Alternate ROOTS is a left-of-center arts and cultural activism organization based in Atlanta comprised of members from the southeastern United States. The group was founded in 1976 by the Highlander Center in Tennessee as the Regional Organization of Theaters South (ROOTS), and expanded fund community-based art programs. The group claims to be the only regional collective of artists committed to “social and economic justice.” The group operates several programs around left-of-center issues, fiscally sponsors organizations, and partners with the Intercultural Leadership Institute. Funders of Alternate ROOTS include the Groundswell Fund, the Fund for Southern Communities, the Proteus Fund, and the Amalgamated Charitable Foundation. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Alternate Roots was founded in 1976 by Southern artists and organizers at the Highlander Center, also known as the Highlander Folk School, a left-of-center organization was involved with the Civil Rights Movement as well as left-of-center organizing in Appalachia. “ROOTS” was originally an acronym standing for Regional Organization Of Theaters South. Alternate. ROOTS has served arts organizations beyond theater groups for much of its history, and its reported membership of 3,500 now consists of artists outside of the southern region. Voting members of the organization must be based in the South. ⁴

Alternate ROOTS’ archives include information dating back to the Civil Rights Movement and are housed at the Amistad Research Center. Alternate ROOTS claims it was involved in “Cultural organizing, creative place-making, regional community theater, the Black Arts Movement, AIDS activism, immigration, environmental justice, oral history in rural communities.” ⁴ John O’Neal, the founder of Junebug Productions and the Free Southern Theater, was a founding member of Alternate ROOTS. ⁴

Alternate ROOTS claims that it has 3,500 dues-paying members, including individual and organization members, all of whom pay $40 annually. Voting members of the organization may vote on organizational and business decisions for the group and must be based in the southeastern United States. ⁵

Programs

Alternate ROOTS operates several programs, including an “UpROOTing Ableism workgroup” that addresses disability issues as well as a gender work group that is for “TGNCNBI2-S (Transgender, Non-Conforming, Nonbinary, Intersex, and 2 Spirit)” persons interested in “building gender literacy, addressing gender-based harm, and reassessing harassment at ROOTS through arts, education, and ROOTS policy.” ⁶

The group also provides artist assistance to individual members to fund their work in the arts, as well as professional capacity and community building. Artistic grants range from $250 to $2,500 per artist. Another funding program of the group, the Partners in Action Program, funds “projects focuses on social justice, climate justice, and cultural equity in grassroots communities throughout ROOTS’ 14 state region in the U.S. South. Artist-led partnerships may include social services organizations, arts and cultural organizations, a group of teachers, community associations, an extended family, or a group organized around an issue, cause, or concern.” ⁷

Alternate Roots is also an organizing partner of the Intercultural Leadership Institute, a left-of-center organization focusing on the arts and minority communities. Other organizers of the group include the First Peoples Fund, the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC), the PA’I Foundation, Sipp Culture, the First Alaskans Institute, and the International Association of Blacks in Dance. ⁷

1. “Full Text Search: Alternate ROOTS.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Query Conducted October 14, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?form%5B%5D=IRS990PF&form%5B%5D=IRS990ScheduleI&page=3&q=%22alternate+roots%22&sort=best&submit=Apply
2. “Home.” Intercultural Leadership Institute. Accessed October 14, 2024. https://weareili.org/
3. “About Us.” Alternate Roots. Accessed October 14, 2024. https://alternateroots.org/about-us/
4. “Amistad acquires Alternate ROOTS archive.” Amistad Research Center. Accessed October 14, 2024. https://www.amistadresearchcenter.org/single-post/amistadalternateroots
5. “Types of Membership.” Alternate Roots. Accessed October 14, 2024. https://alternateroots.org/types-of-membership/
6. “Work Groups.” Alternate Roots. Accessed October 14, 2024. https://alternateroots.org/work-groups/
7. “Programs and Resources.” Alternate Roots. Accessed October 14, 2024.  https://alternateroots.org/programs-resources/