We are ALL Founders.
America is an experiment.
Be part of it.
About Founder’s Weekend
Now in its sixth year, award-winning magazine Root Quarterly: Art & Ideas from Philadelphia will host a weekend-long convening in the birthplace of American democracy the week after the American presidential election to:
Create a space where we all think of ourselves as founders. Our country is young, and it requires continual work and experimentation. What values must we champion? What do we want the next 250 years of our country to be? What role do each of us play? What do we owe each other as Americans now and in the future?
Convene RQ stakeholders and community members—and the general public—together after the 2024 election. We need remind ourselves that we have only one country, and that a house divided cannot stand
Celebrate and interrogate the founders of our country, American ideals, and the new founders of companies, institutions, and great ideas via art and editorial in our “Founders” issue
Partner with like-minded organizations who work in media, arts, pluralism, constructive dialogue, free speech, faith, and political depolarization. We hope meeting will deepen our practice and our relationships. To start, these include the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism, The Yale Human Nature Lab, Old Swedes’ Episcopal Church, Braver Angels, and Braver Angels Pennsylvania.
Explore ideas about how we must see and connect with one another as human beings who live with a shared fate in an interconnected web.
Recommit to some of our deepest values, including the spirit of American pluralism. E pluribus unum: Out of many, one.
About Root Quarterly:
Art & Ideas from Philadelphia
Root Quarterly is an award-winning culture magazine that employs art as a way to spark conversation and bridge divides. We dig deep into great ideas four times a year in our themed issues to help them spread and take root. Expect artist profiles, cultural criticism, think pieces, reviews, quirky and interesting recommendations for regional destinations. We value curiosity, openness, humor, beauty, and celebrating our common humanity… and we’re proudly in print.
Our pioneering Regenerative Media project is:
Rooted to Our Region
The scale of our systems—education, media, government, and others—has alienated us from our neighbors and community. While our magazine contributes to conversations that have national import, our focus is on how they affect the Mid-Atlantic region and the environs surrounding our kitchen-table headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The artists and entrepreneurs in our pages all have some connection to our region, which is full to the brim with talent and excellence.
Centered in Hope and Humanity
We believe that there is more that unites us than divides us, and that great art and great ideas are great because they speak to our common humanity. When we are human-centered and treat people as individuals with whom we share a fate, we can see in one another the spark and light that gives us hope that we can build a better future— together.
Collaborative and Generative in Spirit
In our founding DNA in 2019, we said that we were a magazine, a collaborative art project, and an experiment, and that remains true today. One of the best ways to build trust and community is by working on a shared project toward a shared vision, and we continue to expand our circle of collaborators with each and every one of our beautiful, themed, quarterly issues. We have a big tent that values intergenerational connection, curiosity about people of varying backgrounds, and openness to exploring the philosophy and wisdom traditions of many cultures.
Oriented Toward Celebration and Elevation
The online media model is broken because it it relies on the “high value” human emotions of anger, fear, and disgust. That’s why we value exactly the opposite: The high value emotions of wonder, awe, and joy. That doesn’t mean we sugar coat reality—but it does mean that we’re not here to sow division or distrust, as does much of the mainstream media, and nearly all of our political discourse. So much is great about our people and our region, and we want them to believe in their ability to create great communities and a great country that works for more people.
Ambitious in Intellectual and Artistic Vision
We’re tiny, but mighty—like a fulcrum. With few dedicated resources and thousands of volunteer hours we’ve proved that as long as you position yourself right and know what you want to lift, anything is possible. We’ve proved that people can handle complicated, nuanced ideas and engage across differences of all kinds. And we’ve learned that quality and durability still matters to people. We’ll continue to experiment with how a high-quality, regional magazine can make positive, regenerative change in our culture. Print is Dead. Long Live Print! //
DONATE TO THE ROOT QUARTERLY FUND FOR REGENERATIVE MEDIA TO HELP FUND FOUNDER'S WEEKEND! YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MAGAZINE! USE CODE “FOUNDERS10” AT CHECKOUT FOR A DISCOUNT ON YOUR FIRST YEAR.