Rooted in History.
Inspired by Culture.
Building the Future.
Why RootWorks Was Created
RootWorks began with a simple idea: young people deserve the opportunity to know where they come from.
RootWorks Productions was founded in 2026 to help young people of African descent learn more about their history, understand who they are, and discover the stories that connect them to their roots.
Too often, Black history is taught through a limited set of stories and familiar names. Those stories matter, but they are only part of a much bigger history.
There is so much more to learn.
Founder Tamika Williams, Ph.D., created RootWorks to help expand that learning and give young people more opportunities to explore history, culture, identity, and the contributions of Black people across the African Diaspora.
OUR PURPOSE
“We aim to promote and develop in Black people a deep understanding of and appreciation for the historical conditions, circumstances and contributions of Black people, to repair the damage to the collective identity, self-image and self-esteem of people within the African diaspora caused by the African slave trade and colonialism, and to thereby promote self-determination and self-actualization among people within the African diaspora.”
- Tamika Williams, Ph.D
Who We Serve
RootWorks primarily creates learning experiences for young people of African descent, with a current focus on students in grades 5–9.
Our initiatives also support:
Educators
Community and Faith organizations
Families
We Keep Learning, Too.
A Trip to Ghana
In 2024, the RootWorks team traveled to Ghana to learn, explore, and connect more deeply with African history and culture.
The experience took us beyond books and classrooms. We visited historic sites, museums, and places connected to the history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. We listened, asked questions, reflected, and learned from the people and places around us.
The trip deepened our understanding of history and strengthened our connection to the importance of cultural knowledge, identity, and pride.
“If our young people… Black African Americans, would just go to Africa, I believe they’ll just be changed people.”
- Gladys, Ghana trip participant