National Meeting April 2021

Thank you for an inspiring spring national meeting this week! After being isolated for so long due to COVID, it was so good to see friends from around the country, in many different communities. I know this year has been tough for many chapters, but I feel an emerging energy to re-activate boards, projects, and shared meals. These national gatherings help us connect with each other, align around shared values, and identify areas where we can work together for collective impact. Here’s the presentation deck and some key announcements:

I introduced a document called “Why Slow Food?” that outlines Slow Food’s fundamental challenge, theory of change, vision and core pillars of impact. We incorporated many elements from the Equity, Inclusion and Justice Manifesto, so that those values are baked into all our messaging. We also mirrored language from Slow Food International’s “Call to Action.” Please comment directly on the Google doc with any questions or suggestions. After we work through a round of revisions based on your feedback, the document will serve as a centralized hub for copy to use with grants, websites, appeals, campaigns and other communications. It will keep us tuned to the same key.

We announced that we are creating a BIPOC/ALAANA affinity group, facilitated by Dan Mueller. This group is meant to be a safe space for those who identify as Black, Indigenous, or African, Latinx, Arab, Asian and Native American. Contact dan@slowfoodusa.org if you would like to be involved. We are also planning a network leaders’ anti-racism training series this fall; details to come.

Lastly, we are hiring a part-time development manager and seeking nominations for the SFUSA board of directors.

Thanks to everyone who joined. I especially enjoyed the breakout rooms by region and theme, and give special thanks to the facilitators of each conversation. See you again soon!

— Anna Mulé, executive director