rooted. | issue 1
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Rooted was created from a deep belief in the wisdom that already exists within our communities. The stories I witness continue to reaffirm a simple truth: people do not need outsiders telling them what they need. Communities already hold the answers to their own well being. Anyone seeking to enhance the quality of life of others must begin with deep listening, guided by an open heart. When listening leads, trust follows. From that trust, solutions emerge that reflect lived reality and create lasting impact. For nearly two decades, my work through Midwest Leak has been rooted in listening and documentation. I have focused on the people and places shaping our city, paying attention to what is working and honoring leadership that often goes unnamed. Storytelling, when done with care, becomes a way to witness community wisdom and to stay accountable to it. This edition of Rooted is dedicated to giving voice to the quiet, consistent work of The Learning Tree, its Community Ambassadors, and the Indianapolis Foundation ecosystem. Together, their efforts are strengthening neighborhoods, building trust, and impacting the lives of our neighbors across Indianapolis in meaningful and lasting ways. When The Learning Tree invited Midwest Leak to serve as the storytelling partner for the Community Ambassador Program, the alignment was clear. This work requires proximity, trust, and a commitment to ensuring community voice remains intact as stories and data are gathered, interpreted, and shared. Midwest Leak brings a long standing practice rooted in relationship rather than extraction, built through presence and consistency over time. In Rooted, storytelling is approached as documentation, not decoration. Stories are used to inform understanding, surface patterns, and capture what metrics alone cannot. The stories in these pages reflect what becomes possible when community leadership is trusted, when lived experience informs decision making, and when institutions choose to walk alongside the people closest to the work. This is why Rooted exists. Because in this work, story is accountability. P.S. Take a moment to scan the QR codes within
Le’Deana Brown Founder, Midwest Leak Magazine Community Ambassador, The Learning Tree “Rooted exists to honor the wisdom already present in our communities and the people leading from within them.” this issue to watch video stories about The Learning Tree and team on their YouTube page and website.
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