Our Story
Growing Your Roots was created to address a crucial gap: helping teens navigate life between multiple cultures while celebrating their heritage as a source of strength.
Why This Matters
Millions of teens in the US navigate life between multiple cultures while trying to fit into the expectations of their peers and society. However, there are few organizations focused on showing them that their cultural heritage can be a powerful source of strength and identity.
As a result, many of these stories go untold, leaving teens feeling disconnected from their roots. One aspect of culture that is deeply neglected today is that culture isn’t only about surface-level trends, but about family traditions, language, values, struggles, and stories that shape America and the world today.
- Cultural heritage as a source of strength
- Stories that go beyond stereotypes
- Youth-led cultural documentation
Our Solution
Growing Your Roots fills this gap by honoring the true complexity of culture and creating a youth-led space where teens can document, share, and explore heritage stories from many members of the community.
We want to provide stories about what culture truly means, and go beyond the stereotypes. Our cultural wisdom isn’t just snapshots of one point in history—these are lessons and legacies that future generations can always turn to. They serve as a legacy for what it truly means to be human.
Our Core Values
The principles that guide our mission to celebrate cultural heritage.
Youth Leadership
Teens lead the storytelling, take charge of content creation, and drive the conversation about what cultural heritage means to their generation.
Authentic Stories
We go beyond stereotypes to share the real, complex stories of family traditions, struggles, and triumphs that shape cultural identity.
Cultural Pride
We help teens see their heritage as a source of strength and identity, fostering pride in their cultural roots and family traditions.
Intergenerational Connection
We bridge generations by connecting teens with elders, immigrants, and first-gen Americans who share wisdom and life experiences.
Preserving Legacy
Every story we collect becomes part of an oral history archive, ensuring that cultural wisdom and experiences are preserved for future generations.
Community Building
We create local chapters where teens can host storytelling nights, cultural potlucks, and heritage celebrations that bring communities together.
Our Journey
Key milestones in building a movement that celebrates cultural heritage.