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BACKGROUND

Village Roots grew from a vision of creating a community-based health equity collaborative to strengthen a multigenerational network of safety, connection, and belonging in Allison Hill. Relationships rooted in mutuality and authentic connection are an often overlooked determinant of health and overall wellbeing.

The Village Roots collaborative aims to support Allison Hill families and individuals through relational and mental health supports that displace cycles of transgenerational trauma with liberatory practices, healing justice, and relational wealth for everyone in Allison Hill.

VALUES
LOVE
“There is no better place to learn the art of loving than in community”

—bell hooks

JUSTICE
“Justice is what love looks like in public.”

—Cornel West

JOY
“Joy is not a crumb. It’s a practice, a way of life.”

—Audre Lorde

LIBERATION
“Until we are all free, we are none of us free.”

—Emma Lazarus

MUTUALITY
“It takes a village to raise a child, what does it take to raise a village?”

—Edgar Cahn

ACCEPTANCE
“Acceptance is seeing with your heart, not your eyes.”

—Aditya Ajmera

COURAGE
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”

—Maya Angelou

DIGNITY
“The dignity of the individual demands that we never give up hope.”

—Aung San Suu Kyi

CURIOSITY
“Curiosity is the first step toward empathy and understanding, which are the foundations of social justice.”

—Ijeoma Oluo

SAFETY
“Safety and security don’t just happen; they are the result of collective consensus and public investment.”

—Nelson Mandela

VISION

A living circle of care, safety, and belonging that nourishes the entire village.

MISSION

Village Roots works together in shared power to make Allison Hill stronger. We use a caring approach that understands and attends to difficult experiences, focusing on joy, creativity, and learning, so everyone moves forward together.

TIMELINE
2023-Early 2024:
  • Stakeholder engagement and project development
  • Partnership with Lumos Transforms as backbone organization
  • Initial community outreach and engagement
  • Facilitated WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) Seminar 1 at Elizabethville Area Library
  • Shift from systems-based PN3 initiative (prenatal to 3yo) to place-based, community-led initiative
2024:
  • Preliminary Allison Hill neighborhood mapping
  • Research and development phase of Village Roots initiative
  • Developed preliminary strategy (final strategy will be defined by community residents)
  • Hired local graphic designer and photographer to develop Village Roots logo and website photography
  • Transitioned project management from Lumos Transforms to the all-local team
  • Open Learning Dialogues – community gathering designed to introduce Allison Hill to Village Roots preliminary strategy, invite feedback, and recruit leadership
  • Establish Village Roots Leadership Circle to reimagine the future of Allison Hill
2025 (Projected):
  • Leadership Circle refines Village Roots strategy with input from community residents and advisors
  • Offer leadership, capacity, and skills development training based on needs identified by the Leadership Circle
  • Map strengths and areas for change in Allison Hill as defined by the Leadership Circle and community input
  • Develop and implement sustainable programs to build relational wealth in Allison Hill
2026 and beyond (Projected):
  • To be determined by the Village Roots Leadership Circle and other circles of engagement