“I wanted something different for myself and for my children. One that celebrates us,” is how Alycia Wright describes her passion project, Cultural Roots Homeschool Cooperative. “The homeschool community pre-Covid was lacking diversity in race, religion, and politics,” Wright says. “We rarely felt comfortable in those spaces.” That’s when Cultural Roots was born.
The co-op now serves more than 100 students and is a culturally centered and liberated space for Richmond families. The co-op intentionally centers programming around the diverse cultural attributes, traditions, and histories of black, brown, and indigenous communities.
Alycia has four African American daughters ranging in age from 12 to 21. When her oldest daughter was approaching kindergarten, she looked into sending her to the neighborhood public school. Her eldest daughter was an accelerated learner, and Alycia met with the principal to discuss options for her daughter. Not only did she not get the answers she was looking for, but her daughter would also have been only one of two black children in the class.
After a few years at Montessori school, she homeschooled on her own and in 2016 established Cultural Roots. The non-profit has bloomed from a K-12 resource for twelve families into a community of over fifty families. Wright says it has given parents “the ability to create or tailor most things to what works best for each child. Everything from the materials chosen, to the delivery and the depth.”
Some of the opportunities they offer, along with the regular curriculum, are classes in Junior Vet Science, Intro to Piano, Unearthing History, Hip Hop Dance, and a focus on STEM, among others. The list of opportunities offered continues to grow. It truly is an immersive experience that the students love.
Cultural Roots says the co-op is dedicated to academic excellence, cultural pride, and empowerment. They also believe that through this unique experience, they are shaping the leaders, innovators, and changemakers of tomorrow.
Take Action
- Cultural Roots welcomes donations to help offset the costs for their families. Donations help fund guest speakers and workshops as well as give the children access to quality programming.
- Donate to Cultural Roots
