Welcome

 Proud to be Black and Indigenous respectively, Julius Cunningham and Leonina Arismendi co-founded Apoteca as an outward expression of their love for each other, their family, community, and the Land they are entrusted to Steward. 

Leonina- Rev. Leo is an artist, writer and Tri Chair of the Virginia Poor People’s Campaign. Originally from Uruguay, Leonina 's family immigrated to Fredericksburg, VA. 

Leonina attended James Monroe HS, where they met Julius and a life-long friendship developed and evolved. Leonina has been growing food and flowers with their Matriarchs all their life.  

Julius Cunningham’s passion for growing began at a young age when he participated in Fredericksburg’s Downtown Greens youth program. Later on, Julius volunteered his time growing for mutual aid with The Food is Free FXBG/ Food Not Bombs projects.

It is Julius’ dream to apply the knowledge he gained growing food in greenhouses to make good food accessible to our communities.

 “if it's inaccessible to the poor it's neither radical or revolutionary” - Jonathan Herrera 

 We are a Family that works hard in decolonizing our minds and lives, one that recognizes that as BIPOC, working with the Land should be Our right and inheritance and under this capitalist system of colonization, Land, food and medicine access have become commodities for the  privileged and means to make money. 

Good Land stewardship means that we make an intentional, conscious effort to provide our families and community with good things. 

We cannot do that by catering to the privileged and monied. 

Apoteca will provide food deserts across the commonwealth with FREE, fresh food grown for mutual aid as a satellite Free Virginia Farm and under the leadership of our neighbors at Free  Virginia Farm at Spotted Pig Holler. 

Wellness and self care have been whitewashed under a capitalist system that robs Black and Indigenous People of our very own ancient ways of living healthy lives. We will work with volunteer Practitioners and Healers to turn a portion of our plant product and flowers into medicine that can be re-distributed to communities of Color.  

At Apoteca we seek to remedy the ails of colonialism as we heal and grow ourselves. 

Join our Journey.