“Why Rhizome?”
At a time of declining trust and disaffection, we embrace unity and difference. As a nonprofit that is deeply committed to power sharing and creating student led spaces, we voted on the name Rhizome to express how we want to move. We know civic systems are often interconnected in ways that are not fully visible. Like mycelium, we address root causes and act as connective tissue that links students from different walks of life, fosters belonging, and builds more resilient communities. Like the rest of nature, we are resilient.
Nonpartisanship
Breakdown of Democratic Practices
The U.S. has long been suffering a breakdown of institutions that build democratic practices. At the same time, our country is suffering from a process we call “partisan capture”, where parties and media capture an overwhelming amount of civic attention. As a result, Americans invest our time into national, polarized forms of discourse rather than building relationships or taking local actions in our communities. Slowly but surely, we become followers rather than doers.
Students and Schools Are Under Attack
Meanwhile, school systems and young people are under attack by underfunding, mass shootings, and a national discourse that devalues teachers, students, and the role of education in equipping young people to build healthy relationships with each other. Many students are school avoidant, refusing to attend school while placing more weight on the shoulders of their parents.
Schools Can Become Spaces of Belonging
We are working for a future where schools are sites of belonging, empowerment, and hands-on practice for becoming responsible members of society. By training leaders and bridging schools with civic institutions, we enable young people to create the world they want to live in. We offer community, emotional tools, and civic skills to survive the present and build a healthier future.
Taking Responsibility For Our Country’s Future
We reckon with the responsibility that we have to co-create the future, just as we reckon with how far we are from the ideals in the Declaration of Independence, that it is the right of the people to institute government “that shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness." At a time when suicides have been climbing for two decades - and young people are afraid of being shot at school each day - we know this is not a country of Safety and Happiness for many young people.
Authentic Student Leadership and Representation
We work to represent the values and perspectives of young people. We don’t advocate for parties or candidates. We’re instead focused on closing the gap in representation, civic participation, and generational influence. This is why we are commited to power sharing, and why we invite Fellows to lead actions around the nonpartisan ideas they’re most passionate about.
Rhizome as a Network of Trust-Based Relationships
We’re dedicated to supporting emerging leaders in under-resourced communities, and inclusive of any young person who wants to work with us. If you are wondering if Rhizome is a fit for you, we do not care what party you belong to or where you’re from. We will support you to become a better leader, shape change, and to build relationships that let other young people do the same.
Fellowship Demographics
Our mission is to activate young people's identities into action and help youth treat civic service as the work of a lifetime. We all come from different walks of life, yet we share the desire to create a country that lives up to its values. We know that differences in our lived experiences and ideas make Rhizome stronger, and we embrace our differences while honoring our common ground as human beings.
26.5%
of Fellows identify as Latino/a
25%
of Fellows identify as AAPI
22.9%
of Fellows identify as Black
10.8%
of Fellows identify as White
9.7%
of Fellows identify as Mixed-Race
3.9%
of Fellows identify as SWANA
1.2%
of Fellows identify as Native
Impact on Fellows
We equip Fellows to cultivate consistent civic habits, foster a sense of belonging, and co-create the world they want to live in. We invited Fellows to share their experiences, and the results speak for themselves. Here is our impact among Fellows at the levels of 1) individual Fellows, 2) communities, and 3) country
Individual
97%
of Fellows feel that participating in a Fellowship has increased their civic knowledge.
94%
97%
Community
96%
of Fellows feel more confident in their ability to find common ground with other young people.
98%
97%
Country
85%
of Fellows feel more likely to build bridges between people who disagree with each other.
89%
90%
Impact on Organizers
As those who lead all our local Chapters, Youth Organizers develop leadership skills, learn by doing, and support Fellows. Here is our impact among Organizers at the levels of 1) individual Organizers 2) communities, and 3) country
Individual
100%
of Organizers feel that they have increased their collaboration skills since starting the program.
100%
100%
Community
95%
of Organizers feel more likely to take action when they see civic opportunities in their community.
100%
90%
Country
89%
of Organizers feel more likely to build bridges between people who disagree with each other.
90%
90%
Impact on Mental Health
We’ve built Rhizome as a home for young people to feel genuine belonging and purpose. Using the Ryff Scale of Psychological Well-Being, we measured our impact on social determinants of mental health across six areas: personal growth, autonomy, environmental mastery, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. We provided a scale with options for 1) strongly disagree 2) disagree 3) neither agree nor disagree 4) agree 5) strongly agree.
Here are our results, with one question for each area of well-being:
Here are results based on other key mental health indicators in Rhizome: