ROOTED (Respecting Ourselves & Others Through Empathy & Dialogue) is a group of trained facilitators dedicated to creating student-led spaces of solidarity, empathy and learning for members of the Columbia community to explore identity, power and privilege and how these forces impact experiences on campus and beyond.

Our trained student facilitators have prepared several interactive workshops to lead for interested clubs, teams, FSL chapters and other organizations. Students of all identities and experiences are invited to participate in these powerful peer-facilitated conversations. Each conversation’s goal is to explore how power and privilege intersect with the topic; what participants can learn from hearing one another's experiences and what can be collectively gained through recognizing our own power and social responsibility.

Questions? Email rooted@columbia.edu.

Available Workshops

Metrics of Merit

What does it mean to be part of a community that takes pride in its exclusivity? What metrics and values shape our campus community? In this workshop, we dive into the idea of "meritocracy," and examine how the qualities we measure ourselves and others by can have tangible consequences rooted in bias. 

Sex & Dating Post Roe v. Wade

There has been significant national discourse about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but relatively little dialogue about what that decision means for communities that claim to care about communication, boundaries, sex positivity and building a healthy dating culture. This workshop will explore stigma, shame, autonomy, and how a community seeking to uphold justice should think about sex and dating in a post-Roe United States.