Voices of justice, tales of transformation, and a legacy of love. Join us on a journey through ROOTS Week and witness art changing lives one story at a time.

This is Part Two of our Alternate ROOTS series, (Listen to Part One HERE) Bill Cleveland attends the ROOTS Week annual gathering in Asheville, North Carolina. This episode features a diverse array of experiences from workshops, performances, and introduced participants. As ROOTS approaches its 50th anniversary, the episode explores its history and traditions. The episode also shares stories from community art and healing campaigns across different regions in the U.S., with insights from transformative justice work, the Higher Ground project in Kentucky, clean water advocacy in Phillips County, Arkansas, and the Homegrown Utica Fest in Mississippi. These stories underscore the power of collective action, creative expression, and community resilience.

00:00 Introduction to Alternate ROOTS Part 2

00:21 Roots Week: A Gathering of Creative Minds

01:12 Roots Week Opening Session: Personal Introductions

05:15 The Roots Book: A Historical Perspective

05:25 Founding of Alternate ROOTS: The Early Days

07:10 Highlander Center's Role in Civil Rights and ROOTS

08:21 Challenges and Triumphs of Early ROOTS Members

13:51 Group Singing and Community Building at Roots Week

15:43 Healing and Transformative Justice at ROOTS

17:00 Arts for Everybody: Community Art and Healing Campaign

17:34 Higher Ground: Community Theater in Harlan County

22:52 Hold On: Water and Wellness in Phillips County

29:39 Homegrown Utica Fest: Celebrating Local Culture

30:41 Building Sustainable Community Relationships

36:27 The Formation of the Utica Food Club

43:50 Concluding Reflections and Future Directions