Rooted 250 brings community together through art, music and shared stories

Caelyn Dockal | News editor

Students, faculty and community members gathered in the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre for Rooted 250 on March 25.

This was a one-night event designed to celebrate culture, connection and community.

Through art, music and storytelling, the event encouraged everyone to reflect on their shared humanity and the importance of coming together despite political differences.

From the moment guests entered, they were greeted by an art gallery featuring a wide range of media. Paintings, mixed media pieces and visual storytelling filled the space, each work representing different perspectives and experiences. 

Here is a symbolic representation of the Americans being connect. (photo credits by Caelyn Dockal)

The collection emphasized a central message: while backgrounds may differ, the community grows stronger when people reconnect with their cultural roots and recognize the beauty in one another.

Clarissa Gainey, the organizer of the event, described Rooted 250 as more than just an exhibition, that this was an opportunity to pause and reflect.

“This event is a one-night-only event where we wanted to bring the community together,” Gainey said. “We wanted to share more stories about Augusta, more people, where they’re coming from, their experiences, the roots that are new and old… It’s a great opportunity for us to stop and think who are we? Who’s in our community? And really have a positive night with beautiful art, beautiful music and just having that moment where we’re just stopping and thinking about ourselves and our neighbors.”

For Gainey, the event held personal meaning. Having moved to the CSRA from Brazil in 2023, she shared how establishing roots in a new place shaped her vision for the night.

“I understand that it can be a little difficult to establish your roots somewhere,” she said. “So for me, it’s a personal expression of me saying, I’m establishing my roots here in the CSRA. One of the strengths of this area is how people are willing to lift you up, help you and encourage you. That’s really helping me set strong roots here.”

The evening also featured a jazz ensemble performance in the Maxwell by Wycliffe Gordon, whose music added another layer of emotion and reflection. The sound of live jazz played in the space and deepened the emotional connection to the event.

Together, in a shared moment, listening to “What A Wonderful World” and “America The Beautiful,” the attendees were able to reflect on the meaning of this event and feel the emotional meaning that Gainey was getting across to the attendees.

That America is beautiful, that this is a wonderful world if only we as a community gave back to it. 

That if we come together, put our differences aside and give this country another chance of community in such a divisive time. 

America is the one that suffers when we start to forget why it was built in the first place, why so many flocked to it, to create something new, to bring traditions and knowledge from all over the world together.

We are taught in school that America is a “melting pot” of culture, ethnicity, traditions, and identities. This event was held to remind the community of these roots.

Not only was there a performance that brought the attendees together, but also an art exhibit, featuring students art and people from the Augusta community, was put onto display.

Gainey emphasized that the art show aimed to highlight positivity and compassion.

“We wanted to show the beauty that there is in each one of us,” she said. “Sometimes we need to pause and try to see that beauty in ourselves and in other people. I hope that tonight was an evening that people can leave here feeling inspired, feeling positive, and understanding that we really need to try to see the beauty in others.”

The event also introduced Gainey’s initiative, “Thankful for America,” and a documentary project featuring immigrants sharing stories of resilience and inspiration.

Student contributor Schneider Hadfield, who assisted with advertising and public relations for the event, explained the meaning behind the name Rooted 250.

A happy birthday, America, poster card for the 250th. (photo by Caelyn Dockal)

“It’s called Rooted 250 because this year is America’s 250th birthday celebrating its independence,” Hadfield said. “Rooted focuses on how trees connect back to the earth, how roots overlap and intertwine and spread out, but they still remain central to one tree. That can be representative of culture, religion, and all sorts of things that are important to people.”

Hadfield shared that his involvement included promoting the event on social media, attending lead-up events and creating stickers and buttons distributed throughout the night. But beyond logistics, the message resonated on a personal level to him.

“I’ve always been around immigrants and people who weren’t from America,” he said. “It was always normal to me … That’s the beauty of it. We’re taught America is a melting pot of cultures, and this event really celebrated that.”

He also stressed the importance of hosting an event centered on unity during a time of division.

“I think it was super important,” Hadfield said. “There is a political message when there’s discourse about immigration, but the motivation wasn’t purely political. It was about celebrating culture and America’s ideals — freedom, opportunity — and shifting the focus from debate and argument back into unity, respect and understanding.”

As the night came to a close, attendees lingered in conversation, reflecting on what they had seen and heard. Rooted 250 did more than showcase art and music. This event created space for empathy, dialogue and connection.

Gainey said that they hope attendees left the event feeling inspired and encouraged to focus on shared community values.

In a world often defined by disagreement, the event served as a reminder that communities grow stronger when people return to their roots. These roots are not just of culture, but of compassion. 

For one evening, differences were what made this event possible. These differences were put onto display and brought the community together, forming a shared story grounded in understanding and hope.

Contact Caelyn Dockal at cadockal@augusta.edu.