Root. Rise. Pollinate! grew out of a shared commitment and question: ‘what will it take to support feminist changemakers to collectively interrupt patterns of domination, heal trauma, transform ourselves, and usher in an era of collective thriving and care?’ Having lived and worked across several continents, including in countries in long standing political crises and conflict, we knew the deep stress, burnout and loss common to social justice changemakers, their organizations, movements, and contexts. At the same time, through engaging deeply in different spiritual traditions and practices, we had also seen the transformative potential of collective practice, care, and purposeful action.

As we consulted with friends and colleagues in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States on this question, themes emerged: burnout; the need for space for collective healing; what it means to bring joy into and thrive in our work; how to embody our vision for collective thriving in our strategies and the ways we work for change; and whether it is possible to transform in the face of resistance. 

Time and again, the same answer kept presenting itself. When feminist changemakers collectively reclaim and tend to our minds, bodies, and spirits across cultures, borders, and generations, we heal and rise together, pollinating and inspiring new ways of being. This informs all our work at Root. Rise. Pollinate!