About us
Meet the Organizers
Jax Baxter (They/Them)
Jax identifies as a non-binary forest witch with AuDHD, and has a passion for art and community work within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. With over a decade of leadership experience in hospitality and queer positive mentorship, Jax is the founder and visionary behind Root & Rise. They currently reside in Monteagle Valley on the Rise Above Guest House land with several landmates and their dog Harrison Ford.
Jax was trained as a chef and after working in the food industry for 10 years, returned to school to obtain a social service worker diploma from Mohawk College. During their student placement for college they sat on the first Brantford Pride committee and started Brantford first gender peer support group at Grand River CHC. They also served as the chairperson and president of Hamilton Pride in 2018/2019, and founded Rainbow Mentors, a community development program serving marginalized youth. They worked in developmental services for 5 years as front line residential counsellor and behaviour technician before shifting to working with youth.
Trish Lamanna (She/They)
As a queer AuDHD creature, Trish has a deep passion for the healing potential of art, community, nature, and deep connection. When Jax pitched the idea to found Root & Rise, she jumped at the opportunity to help bring their vision to life. Trish has been building art and community gatherings for over 14 years. She was a Burning Man honoraria artist in 2013/2015 and helped grow the Burning Man regional event for Central Canada, formally known as Hyperborea from 2017-2019.
During the pandemic Trish started therapy and retired from Burning Man events seeking a greater alignment of personal values. She went on to found ANKOAE in 2024, a private gathering that takes place in West Nipissing, Ontario. ANKOAE aims to reintroduce art, symbolic play, personal reflection, rest, and collaborative meaning-making, into how we gather. Trish holds a specialized degree in Design and is currently a Design AnthroTechnologist in the data privacy space. She is a practicing witch descended from Italian fae and stone masons, and has been practicing tarot for over 6 years.
Our Values
Integrity
We practice keeping our words and actions coherent to live our values.
Respect
We honour the inherent sacredness of all things through concious listening.
Compassion
We stay loving through suffering and offer action to alleviate it in alignment with needs.
Resilience
We build the capacity to adapt in the face of complex adversity with the support of ourselves and others.
Authenticity
We show up as we are with boundaries that allow us to love ourselves and one other at the same time.
Gratitude
We practice consciously acknowledging, appreciating and accepting the kindness the world offers us.
Open-mindedness
We stay open to new and unfamiliar perspectives with humility without tolerating intolerance.
Responsibility
We take full ownership of our choices and are accountable to the ways we impact ourselves, each other and the land.
Care
We prioritize relationship-centred support based on the needs and abilities of those receiving.
Inclusion
We make things accessible for all folks by asking questions and adjusting where needed.
Have questions?
If you’re unsure which option is right for you, or if you have logistical questions, please reach out to us.
Root & Rise — A Queer Wellness Retreat