Rootsprings: A Holistic Site Plan for Healing and Connection

Rootsprings is a retreat center dedicated to healing, learning, and connection for artists, activists, and organizers—especially Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ communities with deep yet often unsupported ties to the land. Located 60 miles west of Minneapolis, the 36-acre site features open landscapes, guest cabins, gathering spaces, trails, a pond, and a barn. Initially engaged for a barn renovation, our team’s holistic planning process uncovered deeper priorities— focusing on site restoration and a vibrant gathering space that nurtures both people and nature. Rootsprings is more than a retreat; it’s a reclamation of space, history, and belonging.