We are excited to announce The Roots Initiative (TRI) as the newest recipient of a Sony Create Action Grant. The Chicago-based organization aims to to activate Black youth as the architects and leaders of transformative civic and social change in their communities and beyond. As winners of the grant, the organization will receive $50,000 in cash to continue and expand their work, a custom short film telling their story, $50,000 in Sony Electronics products to support their action plan, and collaboration and partnership with Sony.
Learn more about The Roots Initiative, a Chicago-based organization that is meeting Black youth in the moment to support them in building and leading strong and healthy communities in the future.
TRI centers community-based engagement and prioritizes what youth are engaged and how they’re engaged. They work with Black youth ages 11-14 who live in low-income communities or attend schools with populations of 80% under the poverty threshold. By providing these youth with the social-emotional supports, education, and resources to understand their power, identity, culture, and inherent genius, they will have greater confidence and knowledge to engage civically, resulting in positive economic, civic and social change in their communities and city.
The organization operates under three core values – cultural identity restoration, social and emotional wellness and building collective responsibility and power. Their approach is designed to combat intergenerational trauma, racial fatigue and internalized oppression, and dismantle the institutions perpetuating the communal harms. One tool they're using to combat these issues is storytelling, specifically by filming a documentary or YouTube series called "Rooted in Resistance: Journeys in Nurturing Black Joy".
Sony looks forward to working with The Roots Initiative and their goal to support Chicago’s Black youth by supporting them in building and leading strong and healthy communities in the future.
Learn more about The Roots Initiative at therootsinitiative.org.
