Rooted in Love, LLC was formed in 2017 to function as a force multiplier in Race, Equity, and Inclusion (REI); but, the force we are working to multiply is love that is rooted in justice, equity, and solidarity. We are committed to working, collaboratively, with partners in education and in industry to shift organizational culture by helping them identify and eliminate racial microaggressions and the systems and structures that make these microaggressions commonplace. We work with our partners to multiply the work that they are already doing, by helping them identify institutionalized blind spots and providing strategy and training that lay the groundwork for the development of an individual and organizational antiracist growth mindset (ARGM). Jeremiah and Rachel routinely pull in leading experts to enrich conversations and to help you and your team build on the work you are engaging in.
Meet The Team
JEREMIAH J. SIMS, PH.D.
CO-FOUNDER & Principal ConsultantJeremiah J. Sims may not have seen it all, but he’s seen enough to know what hunger feels like and the ways that violence transmogrifies dreams into nightmares. A first-generation college student, born in Oakland and raised in Richmond, CA, Jeremiah experienced racism, especially in the form of low education expectations, food insecurity, and housing insecurity. He was also system-impacted. Jeremiah grew up in the East Bay Area and saw fratricidal violence, firsthand, both in and outside of his home. Like many poor Black and Brown students, he faced trying circumstances, but was able to eventually excel academically. He credits his Heavenly Father, his faith and his community for his academic success. As a result of his own life experiences, Jeremiah has devoted his career to the pursuit and ultimate realization of educational equity for hyper-marginalized students. He is currently the Director of Equity for the College of San Mateo. and an alumni of the University of California, Berkeley where he earned a B.A. in rhetoric, with honors, as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. in education.
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RACHEL SIMS, M.A.
Co-Founder & Consultant Rachel Sims has over 15 years of experience in developing and directing equity-centered programs in the nonprofit world and in education. She was at the helm of a summer residential STEM program for under-resourced students of color for eight of those years and was instrumental in scaling it nationwide. Her passion is ensuring that heart intentions are preserved in policy and practice; that students' "self" is not compromised with outcomes in mind. While planning the path forward is one of her strengths, she is drawn to situations that necessitate walking by faith and breaking with tradition. In the past few years, Rachel has also been working with a group of artists and acting as liaison for students and communities of color in the creation of large-scale murals. She is currently the Director of Advancement Strategy and Operations for Golden Gate University. Rachel is a Bay Area native and is raising five amazing boys with Jeremiah. She holds a bachelor’s in business management from UC Berkeley and a master’s in educational administration from San Francisco State University.
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Kayla Pezolano
Business Support SpecialistKayla Pezolano is a writer and business support specialist originally from Queens, New York. As a former high school dropout, first-gen, and non-traditional college student, Kayla has overcome many hurdles in her academic career. Despite that, Kayla is currently pursuing a B.A. in Integrated Social Sciences at the University of Washington and has won numerous awards for her academic success including being named one of UW’s 2020 Martin Achievement Scholars. Professionally, Kayla has 8 years of experience in the administrative field and has made a significant impact on improving business processes with many companies. Having fought to break the poverty cycle and other systemically oppressive systems in her own family, Kayla is very passionate about justice and equity work. This is how she ended up joining the IDEAL fellowship, returning as a teacher's assistant, and now is formally part of the Rooted In Love team! Kayla’s ultimate goal is to inspire the community with her leadership skills and make positive changes, whether it be in someone’s personal life or at an institutional level.
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Because love is an act of courage, not of fear, love is a commitment to others. ~Paolo Friere