Roots of Solidarity was born in Reading, Pennsylvania — a city shaped by migration, resilience, and cultural pride — through the organic alignment of local organizations working in unity and shared vision. 

What began as planning conversations for the RIZE Solidarity Summer Camp evolved into something far deeper. In a shared dialogue between Edna Garcia-Dipini, CEO of RIZE Youth Arts Organization, Isamac Torres- Figueroa, Board Chair of the Berks County Latino Chamber of Commerce, and Julia Domena, President of the Puerto Rican Civic Society of Reading, a collective realization surfaced: our elders’ stories must be preserved before they are lost. Through storytelling, intergenerational dialogue, and community-centered creative work, Roots of Solidarity documents the early arrivals of Latino families in Reading while empowering today’s youth to see themselves as culture-bearers, leaders, and creators.

That exchange — rooted in trust, cultural pride, and a shared commitment to community — became the seed of Roots of Solidarity. It is a testament to the gifts that surface when local leaders collaborate not for ownership, but for legacy.

This work is grounded in the belief that preserving heritage is not about the past alone. It is an investment in identity, healing, and civic belonging — and a demonstration of what becomes possible when organizations move together with clarity, reciprocity, and shared purpose.