Seeds That Travel: Home Isn’t Gone. It Just Moves With Us

By: Ali Abdiaziz

When I first read the quote from the Seeds That Travel campaign — “Displacement is not the loss of home. It is the reminder that we carry home within us, like seeds waiting for the right soil.” — I had to pause. It’s simple, but it hits hard. To me, it means that even when people are forced to leave the place they love because of climate change, their sense of home doesn’t just disappear. Home is something we carry in our memories, in our traditions, and in the little things that make us who we are.

And honestly, that idea feels comforting. It reminds us that identity isn’t tied to one exact spot on a map. It’s in our stories, our food, our language, the way our families celebrate things, and the lessons passed down through generations. Those are the “seeds” we take with us, even when life pushes us somewhere new.

One story that really shows this is what’s happening with the Marshall Islands. These Pacific islands are being hit hard by sea-level rise, and many Marshallese families have had to move to the U.S., especially to Springdale, Arkansas. Coral Davenport wrote about this in The New York Times (“The Marshall Islands Are Disappearing,” 2015).

What stood out to me is how the Marshallese community in Arkansas is rebuilding a sense of home far from the ocean they grew up near. They gather to cook traditional foods, share songs, and pass down their stories to their kids. Even though Arkansas is nothing like the islands, these moments help keep their culture alive. It’s a way of saying, “We’re still us, no matter where we are.”

But it’s also important to be real: climate displacement is tough. People don’t want to leave their homes. Many communities facing rising seas, droughts, or wildfires are the same ones who have contributed the least to climate change. So while their strength is inspiring, it doesn’t mean they should have to go through this alone.

One simple way to support climate-displaced communities is by getting behind groups that let them lead their own solutions. For example, the Climate Justice Alliance works directly with frontline communities, helping them push for policies and resources that protect their land, culture, and futures. Supporting organizations like that — whether by donating, spreading the word, or learning about their work — actually makes a difference.

In the end, the “seeds” idea sticks with me. It reminds us that people are more resilient than we think. Even when they’re forced to move, they don’t lose who they are. They find ways to plant their roots again — in new soil, in new neighborhoods, around new friends — and somehow, something familiar grows.

Reference:

• Davenport, Coral. “The Marshall Islands Are Disappearing.” The New York Times, Dec. 1, 2015.