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The Roots Initiative Freedom Fridays

"Being part of The Roots Initiative, I'm learning that my voice is powerful and how to turn my ideas into actions that will help the Black community. At first I was afraid to share my ideas but now I know that they can make a real difference."

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-Kentreall Allen Jr (7th Grade)

What is Freedom Fridays?

Freedom Fridays is an exhilarating pop-up experience aimed at fostering joy, pride, and a sense of community. This initiative is a collaborative effort between The Roots Initiative, partnering schools and community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve middle school-aged students. At any given Freedom Friday pop-up, TRI will come with a DJ, games, and other engaging activities with the mission to create safe and inclusive spaces for youth and offer opportunities for healing, growth, celebration, and joy.

 

Key Features:

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  • Cultivating Joy and Pride

    • Freedom Fridays is dedicated to cultivating a sense of joy and pride in middle school students, fostering an environment where they can embrace their identity and celebrate their achievements.

  • Social-Emotional Learning

    • Freedom Fridays integrates social-emotional learning activities to enhance students' emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills. These activities contribute to their overall well-being and resilience.

  • Equitable and Inclusive Culture

    • TRI places a strong emphasis on building an equitable and inclusive culture within the school community. We actively seek to create an environment that embraces diversity, respects differences, and ensures every student feels valued.

    • Freedom Fridays prioritizes serving vulnerable populations, recognizing the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities. In alignment with our purpose, this space serves as a source of support, encouragement, joy and empowerment for all students.

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How to Bring Freedom Fridays to You:

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The Roots Initiative offers Freedom Friday experiences to 10 schools and/or community-based organizations in the Chicagoland area every school year. Leaders interested in collaborating with TRI to bring this one-day pop-up experience to their community should email info@therootsinitiative.org to schedule your Freedom Friday.

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