbs and holistic wellness. I began growing medicinal herbs and foods for my family and realized the importance of sharing my knowledge as an herbalist. After moving to Hampton Roads, I found that there were no local sources for these vital resources, which inspired me to increase my dedication to land retribution as an herbal farmer. I feel fully aligned with my purpose, blending my work as a birthworker, herbalist, and social scientist to support families holistically.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am honored to grow medicinal herbs and work with the land to cultivate natural fertility, vitality, and healing in synergy with Earth’s rhythms. My mission is to provide holistic support to pregnant people and their families, empowering them with a nourishing and connected approach to pregnancy, postpartum, and lactation. Through these offerings, I also promote female reproductive wellness from pre-puberty through menopause, along with herbal support for detoxing the body, something I believe we all deserve regularly.

In everything I do, I follow the moon phases and Earth’s seasonal shifts, and I encourage my community to do the same. This practice of aligning ourselves with nature allows us to reclaim our well-being and reawaken the wisdom within us. In addition to my work with herbs, I support those interested in starting home gardens and cultivating their own medicinal herbs, inspiring people to reconnect with their roots and live in harmony with the land.

Alongside my herbal work, I am a researcher deeply engaged in advancing Black maternal health, currently contributing to a maternal health organization in DC that uplifts Black women and women in need. This advocacy shines a light on the disparities impacting the Black community and BIPOC families, driving change for a more equitable healthcare system.

The most exciting part of my work is witnessing people reconnect with their true selves, moving away from the systems and agendas that often keep us from our authentic paths. I believe in building health not just physically, but also emotionally and intuitively. When we listen to our intuition and honor our purpose, we come closer to unity as a community—together, yet deeply individual and connected.

My brand is all about community support and holistic health. I hold quarterly tea parties where we gather to honor the needs of the season, sharing space to celebrate what we each bring to the table and promoting each other’s work. Next spring, I’ll be hosting my first annual Spring Fling in April 2025—a coming-of-age event for all ages, where we’ll explore whole health, community connection, and reproductive wellness. Some sessions will address the unique needs of different groups, giving us a chance to see and support the full spectrum of our community. I’ll be inviting sponsors soon and would love for anyone interested in supporting this vision to join us on this journey.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge stand out as most impactful on my journey.

First is my understanding of holistic health, instilled in me from childhood. I’ve always known that a problem or sickness rarely exists in isolation—it’s often a reflection of underlying imbalances, emotional stresses, or environmental factors. This approach has shaped my work profoundly, guiding me to look beyond symptoms, in policy work and in health, and help people discover the deeper layers of well-being. My advice for others on this path is to embrace holistic health as a lifelong journey and to study it deeply. Allow yourself to explore the connections between mind, body, and spirit, and remember that true healing involves tending to all aspects of our lives.

A second quality that has shaped my path is my Gemini nature, which has given me the gift of embracing a variety of interests and skills. Being a “jack of all relevant trades” allows me to see things from many angles and bring a multi-dimensional approach to my work. In a world that often pressures us to specialize narrowly, I find strength in expanding my knowledge to support wholesome care for myself and others. For those beginning their journey, I encourage you to honor your curiosity and follow where it leads, even if that takes you down multiple paths. The skills you gather will ultimately come together in unexpected ways to serve your purpose.

Finally, a skill that has been invaluable is communication—particularly, the skill of listening. Being an effective communicator begins with being an excellent listener. When we truly listen, we don’t just hear words; we pick up on emotions, unspoken needs, and subtleties that deepen our understanding of others. For anyone starting out, I recommend practicing active listening. It’s a skill that will serve you not only in your work but in every relationship. Listen to others, listen to your surroundings, and most importantly, listen to your inner voice.

As someone who also feels early in their journey, my most compelling advice is this: Trust your intuition. That inner voice, that feeling that nudges you toward certain ideas or directions, is your guide. The universe often clears paths in front of us, and listening to that guidance is one of the greatest skills you can cultivate. Follow your intuition boldly—it knows where you are meant to go.

How would you describe your ideal client?

My ideal client is, first and foremost, any woman or girl ready to embark on a journey of healing, balance, and self-discovery. I have a particular passion for creating safe, nourishing spaces for women and girls because, in my experience, they often hold generational resilience yet sometimes carry unspoken burdens that need tending. Through my work, I aim to create wellness products and experiences that nurture these deep roots and inspire a sense of wholeness. My offerings range from holistic wellness products to personalized consultations that address not just physical well-being but the emotional and spiritual aspects of health as well.

While I focus on serving women and girls, I’m also here for anyone seeking a welcoming space to heal, reconnect with themselves, and honor their own wellness. My approach is home-style and community-centered—I invite clients to sit with me on the porch, surrounded by the land, to receive guidance, have conversations, and feel at ease. For me, healing is not about sterile rooms or rigid routines; it’s about comfort, safety, and trust, just as if you were visiting an old friend. This approach also honors the land, as each person who visits lends their energy, appreciation, and gratitude, creating a bond that allows the land to flourish and nurture us in return.

For those who wish to connect more deeply, I invite you to visit my farmstead. It’s here that we can honor the land together, creating a cycle where the earth provides for us, and we give back. This space is a work in progress, but it’s also a living, breathing project where you’re welcome to help me grow medicinal plants, start new seeds, or bring native and precolonial plants back to life. I’m currently welcoming community partners who are passionate about land cultivation, as well as anyone who may have starter plants, seeds, or knowledge to share.

So, my ideal clients are open-hearted, curious, and ready to honor not only their own health journey but also the land that supports us all. Together, we’re building a space where healing flows from the earth to each person and back again, creating a community rooted in mutual growth and respect.

Contact Info:

• Website: Work in progress
• Instagram: RabsRoots

Image Credits

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