Introducing Roots to Power Collective

Equity Consulting Network is proud to announce a new community initiative: Roots to Power Collective, a women-led effort in Western Massachusetts building social justice political education and leadership development for community members most directly affected by racial and economic oppression.

Why we're building this

Too often, housing instability, employment insecurity, under-resourced schools, and environmental hazards are framed as the result of individual failure rather than the predictable outcomes of systemic and historical forces. Roots to Power Collective exists to build a shared, root-cause understanding of that oppression among the people living it, and to develop those same community members into the facilitators and organizers who will carry the work forward.

What the program looks like

Our model has three connected phases: a Rethinking Racial Equity training grounding participants in a systemic analysis of racial and economic oppression; a Putting It Into Practice process where participants translate that analysis into concrete organizing strategy; and six monthly follow-up sessions that sustain momentum and continue developing participants as facilitators in their own right. We're recruiting up to 40 participants for our first cohort, at least 70% of them community members directly affected by housing, employment, education, and environmental justice issues, alongside invited nonprofit partners. There is no cost to community participants.

Roots to Power Collective will be led by a founding group of local women in Western Massachusetts, alongside Annie Rodriguez, founder of Equity Consulting Network and a 25-year practitioner of racial justice education and organizing.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the cohort, or if you are interested in collaborating with us contact us at Rodriguez@equityconsultingnetwork.com.

We'll be sharing updates here as the collective grows, including new partnerships, funding milestones, and how you can get involved. If you're interested in learning more or supporting this work, reach out through our contact page.