Join us for a special three-day engagement of this new documentary film from East Knoxville food justice collective Rooted East, including ticketed premiere fundraiser events Friday January 31 and Saturday February 1 and a special FREE matinee Sunday afternoon, all with post-screening discussions of the film and the issues it presents.

Narrated by Umoja Abdul-Ahad, ROOTS OF RESILIENCE is a powerful documentary that delves into the legacy of apartheid and its enduring impact on food security and urban spaces within historically Black communities. The film traces the deep-seated issues of food apartheid—systematic racialized barriers to food access—and how these injustices have left many Black neighborhoods as food deserts, devoid of fresh, affordable, and nutritious food.The documentary highlights the journey of activists, community leaders, and urban gardeners who are working to restore urban green spaces in these marginalized communities. Through intimate interviews and poignant visuals, the film showcases how these initiatives are reclaiming the land for the community, fostering self-reliance, and reviving cultural connections to agriculture. At its heart, ROOTS OF RESILIENCE is a story of hope, resilience, resistance and the power of grassroots movements in disrupting the structures of apartheid and cultivating a future where historically Black communities can thrive.

Showtimes