KNOWING OUR ROOTS

Located in Brattleboro, Vermont, The Root Social Justice Center was founded in 2013 by four organizers with a vision to provide a financially- and physically-accessible organizing space for social justice groups. The Root has been a multi-racial collective from its inception and one of the few places in southern Vermont that is a safe organizing space for POC. A central focus of our work is finding equity-based solutions to social justice issues and taking an anti-racist stance. Our organizing emphasizes building leadership and power within POC communities and shifting resources to POC.

Recognizing that structural racism and widespread racial bias excludes POC from cultural, economic and social spheres in Vermont, the Root increased its commitment to racial justice education, community, and action. In early 2017 we trained new collective members and began an Advisory Board, training new members who include women/latinx/trans/gender non-conforming. We also formulated a two-year plan to replace white Collective members with POC members. We created new paid positions for program coordination, all filled by POC. The Root values collaboration, building relationships, developing collective political education, and generating power to achieve equity-based solutions. We strive for a regenerative economy that mobilizes social capital to affect change and to address social needs. If people don’t feel supported at the local/individual level, they won’t have the energy or resources for systemic change.

During the fall and winter of 2019/2020, we finally achieved our long-term goal of establishing a paid leadership team, led entirely by POC. To diversify power and amplify skill-sets and strengths, the traditional role of an executive director was divided across three positions; Program Director, Communications Director, and Development Director. We are eager to see how this new structure can bring The Root forward into our next phase of growth and development as we continue to contribute to growing the movement for racial justice in Vermont and beyond!

There’s so much more to come…