Important Program Update
When we introduced ROOT in 2023, we knew this program was a communal dream as much as it was a grant-based initiative.
We are sad to share that, due to losing funding, our ROOT team’s roles are ending. As of December 2025, all rest programming, including sabbaticals, Reimagine Rest events, and Heal the Healers series, will be paused for now.
Nexus remains committed to supporting sabbaticals and rest for leaders of color, and we hope to secure additional funding as soon as we are able.
ROOT: Rest is the work of our ecosystem
At Nexus, we believe all people deserve joyful and abundant lives filled with the rest that our bodies, minds, and spirits need. Rest is not for the privileged few—it is a birthright for us all.
The ROOT ecosystem is for BIPOC people to embrace rest and restoration as fundamental pieces of all work toward justice. Our name, ROOT, was gifted to us by the Sabbatical Design Committee, a group of community members who helped us develop this initiative.
This work challenges us to upend dominant narratives around rest. How can we center our rest practices as part of movement work?
While ROOT centers movement leaders, we know that being a “leader” can look many different ways. Whether you have been organizing for decades, are newer to movement work, or are somewhere in between, ROOT’s goal is to help you to prioritize building, cultivating, and embracing your rest and rest practices.
Rest is not for the privileged few—rest is a birthright for all.
ROOT calls for us to reclaim our humanity and return to our ancestral roots through the practice of rest and restoration.
Our Offerings
ROOT’s work continues to grow over time to reflect and meet our collective needs. Previously, we offered these rest practices.
Curated and collected from community contributions. We have featured practitioners, services, collectives, tools, and resources that help to uncover, build, and strengthen your rest practice as a BIPOC movement leader.
Monthly curated collection of stories, resources, and reflection to strengthen your rest practices.
Community events with an open invitation for BIPOC leaders. As we work to confront oppressive systems holding our rest, healing, and wellness captive, these spaces provide guidance and support to move you from a mindset centered in production to one of liberation.
The Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship is a 6-month program running from May to November 2025. Each month, our fellows take a certain period off to rest and reclaim their own time.
Our Framework
ROOT’s work continues to grow over time to reflect and meet our collective needs. We view our work via the following framework:
