Mission Statement.

Square Rootz is a New York-based lifestyle and media collective formed by three street beating friends who have joined forces to bring you the world. Tired of the same ole, same ole, we’ve created a space to inform, expose and connect people of the African Diaspora through dynamic events and provocative media. Our mission is to stimulate genuine curiosity and a passion for living amongst our readers. The features on our site are people, places and events we’ve experienced and loved. We share them with you here in hopes that you will experience, love and make them your own. As Official Street Beaters, we invite you to join us as we discover and explore all that awaits us under the radar!

WHO WE ARE

Jessica Jones.
Growing up Jessica always wanted to be a novelist. Unfortunately, that dream was thwarted in middle school when she realized she didn’t have the attention span to work on one story for a prolonged period of time. To solve the problem, Jessica shifted her career aspirations to journalism. These days, the scribe pens articles about Black culture, health, nutrition, music and fashion for magazines and newspapers like MissBehave, Black Enterprise, Uptown, Vibe.com and The Village Voice. A West Coast native and Brooklyn transplant, Jessica has learned to use journalism as an excuse to be nosey. As a vegetarian health freak who is helplessly addicted to candy (although she’s hoping her current pursuit of a Master’s in Health & Nutrition Sciences will help her kick the habit), she condemns New York for refusing to sell Red Vines (that’s licorice) in any of its bodegas. And no, Twizzlers don’t count.

Kat Noel.
If you’re ever looking up the word gadabout in Webster’s Dictionary (get your vocabulary up people), you’ll find a picture of Kat and all her street beating glory…Well, not really but they definitely should get on it! As a true rolling stone, who believes everyone has a story to tell and never leaves home without paper and pen, she’s hoping that Square Rootz is her meal ticket out of the country. But in the meantime and in between time, the native New Yorker is focused on becoming a Jill of all trades and a master of everything by first working on her freelance writing game with articles on Black wellness and HIV/AIDS awareness in Real Health and POZ. When you see Kat on the streets don’t let her chubby cheeks fool you into getting too close, ‘cause with a lethal mix of east coast and West Indian forthright, she’ll be sure to tell you about yourself straight with no chaser. No worries, she’s not as hard as she’d like to think. Just break the ice by mentioning music or books, especially 90’s R&B and Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, and the two of you will be fast friends.

Marly Pierre-Louis.
An activist with her fist raised from the womb, Marly has always believed in advocating for the voiceless. Sensitive to the struggles of people across the globe and in her own city, Marly strives to make a difference through volunteer and community involvement. She is a passionate promoter for social justice and equality worldwide. Weaned in Brooklyn, raised in Boston and now residing back in Brooklyn after a detour through Philly, it’s no wonder Marly considers herself a vagabond. The funky fresh budget socialite spends and party planner extraordinaire, she sniffs out a connection at every corner. A passion for words, beats and laughter is why she joined the collective… that and the fact that she’s a shameless lover (read: groupie) of BBoys and DJ’s. If you’re doing something dope in the city, she’ll probably be all up in your mix, asking questions, laughing and partying… so word to the wise: WATCH YO BACK!

OFFICIAL STREET BEATING POSSE

James Monroe Adams IV

James Monroe Adams IV.
James Monroe Adams IV is a freelance photojournalist based in Brooklyn, New York. He is a voracious consumer of information, and has a desire to right wrongs using a camera and the written word. James has completed assignments in North America, South America, Africa and Europe. He currently freelances for the New York Daily News, and is available to shoot documentary assignments anywhere on the planet, and in outer space, granted that you provide a spacesuit.

Bethonie Butler.
Born and raised in Silver Spring (and Baltimore) Maryland, Bethonie Butler eventually turned her childhood hobby of pretending to be April O’Neil into a viable career interest, majoring in journalism at The University of Maryland and writing for The Providence Journal, EW.com, and The Washingtonian. She lives in Queens and works in Manhattan, where she still expects to see Ninja Turtles hopping out of sewer holes.

