February 6, 2024 Member News

Posted on by Melisa Cardona Posted in Blog

Marquetta DuPree teaches Afro-Caribbean dance at ROOTS Week 2024. Photo: Mel Cardona

 

In This Issue: 

.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

RENEW YOUR DUES BY MARCH 1 TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SPRING GRANTS!

If you are planning to apply for Artistic Assistance: Professional Development in the Spring be certain your membership is up to date by March 1, 2024.

Joining or renewing your membership by March 1 is a necessity for applying for the next round of Artistic Assistance, which opens in April.

Here’s How to Check your Membership Status: 

If you DO have a profile in ROOTS’ Member Directory:

  • Check out the “Membership End Date” on your profile – this is the day your dues expire. If your “Membership End Date” comes before or during the month of February 2024: renew your dues by March 1 to make sure you have access to the Spring 2024 round of Artistic Assistance.
  • If you do not see your profile, this means your membership has expired and you need to renew your dues. Your profile will reappear once your dues are current.

If you DON’T have a profile in ROOTS’ Member Directory, set one up HERE.

  • Your completed profile will then appear in the Member Directory in 1-2 days and you can check out your “Membership End Date.”
  • If your “Membership End Date” comes before or during the month of February 2024: renew your dues by March 1 to make sure you have access to the Spring 2024 round of Artistic Assistance.

Questions about your membership dues or membership profile can be directed to our Membership Team at membership@alternateroots.org.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

ARTISTIC ASSISTANCE: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS SPRING 2024

Artistic Assistance: Professional Development grants of $250-$2,500 fund opportunities that will advance your artistic practice, profession, and/or career in some demonstrable way. Professional development activities build professional and administrative capacity, hone artistic skills, and increase the sustainability of your practice. Applications will open in April 2024 and be due in May 2024. In the meantime, make sure you are eligible by joining ROOTS or renewing your dues by March 1.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Executive Committee Nominations Open

Nominations for Alternate ROOTS Executive Committee (ExComm) service for 2024-2027 are open now until Friday, March 15, 2024. 

Please think about the leaders in your region who are deeply connected to the work of Alternate ROOTS. Take a moment to nominate yourself or someone you think is a committed ROOTS member: a visionary leader ready to learn and inspire. 

With almost one hundred ROOTS voting board members, the ExComm is the body of 9-15 representatives that the voting members elect to offer governance and oversight throughout the year.

Voting members of currently active status can be nominated or self-nominate using THIS FORM. Once the nominations close on March 15, the ExComm will review applications and propose a slate for an early voting period prior to the Annual Business Meeting.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Survey Request from the Executive Leadership Search Advisory Task Force 

Alternate ROOTS has begun the process of searching for the next iteration of executive leadership for the organization. The newly formed Executive Leadership Search Advisory Task Force is a cross-section of ROOTS members, including April C. Turner, Lisa Mount, MK Wegmann, Ace McColl, Margo Miller, D. Patton White, Garett Nunley, Abi Gomez, Priscilla Smith, Sage Crump, Jerry Stropnicky, and Keryl McCord.

The Task Force has constructed a survey to inform the job description and announcement for ROOTS’ executive leadership search. We know that leadership responsibilities are all-encompassing, so we want to identify characteristics that are the most important to our members and stakeholders.

Please use this link to fill out the survey by Monday, February 19. It is anonymous. Its purpose is to inform. The Task Force wants to hear your point of view.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

ROOTS Week 2024: Save the Date!


Opening Session of ROOTS Week 2023. Photo by Mel Cardona.

The next in-person Alternate ROOTS gathering, ROOTSWeek, will be held Tuesday August 13-Sunday August 18, 2024 at Lutheridge Camp and Conference Center in Arden, NC. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for calls for proposals and registration information!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

—————————————-Get Involved, Get Connected

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Share your news with ROOTS Members!

    1. Member News Email: To share your announcement in the Member News, please fill out this form by the first day of the month. Submit news by March 1, and it will be shared in the March 18 Member News.
  • Alternate ROOTS Facebook Group: If you want to share something on a shorter time frame, please join the private ROOTS members Facebook group where you can share your news with over 500 ROOTers in real time

Other Ways for Members to Engage

  1. Host a Rhizome
  2. Nominate a member for Know Your Folks (ROOTS amplification initiatives)
  3. Apply for Artistic Assistance
  4. Share your projects in the Member News
  5. Get involved in Activism & Advocacy
  6. Join a Workgroup
  7. Attend The ROOTS New Member Orientation
  8. Donate a Membership
  9.  Donate to ROOTS
  10.  Update your Member Profile (new projects/ new photo…)
  11.  Send Feedback to your Membership Team
  12.  Attend a monthly Executive Committee meeting
  13.  Send a lovely message to a ROOTS Member or Staff Member
  14.  Follow Alternate ROOTS on social media. FaceBook  / Instagram

New/Current Member Orientation March 14, 2024

New and current ROOTS Members are invited to New Member Orientation Thursday, March 14 at 6:30 Eastern. Register HERE. This serves as an introduction to the organization, our members, our history, and our purpose in a personal, impactful, and hopefully engaging way. ALL members are welcome to ROOTS’ first virtual orientation of 2024 (not just new members). Come Connect!

The Membership Team is holding office hours every Tuesday and Thursday! During office hours, the Membership team can be reached by phone to answer any questions and assist with any membership matters.

Membership Team Office Hours:
Tuesday & Thursday: 11am – 2pm ET
(404) 577-1079 EXT. 302

Questions? Reach out to membership@alternateroots.org

Upcoming ExComm Meetings

ExComm meetings are on the first Tuesdays of the month.

February 6th at 5:30pm ET
March 5th at 5:30pm ET

The current Zoom link is listed below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86289285127?pwd=d3BoeUgwQlcxMCtraStycGtzVi9ldz09
Meeting ID: 862 8928 5127
Passcode: 198730

If you have any issues accessing the zoom meeting, please e-mail marina@alternateroots.org.

Communications Department Office Hours

Want to reach out to a Communications staff person? Give us a call 9-11 AM Eastern Thursdays at (404) 577-1079 EXT. 303 or email comms@alternateroots.org.


ROOTS Week 2024 workshop. Photo by Mel Cardona. 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

—————————————-Opportunities  in The Field

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Activism & Advocacy

As a part of Alternate ROOTS’s commitment to dismantle all forms of oppression, we collaborate with our membership to provide a running list of advocacy and activism opportunities and resources at the local, state, regional, and national levels.

  1. Get involved in immediate advocacy opportunities, organized by geography.
  2. Explore ongoing resources, like organizations and agencies, in your area.
  3. SHARE! If you have events, organizations, or opportunities you want other folks to know about, please submit them here.
  4. Finally, for important sources of information that are not action-oriented, see the NEWS section at the end of the document.

 

Alternate ROOTS supports the creation and presentation of original art that is rooted in communities of place, tradition or spirit. We are a group of artists and cultural organizers based in the South creating a better world together. As Alternate ROOTS, we call for social and economic justice and are working to dismantle all forms of oppression—everywhere.