Reimagining how knowledge is created shared and owned.
Who we are
We’re a Black women–led research and learning organisation transforming how knowledge is created and used. We centre people who are usually left out, challenge extractive systems, and blend methodological rigour with creative, participatory approaches that help communities uncover insight and catalyse change.
OUR STORY
Roots & Rigour was born from a desire to do research differently – to create knowledge that is rigorous, rooted, and rational.
Founded by Dr. Tamanda Walker and Aiwan Obinyan, our work is shaped by our lived experiences as Black queer women, by our relationships with community, and by our refusal to separate research from care, culture, or creativity.
We don’t believe in extractive research. We believe in research that holds space. That listens before it maps. That invites communities to lead – and honours what they already know.
Whether we’re facilitating a systems change process, producing a documentary, or co-designing a learning journey, our approach stays the same; we stay rooted, we stay rigorous, we stay in flow.
Roots & Rigour sits alongside its sister company AiAi Studios and our community-driven media ecosystem, anchored by the Rigour & Flow podcast – the flagship podcast of a growing platform for collective voice, insight, and creative power over the next decade.
Together, we bridge knowledge generation, creative media, and cultural leadership, building the platforms, voice and stories to drive long-term systemic change.
