Building bridges to people who have been left behind.
Roots2Empower was founded by Tarshire Battle in 2020 to improve the lives of justice-impacted and low-income people in Southern New England.
Since then, our mission has expanded to address the root causes of poverty and mass incarceration, dismantling barriers to civic engagement and equipping people with the tools they need to shape just and equitable communities, rooted in regenerative, circular economies and a culture of cooperation, care, and belonging.
Portrait by Robert Easton
Roots2Empower was inspired by Tarshire’s first-hand experience witnessing the challenges that formerly incarcerated people face while reintegrating into society. In her work with the New England Center for Homeless Veterans and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, Tarshire saw her clients return to prison again and again due to system barriers preventing them from gaining employment, dignified housing, and access to basic needs like healthy food and sanitation. Tarshire also saw her brother face these challenges after being released from prison in the 1990s. Although he was determined to turn his life around, no one would hire him. But with Tarshire’s help, he was able to get a truck and start his own construction business. His business has been thriving ever since and makes it a point to hire justice-impacted folks.
Tarshire knew her brother’s success story could be felt by others, especially Black folk who face even higher barriers due to systemic racism. Many people in the criminal justice system face social and economic disadvantages that are passed over generations and often don’t have access to support once released. That’s why Roots2Empower’s signature entrepreneurship program focuses on providing direct support to formerly incarcerated individuals through business and financial training, complemented by our community garden that provides a means of connection to the earth, locally grown food, and agricultural education.
In recent years, Roots2Empower has expanded to address the root causes of poverty, environmental injustice, and mass incarceration. As a community convener, we are constantly investigating barriers our neighbors face and refining community-driven solutions to social disparities. These solutions are the focus of our advocacy efforts as we work to realize public policy that is robust and inclusive in its design and implementation. By providing our communities with the support and information they need to engage civically, they’re able to actively participate in shaping more just and equitable communities. We also work in underserved high schools to provide STEAM education, creating intentional learning experiences that support students to develop and maintain positive relationships, become lifelong learners, and contribute to a more caring and just world.
Roots2Empower is a member of the Rhode Island Environmental Education Association, New England for Offshore Wind, Ocean State Environmental Justice Alliance, and serves on the Governor’s Green Energy Workforce Advisory Committee.
Meet the Team
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Tarshie Battle (she/her)
FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
An artist, herbalist, activist, Master Gardener, and entrepreneur, Roots 2Empower reflects Tarshire Battle’s integrative and justice-centered leadership. She founded the organization in 2019, drawing upon her academic training in Public Administration from Northeastern University and Mental Health Counseling from Boston University. Through Roots 2Empower, she advances multi-dimensional strategies for economic empowerment, environmental stewardship, and equitable food access by combining education, workforce training, land-based learning, and policy advocacy.
Tarshire began her professional career in 1993, serving individuals experiencing mental health and substance use disorders. Her work includes five years at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections as a Mental Health Discharge Planner, supporting formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry planning, housing stabilization, and continuity of care. She also worked with homeless veterans in Boston at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans, addressing the intersection of trauma, housing instability, and behavioral health. These experiences shaped her structural understanding of how housing, health, justice systems, and environmental conditions intersect to influence long-term wellbeing.
Her work has been featured in The Boston Globe, Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Uprise RI, The Business Journals, and The Valley Breeze. Tarshire serves on the boards of Break the Cycle and Friends of the Moshassuck, contributing to regional efforts that advance environmental justice, community safety, and watershed stewardship.
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Lola Herrera-Ximenez
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE & COMMUNITY RESILIENCE SPECIALIST
Lola Herrera-Ximenez is a bilingual (Spanish–English) environmental professional with more than 15 years of experience advancing climate resilience and community-centered environmental solutions. At Roots 2Empower, she contributes to the development of equitable resilience strategies that center frontline communities in environmental planning and decision-making processes.
Her professional work integrates policy analysis, environmental science, and lived experience. Lola has led climate adaptation and vulnerability assessments, facilitated multi-stakeholder dialogues, and translated complex technical data into accessible tools for community members, municipal leaders, and partner organizations. Her experience spans the United States, Latin America, and Europe, with a focus on coastal management, ecosystem-based planning, and sustainable livelihood strategies.
Lola holds an MSc in Sustainability from TU Delft and Leiden University, a Master of Marine Affairs (M.M.A.) from University of Rhode Island, and a BSc in Marine Science from University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Grounded in collaboration and cultural competency, Lola approaches resilience as both a technical and democratic practice. She advances models of engagement that prioritize informed participation, representative leadership, and community-driven systems change.
