Rooted in Humanity: (dis)Ability Empowerment Collective
Rooted in Humanity, incorporates personal, emotional, structural, social and physical needs into its work. The cornerstone principles are as follows:
Heal in being heard
Utilize community. Uproot assumptions
Manifest your vision
Access = acceptance of your authentic self
Niche (Create a)
Independent and interconnected (Be)
Take Back your power
You are enough
The mandate of Rooted in Humanity is to assist individuals with (dis)Abilities to live their lives with dignity, control and purpose. The organization’s mandate is a ‘call to action’ for the surrounding communities to take responsibility for the well-being of others. This vision is shaped through :
- Navigating established policies and procedures while innovatively engaging in dis)Ability justice through varied mediums like videos, poetry, and children’s literature, working within and beyond procedures.
- Believing in ‘The Power of Now’ and staying present and true to daily realities, focusing on immediate action and transformation, and creating authentic spaces for an ever-changing world.
Developing environments and approaches that reflect the evolving nature of the world, understanding that dis)Ability justice can mean facing complications, confronting unjust power dynamics, and dealing with resistance to change. - Acknowledging the often unseen hard work behind dis)Ability advocacy, including unrecognized work, discrimination, staffing shortages, and the frustrations of unmet needs.
- Addressing the loss of direction, motivation, and financial constraints while maintaining hope and authenticity in the face of these challenges.
- Encouraging belief in an authentic world for authentic people, despite the myriad challenges faced in the realm of dis)Ability justice.
- Engaging with communities and organizations in ways that draw on the assets of individuals and organizations, building allied partnerships.
- Implementing action-yet process-oriented and social justice approaches that respect and integrate policy and procedure and believing in the power of authenticity and transformation.
- Utilizing proven social justice techniques that center the power of collective voice and bring together the inequalities of intuition, emphasizing truth and negotiation in work with individuals and organizations.
- Trusting in the people and the organizations worked with, conveying through research the power of collective action and collaboration.
- Advocating for community activism and dis)Ability justice for all, regardless of whether one is part of a grassroots or a well-established organization.
- Promoting a place and voice for everyone in the pursuit of dis)Ability justice, and encouraging individuals and organizations to act and believe in the power of now with a compassionate and realistic approach.
- This approach underlines the importance of acknowledging and addressing the unique challenges in dis)Ability justice, while also focusing on immediate, inclusive action through empathetic, realistic, and socially just methodologies.
