About Us

ROOT (Reaching Out to Other Together), Inc. is a grassroots organization based in the District of Columbia, which is committed to advocacy, education and intervention on behalf of homicide victims of gun violence, and their families.

While working towards his doctoral degree at Loyola College in Maryland, Kenneth Barnes, Sr., oldest son was murdered.  Mr. Barnes’ personal tragedy became the genesis for his commitment to found ROOT Inc. in 2002.

The claim of ROOT and its supporters is that the current surge in gun violence is a public health crisis.  This crisis reaches all incomes, classes and ethnicities nationwide.

Our mission is to galvanize active agencies and agents in targeted communities that service our youth.  These are community stakeholders, human and social service agencies, police, media and the business community. The purpose is to work together to address the issues that are the catalyst for youth violence.