Michael July

Michael July.
Born and raised in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, Michael is a writer, photographer, musician, deejay, real estate professional, nutritionist and cultural scholar who sees his community as an environment of participation and spiritual growth. With all the elements in place to stir his passion, Michael is deeply committed to the endeavors of Square Rootz.

Richard Louissaint.

A writer, photographer and dreamer, Richard has shot such indie and mainstream artists as Heavy, Buju Banton, Chris Brown, Mos Def and Game Rebellion in live settings and for editorial work. His work has prominently showcased emerging hip-hop group Tanya Morgan throughout their steadily rising career, and has led to two album covers. Richard currently resides in Brooklyn, NY where he continues to hone his craft and work on his first novel - well he will return to it soon…

Shay Olivarria.

The owner of Bigger Than Your Block, an organization that provides financial literacy workshops for students, Shay has a passion for social justice and economic empowerment. This passion was honed as an undergrad at California State University Dominguez Hills. Shay has traveled to eight countries on her quest to see the world beyond her block. She can often be found listening to hip hop, country, or meringue while drafting new ideas to reach the masses.

Heidi Smith.

A lover of stories, this Portland, Oregon native and homebody with no particular home is also an expert procrastinator. Heidi joined Square Rootz to help like-minded Philadelphians find wonderful ways to while away the hours. Her views on art and life were shaped by her childhood, and are perhaps best summed up by a quote from Mike Gold: “Art is no longer snobbish or cowardly. It teaches peasants to use tractors, gives lyrics to young soldiers, designs textiles for factory women’s dresses, writes burlesques for factory theaters, does a hundred other useful tasks. Art is as useful as bread.”

Christina White.
Christina is the epitome of a true Gemini; therefore anything about her that may excite, inspire, amaze,and/or totally confuse you should be blamed solely upon astrology. She hails from a wonderful melting pot named Oakland and is currently working on the hardest earned bachelor’s degree known to woman.

Jennifer L. Williams

Jennifer L. Williams.
A lover of stimulating conversation, soul music, fattening foods, soy milk, and cartoons, Jennifer was born and raised in Washington, DC. Now a lion tamer at the ‘Brooklyn Zoo’, she remains in steady pursuit of mental inspiration, peace of mind, and anything purple.

Patrice Williams.
A true budget fashionista, strike up a convo with Patrice about tasty cuisine, Donny Hathaway or thrift stores and the shy girl will talk your ear off. Her current obsessions include keeping her MacBook clean, vintage accessories and making homemade natural hair care products.

WHAT WE DO

Profiles (FOLKS, GOODS and SPOTS).
The world is filled with scores of slept on, untapped treasures. This section brings you only the freshest and original in people and places. Explore new artists, restaurants, lounges, musicians, designers, bookstores and so much more! So get up, get out and discover all that your city has to offer!

Substance.
When it comes to our monthly feature pieces, our policy is that no topic is off-limits. From what messages your outfit truly sends to the opposite sex, the state of Black love, and the self image disorder threatening many women of the Diaspora, Square Rootz’ exploratory ‘SUBSTANCE’ articles aren’t afraid to take it there and uncover the core of it all. We promise to stir up conversation and get us all thinking again.

Multimedia.
We like pictures. We like audio. We like putting pictures and audio together to create audio slide shows. Also known as multimedia, Square Rootz will use this latest form of Internet technology as another medium for bringing you fascinating stories each month.

Affairs.
The Square Rootz’ philosophy is that good times don’t have to hurt the wallet. We’re not only dedicated to discovering and promoting the low-cost best that Philadelphia and New York have to offer, but when the selection isn’t cutting it, we’ll also bring you our own cost-conscious events infused with a whole lot of that good ol’ distinctive Square Rootz flavor.

Randomness.
Updated on a daily basis, ‘RANDOMNESS’ is our inclusive, catch-all section. It’s where rants, raves, questions, brief wax poetic dissertaions, quotes, facts-basically all the things that go on in our mental minds - get a chance to see the light of day.