ROOTS Weekend Rhizomes

Dear ROOTS Community,

In light of our recent announcement regarding the cancellation of ROOTS Weekend: Harlan County AND in response to your requests for more time to engage in meaningful conversations following ROOTS Week, we’ve decided to pivot our plans.

So, what are we doing instead? We’re deconstructing our standard ROOTS Weekend gathering and introducing something that we hope will foster deep connections, conversation, and creativity within our community. Say hello to ROOTS Weekend Rhizomes: one-day, hyperlocal gatherings, each with its own unique flavor.

ROOTS Weekend Rhizomes bring together two of our community’s cherished programs. ROOTS Weekends, you probably know. Rhizomes, maybe not.

In nature, rhizomes are underground stems that send out new roots and cultivate new shoots, beyond the original plant. At ROOTS, we’ve embraced this natural phenomenon as our guide for how to build strong local networks. Our Rhizome events are member-led local gatherings that grow and nurture our coalition of artists and cultural workers around the region.

Bringing together ROOTS Weekends and Rhizomes, we aim to hold space for what is most called for by our membership during this time – continued conversation, connection, and art sharing. And we hope that ROOTS Weekend Rhizomes will inspire members to host their own Rhizomes, further strengthening our community. (Members can always apply to do just that – and there is funding to support you!)

Here’s what you can expect from ROOTS Weekend Rhizomes:

  1. Member Conversations and Follow-Up on the Town Hall: We’re dedicating time to engage in vital conversations, giving everyone a chance to share their thoughts and insights. Your voice matters, and we’re here to listen.
  2. Art Making and Art Sharing: Art is what roots and connects us, so we’re providing a space to showcase the local creative talent within our community, whether it’s through performance, visual art, music – you name it.
  3. Good Food and Community: What’s a ROOTS gathering without some delicious food and the warm embrace of community? Expect both.

These gatherings will take place in various locations across the South. We’re bringing the ROOTS spirit to different corners of our beloved region.

How to Stay Informed:

To keep our community as safe as possible, these will be members-only events and we won’t be making any further public announcements about these gatherings. We’ll share the dates and times discreetly on our statewide google listservs and through text message.

If you have any questions or need more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Cultural Organizing team. We’re here to assist you every step of the way, the best way to reach us is programming@alternateroots.org.

This journey may have taken an unexpected turn, but we’re embracing it with open hearts and open minds. Together, we’ll continue to build a community that thrives on creativity, justice, and solidarity.

Alternate ROOTS Cultural Organizing Team

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.