Root2fruit Youth Foundation was created from lived experience, love for community, and a deep understanding of what happens when people are consistently poured into over time. As a lifelong Austin resident, I have spent years building relationships on the West Side of Chicago  long before Root2fruit became an organization. I was simply the neighborhood mom: someone youth and families could call for support, guidance, safety and encouragement.

Through that work, I witnessed the impact of violence, disinvestment, trauma and lack of opportunity on our young people. I also witnessed their brilliance, creativity, resilience and leadership. I knew our communities did not lack talent or potential, we lacked intentional spaces that nurtured our people, reflected our culture and reminded youth they deserved to dream beyond survival.

That belief became the foundation of Root2fruit. We were built to sow seeds of greatness into our tomorrow by creating a generation of seekers, thinkers, and doers through engagement, education, exposure, opportunity, culture, art and social justice.

In 2021, we launched the ASAP Safe Zone in Austin as a youth-led effort to create safety through visibility, activation, creativity and relationships. What began with basketball, peace circles and showing up for young people quickly evolved into a larger vision for community transformation rooted in resident leadership.

A major turning point came the day we launched the Safe Zone when we met Jordan Campbell from Alt_. He invited us to learn about their work, sparking a partnership centered on creativity and community. Soon after, our youth created the first two art pieces for the ASAP Safe Zone using donated wooden pallets at Alt_. Those pieces were installed at the Austin Town Hall Cultural Center and became symbolic of our commitment to culture, healing and creative placemaking.

Today, Root2fruit continues to use youth leadership, art, storytelling and community activation to help transform neighborhoods from surviving to thriving.