Today we’d like to introduce you to Vidya Dwarakanath.
Hi Vidya, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in northern Virginia, not directly impacted by incarceration, but always disturbed by it. Even from a distance, it was clear to me that incarceration was just legalized slavery under a different name. I was angry about how normal it had become, how easy it was to ignore.
After college, I learned about restorative justice, and honestly, I didn’t believe in it. The idea was beautiful, but it felt too idealistic, too soft. So I did what made the most sense to me: I tested the theory on Rikers Island.
I spent years working in New York City jails, in solitary confinement units, and with young people navigating systems that were never built for their healing. What I saw confirmed what I feared, but it also showed me that change was possible, when it was grounded in care, creativity, and proximity to real people.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been smooth, but I don’t think meaningful work ever is.
One of the biggest challenges has been navigating spaces where the values people talk about don’t always match the systems they operate within. Working in justice-oriented and creative spaces taught me a lot, but it also showed me how burnout, scarcity, and rigid structures can quietly reproduce the very harm they claim to address.
Another struggle has been learning how to sustain myself while doing work rooted in care. For a long time, I believed that sacrifice was part of the job, that if the work mattered, I was supposed to disappear inside it. Unlearning that has been a major turning point. Building something that allows for joy, rest, and financial stability alongside purpose has taken time, experimentation, and a lot of humility.
There’s also the emotional weight of proximity. When you work closely with people navigating trauma, incarceration, or loss, you don’t get to stay detached. I’ve had to learn how to hold that responsibility without letting it consume me, how to show up consistently without becoming the solution for everything.
The road hasn’t been easy, but those struggles shaped the clarity I have now. They pushed me to build work that’s grounded, sustainable, and human, not perfect, but real.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Rooted in the Work?
Rooted in the Work is a creative business dedicated to eradicating poverty through joy, community care, and shared wealth.
At its heart, this work is about building something better, not someday, but now. We host restorative pop-ups, create joyful merch (like our signature stickers), offer tarot readings, and invite people into a global ecosystem of support through Patreon, Substack, and small-scale giving.
We’re doing all of this with people serving long and life sentences, not for them. They co-create, consult, dream, and design with us. Their voices shape every offering, every idea, every party we throw. That’s what makes Rooted in the Work different: this is a business rooted in real relationships, not charity.
We believe poverty isn’t a failure, it’s a design. And we’re redesigning. Every sticker purchased, every dollar donated, becomes part of a growing economy that values people over profit and relationships over hierarchy.
We’re showing what’s possible when money is used with integrity and joy isn’t treated as a luxury.
Our long-term vision? To become the next Elon Musk, but ethical. Not by hoarding power, but by redistributing it. Not through extraction, but through community. We’re not just imagining a different world. We’re building the infrastructure to sustain it.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Honestly? Probably going to amusement parks. I loved the thrill, the energy, the chaos of it all, and it kind of makes sense in hindsight. Almost everyone I’ve worked with in incarceration spaces has told me I’m addicted to adrenaline, and they might be right! There’s something about the rush of it all, joy, fear, possibility, that mirrors how I approach life and work. I like big ideas, fast pivots, and taking risks for what I believe in. So I guess the roller coasters started early.
Pricing:
- Stickers are $6.66
- Mugs are $50
- Substack is $16 a month
- Patreon starts at $1 a month
- Newsletter is FREE!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rootedinthework.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootedinthework
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidya-dwarakanath-91a151108
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/rootedinthework
- Other: https://substack.com/@msvthecounselor
