When you walk through the busy corridors of Spokane’s NorthTown Mall, you might expect the usual: chain stores, fast food, and weekend shoppers. But tucked in Suite 1216 is something deeply different – sacred even. It’s called Diverse Roots, and for Black and Brown communities in Spokane, it’s not just an event space – it’s a movement.
Space Built for Us, By Us
Diverse Roots was created by the Shades of Motherhood Network, a Black-led organization focused on Black maternal health, healing and holistic care. This space isn’t just functional – it’s spiritual. It holds ancestral energy, cultural pride, and a quiet defiance against systems that have long excluded our voices.
Here, Black women are centered. Black stories are told. Black joy is not just welcomed – it’s the standard.
More Than Events – It’s a Healing Ground
Whether it’s a baby shower for a first-time mom, a doula-led birth circle, or a poetry night honoring fatherhood, Diverse Roots is curated to celebrate Black life from all angles. They’ve hosted everything from leadership workshops for teen moms to marketplaces featuring Black-owned vendors.
Each event is intentional. Each gathering is layered with love.
“We built this space to say: You belong. Your culture belongs. Your healing matters,” says Stephaine Courtney, founder of the Shades of Motherhood Network. “We wanted a space where community wasn’t an afterthought – it was the reason.”
Black Wellness, Leadership and Love
From free maternal mental health support to lactation consultations, this space is where advocacy meets accessibility. It’s also a launchpad for youth and women’s leadership programs, like She-Brews to Lead, helping Black girls and moms find their voice in public speaking and leadership.
This is not charity – it’s capacity building. It’s the kind of grassroots organizing that changes systems, one relationship at a time.
Why a Mall?
Placing this cultural hub in the heart of a commercial mall is a statement in itself. Diverse Roots is a reminder that Black culture belongs in every space–not just in side halls or community centers, but in the public square. We deserve visibility.
In a city where Black folks are often overlooked, this space says loud and clear: We are here. We are healing. And we are thriving.
Catch Diverse Roots on:
- Community check-ins, vendor markets and healing circles.
- Stay updated at
- or visit them at NorthTown Mall, Suite 1216.
In a world trying to erase us, Diverse Roots reminds us our roots are deep, our stories are sacred, and our futures are ours to shape.