All donations given through the above link will be restricted to support of Young Mobilizers programming, development, community space, student support programs, and other services.

“Young Mobilizers is a collective of students and community leaders in Atlanta dedicated to solving issues of inequity. Through training, mentorship, and grassroots programming, the organization mobilizes black, brown, poor, and working-class communities to increase capacity and cultivate genuine solutions to systemic issues being faced. Beyond focusing on making the world aware of the issues plaguing the community, the collective is dedicated to taking positive action, with the aim developing measurable, long-term solutions.”

Antonio Lewis – Project Lead

Antonio Lewis a nationally known organizer for equality and justice. Antonio believes that if we identify and correct systemic inequalities over time, we can make the world more fair and just.

Current Programming

Young Mobilizers is incubating a comprehensive vision and infrastructure in collaboration with The InteRoots Initiative so as to increase programming impact, formalize structures, and foster long-term sustainability. The organization already operates a wide array of programming benefitting the community in conjunction with other grassroots organizations.

Young Mobilization – A youth-led grassroots initiative designed to build capacity for civic engagement and produce a new generation of community leaders. The program has provided employment and professional opportunities for 32 students to date. 

Professional Development – Internship and professional development programming centered around student needs and interests. Internship opportunities have been cultivated both in the public and private sectors, and business development programming has led to the development of 5 businesses over the last year. 

Additional Programming – Neighborhood beautification campaign (6 large murals Painted), Christmas toy drive, back-to-school backpack giveaway.

HBCU College Tours

InteRoots has been honored to serve as a fiscal sponsor for two Young Mobilizers HBCU College Tours, and looks forward to sponsoring a third in 20243. This sponsorship, which we call a “Roots Project,” allows for organizations to fund short-term initiatives, which serve the dual purpose of meeting a need identified by the community and building capacity to support a larger vision of progress.

“To end the Cradle to Prison Pipeline, we strive to create direct paths for students to the nation’s premier universities (with an emphasis on HBCUs), career opportunities, academic resources, and scholarships. One step in this effort is conducting immersive college tours. This program has the dual goal of connecting students to the next step of their academic careers while concurrently bringing awareness to the disparities in funding between HBCUs and PWIs (Primarily White Institutions).”

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Dream Warriors is a collective of Indigenous Artists who believe in pursuing passions, dreams, and gifts to better loved ones and communities while also uplifting others. Dream Warriors started as an arts collective in 2015 and is now moving into a new phase as a nonprofit organization. The Dream Warriors nonprofit will offer services around arts, culture, generational wealth building, and power building to foster healing, sustainability, and growth.

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Their new organization will be based in Minneapolis, MN, with a focus of providing programming for both urban and reservation based Indigenous communities across Turtle Island. Dream Warriors artists will be established across the country to provide youth and communities with access to cultural, arts, financial literacy, health/wellness, and food sovereignty programming. 

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Dream Warriors will cultivate safe spaces that facilitate empowerment for Indigenous artists and the communities they serve. In this way, Dream Warriors will uphold a sober and secure place for any and all members of the community.

Paul Wenell Jr. – Project Lead

Paul Wenell, Jr. (Tall Paul) is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe tribe in northern Minnesota and was born and raised in south Minneapolis. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2010 with a B.A. in American Indian Studies and a minor in Sociology. He was a full-time youth worker for the Division of Indian Work from 2011-2017, where he primarily worked in school and after school programming at a Native American Magnet school called Anishinabe Academy. In 2017, Paul pivoted to being a full-time artist, inspirational speaker and workshop facilitator as an active member of the Dream Warriors artist collective. Since then he has traveled extensively with the group, hosting performances, speaking engagements, workshops, community building initiatives and more.

Tanaya Winder – Advisory Council

Tanaya is an author, musician, poet, motivational speaker, and educator who comes from an intertribal lineage of Southern Ute, Pyramid Lake Paiute, and Duckwater Shoshone Nations, where she is an enrolled citizen. In addition to serving as a Board Director for InteRoots and the Community Liaison for the Where Warriors Wake project, Tanaya served as the Director of the CU Boulder’s Upward Bound program for 11 years. She is also the founder of Dream Warriors Management and cofounder of As/Us: A Space for Women of the World, a literary magazine publishing works by Indigenous women and women of color. 

Dr. Lyla June Johnston – Advisory Council

Dr. Lyla June Johnston (aka Lyla June) is an Indigenous musician, author, and community organizer of Diné (Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) and European lineages. Her multi-genre presentation style has engaged audiences across the globe towards personal, collective, and ecological healing. She blends her study of Human Ecology at Stanford, graduate work in Indigenous Pedagogy, and the traditional worldview she grew up with to inform her music, perspectives and solutions. Her doctoral research focused on the ways in which pre-colonial Indigenous Nations shaped large regions of Turtle Island (aka the Americas) to produce abundant food systems for humans and non-humans.

