Today we’d like to introduce you to ROSE Roots Over Stadiums And Erasure.
ROSE, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
ROSE (Roots Over Stadiums & Erasure) was founded by a group of five community members from Salt Lake City’s west side, each deeply connected to neighborhoods like Rose Park, Glendale, Fair Park, and Poplar Grove. Coming from backgrounds in advocacy, education, grassroots organizing, and lived experience with displacement, the group came together in response to the proposed MLB stadium project — a development that symbolizes a long history of gentrification and community erasure.
As founders of ROSE, we recognized early on that this wasn’t just about a stadium — it was about protecting their communities from being priced out, pushed out, and silenced in the name of “progress.” United by a shared commitment to housing justice, cultural preservation, and resisting displacement, we began organizing to amplify the voices of long-time residents, small business owners, and unhoused neighbors.
ROSE has grown into a collective that challenges harmful development practices while advocating for people-first solutions. Our work continues to highlight how large-scale projects, like the stadium, often ignore the needs of marginalized communities — and how grassroots resistance can offer a different path forward.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Challenging powerful developers, city officials, and long-standing systems of gentrification is never easy—especially when you’re a grassroots collective made up of everyday community members. One of the biggest struggles has been fighting against the narrative that projects like the stadium are ‘good for everyone.’ We constantly have to push back against the idea that economic growth automatically benefits marginalized communities, when in reality, it often leads to displacement and erasure.
Another challenge has been visibility and capacity. We’re a small group going up against well-funded interests, so balancing outreach, education, and organizing—while many of us juggle jobs, school, and family responsibilities—has been tough. We’ve also seen how ‘beautification’ efforts come with increased policing and the criminalization of our unhoused neighbors, which adds another layer of urgency and frustration.
Despite all this, these struggles have only reinforced why ROSE exists. Every challenge reminds us that if we don’t speak up for our communities, no one else will. And while the road has been difficult, it’s also been filled with solidarity, learning, and moments of powerful resistance.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
ROSE (Roots Over Stadiums & Erasure) is a collective of long-time community members, advocates, and organizers who have been actively involved in fighting for housing justice, anti-displacement efforts, and equitable development across Salt Lake City. Many within ROSE have spent over a decade working directly in and with marginalized communities—whether through grassroots activism, education, mutual aid, or policy advocacy. Our members come from diverse backgrounds, with post-secondary education ranging from bachelor’s to master’s degrees, but what truly connects us is lived experience and a deep-rooted commitment to protecting our neighborhoods.
We’re known for calling out harmful development practices—like the proposed MLB stadium—that threaten to displace working-class families, communities of color, small businesses, and unhoused neighbors. What sets ROSE apart is that we aren’t just speaking about the community—we are the community. We’re not funded by big organizations, we’re not seeking clout, and we’re not interested in performative activism. We organize because we know what’s at stake when decisions are made without us.
We’re most proud of creating a space where people feel empowered to say NO to displacement, to challenge gentrification, and to envision development that centers people over profit. We also prioritize protecting our members—many of whom are already active in other movements—so while we’d love to share our individual identities, we recognize the importance of collective safety. For us, the focus isn’t on who we are, but what we stand for: keeping our roots strong, our communities intact, and resisting erasure in all its forms.
How do you think about luck?
When it comes to community organizing and resisting displacement, luck doesn’t play as big of a role as people might think. We wouldn’t say we’re here because of good luck — we’re here because of necessity, lived experience, and the urgency to protect our neighborhoods. If anything, many of us in ROSE come from communities where systemic inequalities have stacked the odds against us for generations — from redlining to underinvestment to now facing gentrification disguised as ‘development.’
That said, we do recognize moments where timing and connection have worked in our favor. We’ve been fortunate to cross paths with other grassroots groups, advocates, and community members who share our vision. Sometimes, it feels like the right conversations happen when we need them most, or that solidarity shows up in unexpected ways. But we wouldn’t call that luck — we’d call it the power of community.
If bad luck exists in this work, it’s in the sense that we’re forced to fight battles we never asked for — like pushing back against billion-dollar developments threatening to erase our homes and culture. But even in those moments, we turn obstacles into organizing opportunities. At the end of the day, ROSE isn’t built on luck — it’s built on resilience, resistance, and a deep love for our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rootsoverstadiums.squarespace.com
- Instagram: rootsover_stadiumserasure
