The Roots Issue

Volume 9 Issue 7, March 2010

Every social context and situation has historical roots that stretch back in time, and encompass moments that led to how our world, our communities, and our very selves exist today. We cannot understand anything about the world around us, the local or the global, without also having some knowledge about our history. This is why the concept of roots is so interesting; it at once encompasses how we came to be, yet also holds so much potential for creating our own present, which in time will become a new history. This makes the term ‘grassroots’ fascinating and exciting; it offers an opportunity to build our story from the bottom up.

To me, grassroots organizing usually consists of the most ordinary activities turned into extraordinary social moments. These moments could be an impromptu jam session with friends, a weekday potluck with your neighbours, a workshop or craft session at school. These moments are all radical in the most fundamental sense of the word, pertaining to the root from which they stem. By looking to our friends and neighbours, deciding together what our ideal world would look like, and living this out, we are actively changing the world. We are denying external forces the power of affecting our moments of joy and celebration.

Roots keep us grounded, remind us where we came from, and nourish us from the bottom up. To me, roots are about learning the history of why things are the way they are, and working from the grassroots to change these for the better. For some, this means integrating ancestral cultural practices into a contemporary context. It means coming to terms with and channeling past injustices and current pain. For others, it means radically rethinking how we view our bodies, our communities, and ourselves. People deal with their roots differently; for some, their roots offer a solid base from which they can grow and flourish. For others, they are a mess to untangle. Nevertheless, everyone is rooted to something, whether they like it or not. Know your roots, whether that means coming to terms with your past, or building a more joyful future.

- Erin Epp, Editor-in-Chief