Rootead’s Glossary of Terms
Purpose of This Glossary
Rootead’s mission is rooted in complex concepts and language that aren’t familiar to everyone. We want to be able to communicate our work and the philosophy that drives us with everyone who comes in contact with our organization so that they can grasp what it is we’re all about. By defining terminology that we use on a regular basis all in one convenient location, we hope to make our purpose accessible to all and inspire people to get involved with us!
Decolonization
Dismantling the ongoing influence of colonizers – those who have taken over and erased the culture of native peoples – and the mentality of cultural superiority that permeates all institutions and forms of government
Birth justice:
Giving back the power to the birthing person to make their own decisions around their reproductive system. This includes providing the necessary support and information they need in order to maintain their reproductive health. This work reduces disparities in negative birth outcomes for BIPOC families.
Perinatal
The weeks surrounding – before and after – birth
Postpartum
After the birth of a child, once the child “parts” from inside their parent’s body
Doula
Someone who provides spiritual, emotional, physical, and informational support to a person and their family before, during, and shortly after pregnancy in a non-medical capacity
Full-spectrum doula
A doula who helps during fertility, pregnancy, labor, birth, and the first months of baby’s life in the postpartum period
Healing arts
Creative practices that promote wellness and inner peace.
Examples: dance, painting, massage, writing, playing music
Healing circle
A gathering around of people with the focus of healing together
Safe space
Any space in which a person feels unjudged, free from oppression, and comfortable exploring and expressing their identities
Brave space
Any space in which a person feels so unjudged and free from oppression that they are inspired to get out of their comfort zone and be the most authentic version of themselves
Anti-racist
Actively working against systems of racial oppression
Intersectionality
The connectedness of different facets of one’s identity that contribute to the way they experience and move through the world, including but not limited to race, gender, sexuality, disability status, and ethnicity.
LGBTQIA+
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, with the plus representing other queer identities such as two-spirit, non-binary, etc.
Queer
Any identity other than heterosexual and cisgender
Folx
A gender neutral reference to multiple people
Masc
Masculine-of-center, a person who identifies as more masculine while usually also considering themselves non-binary
Femme
Feminine-of-center, a person who identifies as more feminine while also usually considering themselves non-binary
Bisexual
Attraction to more than one gender
Pansexual
Attraction to all genders or regardless of one’s gender
Non-monogamy
The act of being romantically or sexually involved with more than one person
Polyamory
The act of loving more than one person
Demisexual
Attraction that only occurs as a result of emotional intimacy
Non-binary/gender queer
Someone who does not identify as a gender on the binary – male, female, or transgender
Reclaiming the village
Creating a community that invokes the spirit and traditions of, and connects us to, our ancestors
Ancestral trauma
The pain we bare as a result of the mistreatment of our ancestors
Ancestral healing
The process of revealing and releasing inherited wounds and traumas that have been passed down by our ancestors
Sankofa
The Ghanaian principle that says we must remember our past in order to move forward
Lineage
Group of which a person has descended from and can trace their family back to
Transformative justice
Justice that seeks to rehabilitate both perpetrators and survivors of trauma in order to dismantle imbalanced systems of power and encourage healing in a healthy way with the aid of the community
Restorative justice
Justice that involves a meeting between perpetrator and survivor with the purpose of mediating a discussion where the perpetrator acknowledges what they did wrong, makes it right for those hurt or affected, and involve the community in helping both parties
Trauma-informed
Acknowledges the need to understand a person’s life experiences in order to deliver effective care (from here)
Embodiment
A concrete representation of an abstract concept (i.e. channeling emotions into yoga or dance)
Mindfulness
Maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens
Djembe
A specific type of African drum played using bare hands
Drum circle
A gathering of people drumming together, oftentimes using a djembe drum
Cultural competence
The ability of an individual to understand and respect values, attitudes, beliefs, and mores that differ across cultures, and to consider and respond appropriately to these differences; the ability to effectively interact with people from cultures different from one’s own, especially through a knowledge and appreciation of cultural differences
Culturally competent care
Care that respects diversity in the patient population and cultural factors that can affect health and health care, such as language, communication styles, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors
Centering experiences/voices
Gearing our programming towards a certain demographic and prioritizing a viewpoint that is typically marginalized, while also welcoming those outside of that demographic
Cultural appropriation
Benefitting from the adoption of a cultural symbol or custom of significance by someone outside of that culture – usually a person who is part of the dominant culture – where someone within the culture is marginalized for it
BIPOC
Black and Indigenous People/Person of Color
Indigenous
Native to the land
Indigenous American
Native American; member of a tribe who originated in the Americas
Diaspora
A population, all with a similar heritage or homeland, who have since moved out to places all over the world
Black/African diaspora
Black individuals who are descendants of people brought from their homeland of Africa to another land (i.e. the Americas, Europe, etc.)
To find out how this language informs our work and gets put into practice, check out our services.
