My name is Jonathan Gaitán aka Una Voz, I was blessed to know Julie before Roots & Routes existed with a name, before it was a foundation it was just her, with her own money for like 20 years working with the communities in Esmeraldas, fighting against Palm Oil Industry.
I am honored to be connected to her, as in my life I have met many foundations, and it seems most of them invest more money in their "employees" rather than the causes they supposedly are serving. But Roots and Routes are really for the people and they deserve all the support they could get.
I admire this woman and I'd follow her if the times needed it.
I hope they connect with those who can help them help others.
I appreciate it
I was a member of the YVC for two seasons, specifically part of the Blog and Newspaper team and I throughly enjoyed my time at Roots and Routes! Despite everyones different walk of life the group is an amazing international group of ambitious youth visionaries, all working towards a common goal. It is a safe and welcoming space for ideas to be shared and voices to be heard, the principle of community is a strong value for the group and it shows in their authentic collaborations. There was a lot I learned from this internship, however, I believe the most special part of the weekly meetings was hearing the bright ideas from the youth on modern and relevant issues our society faces today.
Interning with Roots & Routes IC has been nothing short of an amazing experience. It has provided me with a network of like-minded, passionate individuals across the globe. Not only that, but it has taught me how to become a better advocate for both our planet and Indigenous peoples. R&R is an outstanding Nonprofit that I am so glad to be a part of!
I am thrilled to say I experienced the Roots & Routes pilot program for Cultural Co-living in Ecuador. R&R arranged 9 days of tour for me. A few days were based in Quito and Guapulo-connection with conscientious folks- where I explored the historic part of the city and enjoyed a day trip to the luxurious hot springs of Papallacta. Then I traveled on to have a short live with families in the Intag Cloud Forest Reserve, and the community of San Clemente in Ibarra. The submersion into daily life and culture was meaningful, educational, and fun! I loved every moment of the whole trip, but the highlights were crafting felted wool gnomes, boiling insects for dye, and exploring nature with hikes through mountains and forests, learning of native species in need of protection, and of plants used for medicines /wares. I especially loved the family meals. A total life enriching experience with lasting powerful vibrations. I am grateful for R&R because they support the well being of people and Pachamama. Love.
I am Kividi Koralage, and I am from Sri Lanka, Roots and Routes gave me the opportunity to build new connections with new individuals from all parts of the world, I always wanted to work in an NGO that will allow me to learn about new different things since I am from Sri Lanka I did not have much access to work with an organization that fights for indigenous community rights and luckily I found Roots and Routes which allowed me to understand my passion and what I want to do for the rest of my life. Roots and Routes allowed me to speak with wonderful guest speakers who are from rich backgrounds and great academics, who gave me the opportunity to learn something new. I am hoping to continue my internship and gain more experience that will allow me to be a better person than I was and explore new cultures and meet wonderful people and build wonderful networks and allow me to contribute something back to society.
I started at Roots & Routes six months ago, and it has been a truly amazing experience since day one. I have learned so much from people that I would otherwise perhaps have never met. I think that that is what Roots & Routes makes such a unique organization: you hear the stories and cultural viewpoints from the people themselves, and have a role in spreading their words out into the world. I work myself in the social media team where we focus a lot on “re-storying”, from the perspective and in the words of the people that we speak with and learn from. Together we can learn from each other’s ways of living, and implement that to care better for this world.
I've been an intern at Roots & Routes IC for three seasons now. I have had the pleasure of learning from youth and guest speakers around the world. As part of the Spanish team called Rights of Nature, I have collaborated with youth from ancestral communities in the Ecuadorian Chocó by co-creating forms of dissemination of their knowledge and struggle for human and nature rights on social media. Moreover, I facilitate communication between the Spanish and international teams. I truly appreciate the collective creation of a unique organisation from openness, compassion and respect for the living world.
I have worked with Roots and Routes for only two seasons, and already I can tell you that you will not find a more passionate bunch of people anywhere else. Everyone working for the non-profit believes in R&R's mission, which above all else, is to share stories and ideas for how the world can be made into a more wholistic, equitable, and sustainable place, and to uplift others in this pursuit as well as ourselves; for if we can't even imagine the solutions needed to help reknit humans into the fabric of nature, then how can we ever hope to bring about this idyllic world? I myself worked on the podcast team, and had the joy of getting to learn about incredible people all over the world doing important work, and then help develop our podcast by conducting interviews and developing the audio. It's intensely rewarding work, and I can't recommend enough to anyone else to join R&R in its mission. I have learned so much about what it means to be in conservation from being a part of this incredible non-profit.
I was invited to participate in a learning circle with Roots and Routes in 2022. Our dialogue was not only enriching and educational, it was inspiring and motivating. There are few organizations in this world working to develop an intercultural consciousness, and Roots and Routes does it with such grace and generosity. They lead with genuine curiosity and their sights on fomenting exchanges that promote social justice. This is why I urge others to support their work.
