How I Got Rooted

A couple of years ago my mind began to "run." I had always been a bit of a dreamer but this time it was different. A tremendous amount of emotion was attached to these ideas and they quickly began to take shape in my mind. I had to have a phone or paper and pen handy at all times to get it all down. In order for this dream to be realized I needed an artist, and that is when I discovered my cousin Moneè Chantè. I wanted to connect with her for two reasons. One her work was raw, honest, and beautiful and I had been admiring it for quite some time. Second, because we are both descendants from our founding families. She is a Turner and I am a McCrary. I figured that together there we could create some magic of our own, after all there was already a precedent for it! I reached out to her but failed to follow through. I figured that the law of diminishing intent would take over and that would be the end of it, but it wasn't. Several months later, the visions of Get Rooted returned and haunted me until I took action. I contacted Moneè again and Get Rooted was born.

SO, what is this whole Get Rooted thing all about? Everything that I do and what I represent is a direct reflection of my roots. I am a huge believer in the power and influence of our ancestors, living and departed. I believe that they have helped to create a path to walk on, and they also help to illuminate new paths for us to follow as well. We are nothing without our roots. We are foundation-less, unable to stand, grow and reach our truest potential. Most importantly we are unable to help others to reach theirs. As the words and images that I imagined took root in my consciousness I began to realize that it possessed many interpretations. Get Rooted in who you truly are. Get Rooted in your family or religious life. Get Rooted in a spiritual practice. Get Rooted in your humanity.

The interpretations are endless but they all lead back to the same thing. We do not exist alone. We cannot exist alone. There is an abundance of wisdom at our disposal to help ground us, inspire growth and creativity and ultimately, assist us in passing that wisdom on to others.