Indigenous Roots

In 2024, the Organization heavily invested into organizational, strategic growth as we expanded to be an international organization. Having run on low administrative overhead for close to a decade, we leaned into process improvement with the help of past audits and hired 2 additional full time staff - a Partnerships Director and an Administrative Director who doubles as our youth workforce manager. Indigenous Roots also fulfills their mission by focusing its efforts in the following primary service areas:Culture Bearers:Culture Bearers practice intergenerational lifeways and living, evolving cultural art practices that educate, exchange, and share in order to preserve ancestral knowledge. In this work, Culture Bearers hold a direct throughline from ancestors and teachers and center sharing their practice with youth. The role of a culture bearer is particularly important within ancestral cultures undergoing transition or experiencing threat from outside and dominating culture(s). Culture Bearers accept a responsibility to share ancestral and cultural knowledge. The practice of being a Culture Bearer is distinct from other individual art practices because the practice is a full life tradition (not separate) and includes intergenerational transmission of learning. While we honor the role of guests within lineages, the intent of this opportunity is to first resource individuals and cultures that are from the cultural and heritage lineage that they practice. Culture Bearers recognize a need in the community for reconnection with ancestral teachings, a need of Culture Bearers for space. Additionally, funding and supportive structures share their teachings and a need to connect across cultures. The Organization will continue to build the Culture Bearer Exchange Network. This network will be centered around processing decolonization with our participants to make space for intercultural, intergenerational, and intertribal learning and connection to encourage a flourishing exchange of traditional arts and cultural practices extending far beyond our neighborhood and city.

Youth-Led and Youth-Centered Programming:Indigenous Roots is home to the Interthrival Indigenous Youth Coalition (IIYC) which is a youth council that acts as the driving force behind the representation of youth voice in our space. As such, we have a variety of youth-centered programming and events taking place. At the core of our youth work is Roots Cafe - a youth led, creative economy development program. Roots Cafe not only offers a safe environment to develop employment skills, but provides a space for youth to form positive adult relationships, and connect with their cultural identity.