Roots & Shoots Launches Basecamps in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Tampa

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If you’ve kept an eye on our Roots & Shoots social media channels, you may have seen the term “Roots & Shoots basecamp” popping up recently. We’ve been cooking up this exciting new effort for a while now, and we’re excited to share some more information with all of you!

Wait, what’s Roots & Shoots?

For anyone unfamiliar, đź”— Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots USA is the youth action program of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), inspiring young people and the young at heart all over the United States to affect positive change in their communities. Roots & Shoots does this by showing that—as Dr. Jane always says—every individual makes a difference every day, and providing the guidance and resources to turn great ideas into changemaking projects!

Photo of a young child with blond hair and pale skin wearing a face mask looking up curiously at the photographer. Behind her are more people, and a table with woven baskets.
Two young participants at the Good For All Action Fair at the National History Museum of Los Angeles in April of 2022.

What are these new Roots & Shoots Basecamps?

Roots & Shoots USA Basecamps are a refreshed model of support for local, grassroots efforts to amplify the impact of the program. They help empower communities to support each other on projects that reflect their values, needs, historical sensitivities, deep local knowledge, and desire to work together with others in key cities. Recently launched RS Basecamps in Tampa, Atlanta, and Los Angeles are led by experienced volunteers to bring changemakers together in pursuit of specific goals:

  • Collaboration and networking
  • Turning community service project ideas into action
  • Mutual support from likeminded individuals
  • Organizing events to celebrate positive change in the community
  • Raising awareness of Roots & Shoots to inspire others to join the movement

The Los Angeles Basecamp launch in 2022 kicked off with two Good for All Action Fairs—one in partnership with Seven Arrows Elementary School and the other at the Natural History Museum Los Angeles. At the museum, Roots & Shoots groups from across the region gathered to celebrate the opening of the Becoming Jane exhibition. The COVID-friendly outdoor event showcased inspiring community projects from the LA area and featured local organizations, environmental activist Saad Amer, wildlife veterinarian and activist Dr. Evan Antin, and Dr. Goodall herself!

This new endeavor gets right to the root—pun intended—of Roots & Shoots and JGI’s philosophy: who better to drive the activism within a community than members of the community itself? Local people are the most connected to and dependent on healthy community environments. It is they who are the best stewards of their own strategies for change where every community member can make a difference every day. Additionally, Roots & Shoots is about local ownership of the process. Basecamps provide an important in-person layer on top of our existing national model to empower local communities to support each other on projects that reflect their values, needs, historical sensitivities, deep knowledge and desire to work together with others.

A photo of two children—one with light brown skin and curly, brown hair, the other with tan skin and wavy, brown hair—writing on small pieces of paper in an outdoor space.
Writing notes to Jane during the Good For All Action Fair L.A. in partnership with Seven Arrows Elementary School.

Great, sign me up!

The core element of a successful basecamp are the passionate Roots & Shoots members who are part of them! You can make a big difference for the launch of the basecamp near you by đź”— joining Roots & Shoots and starting to do đź”— projects in your community for people, animals, and the environment. Plus, keep an eye on our social media for inspiration, project ideas, and more exciting basecamp updates on the way!

To learn more information about our program or opportunities for basecamp involvement near you, please contact us at rootsandshoots@janegoodall.org.

About Author

Kira is the communications coordinator for JGI programs at the Jane Goodall Institute USA, where she supports the team in advancing public engagement with JGI's holistic programs. Kira graduated from Smith College in 2021, majoring in anthropology and minoring in art history, and during her time there she developed a deep interest in the field of anthrozoology. Her interests within this field are broad, and have led her to study elephant iconography in the U.S. and wildlife management in Tanzania. JGI's values and mission as well as the mindset of anthrozoology guide her work, exploring the interactions between humans and other animals in order to promote a healthier coexistence on this shared planet.