Project Status

The Dream Warriors project is currently in its “Incubation Phase.” This work will includes but is not limited to the community-led cultivation of a management structure, systems of accountability, programming infrastructure, and long-term development goals.

Updates will be provided as the project takes steps forward!

Previous Work – The Dream Warriors “Heal It” Tour

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The Call

Dream Warriors is a “collective of Indigenous artists who believe in pursuing passions, dreams, and gifts to better loved ones and communities while also uplifting others.”

Throughout its existence, Dream Warriors has brought artists, organizers, and community members together as they harness the power of shared expression to address collective challenges. Their passion has deep roots, and currently they are answering the call to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project Roots

On March 29, 2020, Dream Warriors collective artists (Lyla June, Tanaya Winder, Gunner Jules, Jessa Calderon, Frank Waln, Mic Jordan, and Tall Paul) hosted a “COVID Creativity” webinar to identify specific needs and raise funds for Indigenous families in need. The webinar covered meditation/calming/grounding, creative writing exercises, how to organize a mutual aid effort, performances by Dream Warrior artists, as well as an open mic.

No one was turned away for lack of funds – participants had the opportunity to give donations on a sliding scale to take the online course. The webinar raised approximately $7,500 (USD), which in turn was distributed directly to members of the community in need.

Although successful, the webinar revealed a widespread and critical need for support in the Native community due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dream Warriors’ online application was open/live less than 24 hours, and in that time over 550 requests for assistance were received from single mothers, parents, and families – many of whom are caretakers for elders.

The most important needs listed on applications included but were not limited to: food, water, infant necessities (diapers, formula, wipes, tissue), propane, medicine, utilities assistance, children’s medication, feminine products, gas, and wood. Requests were received from Native communities in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Utah. In total, in its initial effort Dream Warriors was able to provide emergency support for 59 families from 39 tribal nations.

But it was clear that more needed to be done. Through their online application, Dream Warriors had identified hundreds of community members with specific critical needs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This information was actionable and specific, and called for a greater collaborative effort to meet the many needs expressed by the community. The Reva & David Logan Foundation stepped forward to address this need, providing $50,000 to fund a disaster grant program to be implemented by Dream Warriors and The InteRoots Initiative.

The Native Relief Fund

The need for basic disaster assistance for members of the Native community is immediate and widespread. Although other important conduits exist when it comes to support for Indigenous peoples across the continent during this crisis, disaster grants provided through the Dream Warriors COVID-19 Native Relief Fund strive to be easily accessible and adaptable for the specific needs of the recipient.

Dream Warriors is partnering with The InteRoots Initiative on the Dream Warriors COVID-19 Native Relief Fund to create system that ensures accountability on all levels of fund management.

If a community member is in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they can apply for assistance through a standardized application process. All applicants are required to identify a specific need and its cost (no grant over $575 will be awarded). Once approved by committee, disaster assistance grants are verified and distributed by a team of InteRoots and Dream Warriors staff. InteRoots will track each grant to completion, maintaining all records necessary for compliance with federal and local laws.

Gratitude

The first phase of the Dream Warriors COVID-19 Native Relief Fund was completed in June, 2020. During this initial round, over $50,018 in direct disaster grants was distributed to 205 Indigenous individuals and families.

The grantees represent over 38 tribal nations, including: Dine’ (Navajo), Eastern Shoshone, Pyramid Lake Paiute, Bois Fort, Cree, Hopi, Jemez Pueblo, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Oneida, White Mountain Apache, Saddle Lake, Warm Springs, Laguna Pueblo, St. Croix band of Chippewa, Oglala Sioux, Nambe Pueblo, Spirit Lake, Pit River (Astariwi), Shawnee, Yankton Sioux, Rosebud Sioux, Menominee, San Juan Southern Paiute, Colville Confederated Tribes, Cheyenne River Sioux, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Muckleshhoot, Sokaogon Chippewa, Yakama, Walker River Paiute Tribe, Northern Arapaho, Taos Pueblo, Ute Mountain Ute, San Ildefonso Pueblo, San Carlos Apache, Ponca, Winnebago, and the Swinomish Tribe. Funds have benefited people in: AK, AZ, CA, CO, GA, ID, IL, IA, MI, MN, NE, NV, NM, ND, OK, SD, TX, UT, WA, WI, and WY. 

This program would not have been possible without the generous support of the Reva & David Logan Foundation. The entire community thanks the Logan Family, and all those involved in the work of the Foundation, for their trust and support.

Steps Forward

Currently, Dream Warriors and InteRoots are working together to execute a second phase of this program, which is designed to distribute rolling grants to community members as funds become available. If you are interested in learning more or supporting this effort, please contact Scott Frank at scott@interoots.org.

