One of the first pages I check out on websites is the about page.
I want to know who it is that I’m engaging with, what that person has to say, where they are coming from.
With that in mind: Hi there, hello. I’m Jenn. I created Roots of She and I’m so excited to share this space with you. Thank you for being here.
I want to introduce myself to you, tell you the story of this site.
But first, where I’m coming from.
Right now, it’s DC. Later tonight, it will be from a town near the beach I love.
The basics of my life? I’m 33, a life coach, a believer in dreaming big, an avid reader and lover of Mexican food, blue skies and sunshine.
The core of my life? Baptiste yoga, rising before the sun, my family & soul-tribe, Bean the Boy Kitten, and this website.
My mission for this go-round? To let you know that you are never alone.
This is where Roots of She comes into play.
I created this site because I needed to share this Truth with you.
Because I know how easy it is to feel alone in it all. It’s easy to get caught up in all the messy parts of life and start to believe deep down that there isn’t anyone out there that could understand.
I’m here to tell you this: There is always someone out there who understands, who knows the flavor and texture of your experience, whether it’s joy or excitement, grief or heartache.
You are never alone.
Roots of She is here for us to come together and celebrate our joys and triumphs, to hold space for each other when our hearts are tender, to honor bravery in vulnerability.
These stories are a collection of voices on the female experience, in all of its shapes, sizes and forms.
This is a gathering place made for connecting with other women who are walking along this path beside you.
Thank you so much for being here.
With bright joy,
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did you start Roots of She?
Because a site like this needed to exist. I’m coming to the table with feminist beliefs and a deep-seated need to translate those beliefs into something empowering and welcoming.
My intention for this site: to act as a gathering place for women, a place where we can share our stories, no matter what flavor or bent they take. Think of a country porch on a cool summer evening, sitting around in rocking chairs or swings with mugs of tea in your hand – that feeling of home, safety, connection, solidarity.
That’s how I hope you feel when you visit these pages.
How do you choose the writers for each season?
Some of the writers I’ve known for years, from back in my Kind Over Matter days. I connected with a lot of really beautiful women who have in turn, inspired, empowered, and energized me. They bring laughter and joy to my heart, and are catalysts to my creativity. I ask a couple of women from this group, my tribe, each season. Others are writers I’ve just found and fallen hard for or people who have asked if they could join in for a season.
Can I write for Roots of She?
There are two guest feature series — Oh, these Wild Women and Creative Harvest. The Wild Women series is booked through the next month or so, but shoot me an email if you’d like to be notified when I’m scheduling the next round of writers. The Creative Harvest series is on hiatus and I am not scheduling new posts at this time. Also, here are the guidelines for guest writing, if you’d like to take a gander.
Are you available for interviews?
Yep, I sure am! Shoot me an email and we can set something up!
Are you accepting sponsors?
Yes! You can get the details about the sponsorship program right here.
How do you do it all?
Oh, but I don’t! I have a (really long) list of things I want and would like and get to do and as time is available, I start on one or the other.
Running a collaborative project like RoS is time-intensive, so it’s important to keep things as simple as possible, and to not be afraid to switch things up if they stop working.
I plan things out a few months in advance, and have schedules for each writer’s stories and each week’s features. I rely on HootSuite to schedule tweets throughout the week, it’s such a helpful tool (and free, too!).
Where did you get your tree necklace?
That necklace is awesome, right? I love it so much, it reminds me that I am unshakeable, grounded, rooted. The amazing Penny and Nicky of Untamed Menagerie created it.
Are you using Blogger or WordPress?
When I launched Roots of She I was using Blogger — it was familiar and with all the changes going on, I needed that. I switched over to WordPress in early 2011 and oh how I love it!
Who developed your website?
I worked with Antti Koskenrouta to develop the website when I made the switch over to WordPress. Danielle Nelson provides the site with TLC, she’s the absolute best!
Who created your banner?
That would be the wonderfully talented Amanda Oaks! She creates all of the e-course and e-book banners and buttons, she’s so amazing.
Do you have an affiliate program?
Sure do! You can get the goods on joining it right here.
What plug-ins do you use?
The main ones I use are Aksimet (best spam blocker ever!), Digg Digg (for social media), replyMail (to let you know if someone’s replied to your comment) and Subscribe to Comments Reloaded (to subscribe to comments on posts). There are a few other ones, but these are my faves and make things so much easier.
Are you on Facebook or Twitter?
Yep! You can find me here on Facebook and over here on Twitter. Come say hi! ♥
Have a question I missed?
Email it to me and I’ll be sure to include it!
(updated April 2012)
