The growing emergence of BIWOC artists, writers, creators and thought leaders speaking up about their work in recent years makes for an exciting time to be alive. British-Indian writer Rohini Walker is one of these – and she’s definitely one to keep an eye on.

Rohini’s been living full time in the rural wilds of the Californian Mojave high desert for almost eight years now. She and her husband moved there straight from London – with no cushioning period of acclimation in Los Angeles or any other west coast city. “People always look at us with wide eyes when we tell them we moved here straight from London,” Rohini says, “Usually, if folks move here from L.A. or San Francisco, they behave like they’ve just completed some sort of odyssey, so the thought of us making the transition from London, where we lived for most of our lives, seems pretty outlandish.”

This sense of fearless empowerment colors much of Rohini’s work, and is something she focuses on awakening in others. She credits the desert for setting free her creative spirit. In the U.K. her inspiration and motivation to write felt hemmed in- and was actively discouraged by the people around her. “Not only has the desert been a constant muse in my work, but the community, the people here, were genuinely encouraging and supportive. Probably because they weren’t inhibiting themselves and their own creativity. It was seriously a breath of fresh air.”

Since moving to the desert, Rohini has co-founded and writes for the popular indie Arts & Literary print publication, Luna Arcana, which has just released its fifth print issue. She also has a rapidly growing number of subscribers to Luna Arcana’s newsletter, Letters from Luna, an essay series that she writes exploring themes of indigeneity and inner-decolonization through the lenses of mythology and nature. She’s also a regular contributor to the popular PBS owned Southern-Californian broadcast platform, kcet.org, where she writes mainly on topics around conservation, indigenous culture and the environment.

 Luna Arcana's upcoming book, published by The Artlands

The compelling lyricism of her writing has gained her a loyal following – which looks set to keep growing. Luna Arcana is soon launching a “coffee table” Arts & Literary book, under the auspices of the arts organizer and publisher, The Artlands. The book will feature Rohini’s as-yet-unpublished poetry, as well as art and content that she’s been tasked with curating from the thriving creative scene of the Californian high desert. Indeed, these issues inform much of Rohini’s work, through Luna Arcana, with its growing nationwide audience, as well as through her own writing. She’s also working on a book, a teaching memoir of sorts, focusing on topics around Indigenous wisdom, myth, nature and alchemy.

 To find out more about Luna Arcana, subscribe to their newsletter or grab a copy of their new issue, go to lunaarcana.com.

Pre-sale purchase of the upcoming book with The Artlands is available here

And if you’re a creative professional or thought leader interested in working with Rohini, you can find out more at rohiniwalker.com

You can find her on Instagram @moonshinewalker