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THE CHALLENGES

IN UGANDA, formal education was introduced mainly as a part of the process of political conquest – many indigenous traditions have been replaced with western-style schooling.

Now, with 55% of Uganda’s population under 18 and 78% under 35,* many traditions are dying out.

As youth leave elders in the villages for the promise of a better life in urban centers, they are often ill-equipped by the current system of education…

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I
The rates of children attending secondary school are staggeringly low at 19.7%, which drops to only 4.9% of the poorest girls in the country [UNICEF].

II
With secondary schools being mostly private, lack of access to financial resources makes secondary school too expensive for most families.

III
Secondary education is devoid of relevant life skills development, arts education, and local culture. 

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* Ugandan Bureau of Statistics (2019) 
– Language adapted from the Peace Africa Children’s Ensemble’s TaSCA Proposal

THE COMMUNITY OF KASASA HAD A VISION

The rural municipality of Kasasa, Uganda has formed a Community Board, and partnered with the Peace Africa Children’s Ensemble – a trusted local arts and education nonprofit – to collaborate on the Tat Sat Community Academy, or the TaSCA project. 

The TaSCA project has THREE PILLARS These three pillars are dynamic and interwoven, putting the local initiative on a path towards autonomy and sustainability in 3 years.

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THE THREE PILLARS OF THE TASCA PROJECT

I
A Secondary School merging communal knowledge, skill based training, and formal education.

II
The Institute of Indigenous Cultures and Performing Arts (ICPA), which will engage the larger community in the cultivation and preservation of common heritage. 

III
A Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO), to provide community financing, student/family financial support, and economic education.

See How Far the TaSCA Project Has Come!

Project Impact

The Community Board

The TaSCA Kasasa Community Board (TKCB), comprised of Kasasa residents, states that their core aims for the TaSCA project are to:

1. Uplift educational standards through community inclusion;

2. Offer cultural, intercultural, and informal learning opportunities;

3. Guarantee affordable, sustainable, and reliable education that fits the needs of the community;

4. Facilitate access to financial support and literacy programming for all community members.

TaSCA Project Committee

Meet the leadership team the TKCB has selected manage the TaSCA project!

Mr. Charles Mukasa – is Secondary School Teacher by profession, and has been for over 25 years. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education Management from Makerere University. He has worked in numerous secondary schools in Uganda, been a members of multiple school boards, and headed several science departments. He currently manages a primary school in Kasangati Gayaza. He is a member of, and a secondary schools’ examiner at Ugandan National Examinations Board, specializing in the subjects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Charles brings to the TaSCA project a vital understanding of the national secondary schools’ curriculum, and the Uganda education system.

Teopista Nambirige – is a successful self-made business  woman who works in the textile industry. Teopista owns a textile workshop in Kawempe  town and teaches the children of Peace Africa skill-based trade in creative tailoring. Nambirige is also a member of the Women group SACCO under the Pride Micro Finance Bank – Kawempe branch.  Nambirige’s success in business and skill-based practices has enabled her to play a large role in Peace Africa’s mission and will do the same for the TaSCA project.

Felix Alany – has been with Peace Africa since 2011.  He is the Chief Executive and Finance Officer for Peace Africa, and is also a member of the finance committee on the Peace Africa Board.  Alany graduated from Makerere University with his Diploma in Performing Arts and Film. Felix’s vast experience in financial management has enabled Peace Africa to make great strides and aims to do the same for TaSCA.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Below are the systems of accountability that have been developed by the community for the TaSCA project:

TaSCA CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

TaSCA Project GOVERNING DOCUMENTS 

TaSCA Process of Financial Accountability

Sustainability

Support for the TaSCA project through the InteRoots Initiative was only designed to cover (1) facility construction, (2) start up costs and materials, and (3) the first two years of operation. Beyond this initial grant, the TaSCA project is designed to be fully sustainable through its not-for-profit operational framework. This solvency is built upon three streams of revenue:

• The Secondary School will generate revenue through affordable tuition, some of which will be subsidized by the SACCO or indirectly supported through SACCO loans to community members.
• The SACCO will will collect fees from membership subscriptions as well as regulated interest collected on loans. A percentage of tuition will also be deposited into SACCO accounts for students, which will be accessible upon graduation through the Graduate Enterprise Fund.
• The ICPA will generate income through from domestic and international artistic engagements, as well as from rental of the performance space for social events.

TaSCA Coming to Life

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The TaSCA project was was supported through 15 microgrants over four years. The community submitted accountability documents, financial statements, and narrative progress reports for each microgrant.

If you would like financial statements or information regarding the TaSCA project, please submit an enquiry to scott@interoots.org.

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