I am a Peruvian geographer and have worked with Indigenous organizations and autonomous governments in the Amazon for over ten years. I am a co-founder of Roots & Routes, served as Board Secretary from its inception until 2019, and am now a member of the Council of Advisors. Roots & Routes was established with a unique approach to working with on-the-ground organizational processes, genuinely prioritizing grassroots agendas and ways of thinking and facilitating connections between these agendas and strategies across borders with humbleness and critical backing. Having first-hand experience with Indigenous projects supported by international and national environmental and human rights NGOs, the features above appear at times central to institutional campaigns but are rarely respected or implemented on the ground, negatively affecting the very aims they intend to support. In this context, the role that Roots & Routes plays and the relations it creates supporting territorial struggles and Indigenous proposals makes its work all the most needed and distinct.
Being part of Roots & Routes IC makes me feel like I am a part of something bigger and I am contributing some good to the world. I have learned a lot of valuable skills during my time with them and one of my favorite things about it is getting to learn from guest speakers as well as the other interns through our conversations.
I was an intern of Roots & Routes for three seasons on the pluriversity and steering teams and it was an experience that will cherish and value forever. Not only did the experience open my eyes about decolonization, indigenous rights, climate justice, and community engagement (to name a few of MANY), I also enjoyed the highly reflective experience of learning more about myself as a community member and leader. I was endlessly inspired by the international group of interns I worked alongside and the wonderful speakers we were so lucky to learn from and with. I came out of the experience with a renewed sense of self and my role in the world, inspired to bring the knowledge I gained at Roots & Routes to my studies, future career, and everyday interactions. I am so thankful for Roots & Routes.
If there is one thing to say about Roots and Routes is rhat it forges a connection with people all across the world. My time as an intern was very fulfilling because I was able to learn about other's cultures and understand them and also learn that no matter how diverse we are; we are all bound to the roots of humanity.
As an intern for Roots and Routes IC, I have had an incredible experience as a part of their podcast and steering team. Through this internship, I have learned about the four R's - restorying, restoring, revindicating, and reciprocating - which shape the organization's approach and have greatly influenced my current beliefs and practices.
A highlight of my internship was working on R&R IC's publication, Geographies of Hope, as the editor and bibliography manager. This was a valuable opportunity for me as a high schooler from India to explore academic work and learn about the diverse experiences and perspectives of researchers from around the world.
On the podcast team, I have had the opportunity to interview almost 10 environmental and social justice activists, which has been an incredible experience in learning about the work being done in these areas and inspires me to follow in their footsteps.
Overall, my internship with Roots and Routes has been a transformative experience that has broadened my perspective on environmental issues and decoloniality, and has given me valuable insights into how to approach these topics in a holistic and intersectional way. The 4 R's will continue to shape my beliefs and practices, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this incredible organization.
I've been an intern with Roots & Routes for 4 seasons now, and it has been a great experience. I started in the Blog and Newsletter team where I learned key skills in communications, editing and team planning. I then moved on to the Steering Committee team and developed my professional skills even further. I have learned about leadership, recruitment, administration, facilitation and organisational planning. This internship has helped me gain experience in the non-profit sector, and was a big contributor to me getting my first full-time job in a charity. I'm very grateful!
Been a member of the YVC blogs team for a few months now and it’s been a great educational experience for me. Besides for just learning technical skills and team work, I’ve been able to also learn more outside of school about the important voices and actions of others. It’s been important for me as a college student to not just feel apart of an organization but to relate and discuss what I’m studying in school with what I get to learn with R&R.
Roots and Routes is an truly rooted non-profit organization grounded in the rights of indigenous peoples, and the Earth. The work and commitment comes from heart, and the vision of supporting indigenous peoples and the Rights of Nature in this precarious moment is critical and life-sustaining for our mother planet and home. They are at the cutting edge of questioning our current modalities and envisioning and modeling new ones that are more holistic, hopeful, and compassionate.
The work of Roots and Routes is essential in this complicated world, to center and elevate the voices of Indigenous communities and the shared knowledge and power which exist. As the director of a Maya-led org in Guatemala, I recognize the power of R&R work and the importance of the dialog, exchange, and knowledge that they foster. .
I've been with R&R for about 2 years, initially as a Youth Visionary Collective intern for two seasons, which later turned into a full-time internship as the YVC Coordinator, and then a position as Assistant to Director. I think what Roots & Routes is doing is unique in the non-profit world! What they really excel at is creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere where all ideas, opinions and perspectives are welcome and considered, and I truly appreciate the intercultural and intergenerational approaches to learning and collaborating. For me, I especially appreciate seeing how youth are leading the way and being treated as equals in terms of decision-making and program development in the YVC, that's something I don't often experience as a young woman trying to make my way in the development/human rights field!
I currently serve as a Board Member/Secretary for R&R and on the Podcast team of the YVC. My experience has been absolutely amazing, I truly have gained so much in my experience with R&R, have made so many wonderful connections with passionate people, have learned so much on non-profit functions, intercultural collaborations, and how I can contribute to the bettering of our world and protecting human and environmental rights!