Beekeeping, Loss, and the Power of Song with My Sistas Keeper
Our 2025 Documentary Songwriting project is with an amazing group of women — a beekeeper collective in Cleveland called My Sistas Keeper. In addition to working on individual songs with members of the group, we recently wrote a group song together that gave us a deeper understanding of not only the environmental importance of beekeeping, but also the emotional connection these women have with their bees.
This winter, My Sistas Keeper experienced a heartbreaking loss: neither of their bee hives survived. While Cleveland’s harsh winter played a role, this is part of a much larger crisis. Declining bee populations is a national trend. In 2025, commercial beekeepers reported a staggering 62% colony loss, according to Project Apis m.
What’s Behind the Decline?
Multiple factors are contributing to the crisis: pesticide exposure, mite infestations, climate stress, and poor forage (food sources) due to urban sprawl.
This matters for all of us. Roughly 35% of the world’s food supply depends on pollinators (National Institute of Food and Agriculture).
When we lose bees, we lose more than honey — we risk losing the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that feed us.
One of the verses in our group song emphasizes this environmental impact:
There’s a fruit tree by the hive
But there won’t be fruit this year,
‘Cause there aren’t any bees
It’s a whole chain, if one thing falls
Your life is at stake
But It’s More Than Just An Environmental Loss
For My Sistas Keeper, the pain is personal. These are not just hives — they are living communities that have been nurtured with care, intention, and love. The loss of their bees is truly discouraging and feels like a “heart loss” to them, as is shared in the group song:
It’s a heart loss, an emotional loss
We have such a close connection
Finally, it’s an economic blow. As the supply of bees declines, and demand for pollinators remains consistent, the prices of bees go up. Buying a new, replacement hive is a steep investment and something the collective may have to put on pause due to the increasing cost.
The Power of Being Heard
In response, we’ve been co-writing a group song with My Sistas Keeper that explores this grief, their love for the bees, and the resilience it takes to keep going. The songwriting process has created space for truth-telling, healing, and visibility — especially for Black women, whose environmental leadership is often overlooked.
This project is part of a broader effort to amplify their voices and experiences — voices that deserve to be heard in conversations about land access, food justice, and climate change.
What You Can Do
The crisis facing pollinators like My Sistas Keeper is urgent, but there are tangible ways we can all help:
Support local and Black beekeepers. Follow and fund their work. To get started, check out:
My Sistas Keeper on Instagram
Shalom and Tranquility Garden Network on Instagram or on FacebookBuy U.S.-made honey. Your choices at the grocery store matter.
Plant native flowers and avoid pesticides. Create pollinator-friendly spaces in your yard or neighborhood.
Despite the setbacks, My Sistas Keeper remains committed — and their story calls us to action, too. We can’t wait to share their stories and songs (and honey!) with you in concert this summer. Check out our calendar for ‘A Hive’s Song’ concert dates!