Carrying Traditions Forward: Foodways, Foraging, and Folk Healing in Kentucky 

The Kentucky Arts Council will host a free webinar on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. Eastern, featuring two traditional artists whose work reflects foodways, foraging, and folk healing practices rooted in eastern and central Kentucky. 

This online narrative stage highlights Linelle Rivera Rodriguez and Yani Vozos, both participants in the Kentucky Arts Council’s Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program, which supports the passing of time-honored traditions from mentor artists to emerging practitioners through hands-on teaching within their communities. 

Linelle is apprenticing with Lorena Miller of Powell County, whose work centers on herbalism and curanderismo — a Latino health system grounded in generations of shared cultural knowledge. Yani is learning from Andrew Bentley, whose practice focuses on wild plant foraging and regional food traditions connected with Lee County. 

Participants are invited to hear personal stories from these Kentuckians and learn how and why they are carrying living traditions forward — strengthening cultural knowledge, community connection, and everyday art forms that continue to shape Kentucky life.