Chapter leader call celebrates successes, casts hope ahead and says farewell to longtime staffer

On Tuesday, Aug. 6, Slow Food USA board members and staff presented highlights from the year thus far, outlined exciting goals and events in the coming months, and bade farewell to Dan Mueller, former Slow Food Urban San Diego board chair and Equity, Inclusion and Justice strategist for Slow Food USA. Here’s an overview of topics and links:

Recaps

1. Plant a Seed 2024 successes; Plant a Seed 2025 focus on fruits
2. Terra Madre Americas 
3. Biodiversity Advocacy Day + Food Policy Chapter Coalition
   1. https://slowfoodusa.org/food-farm-policy/ 
4. Slow Food USA Storytelling highlights 
   1. https://slowfoodusa.org/blog/ 

Events

1. Queer food is Slow Food: Cultivemos workshop, Terra Madre events, affinity group 
   1. Cultivemos site: https://www.youngfarmers.org/cultivemos/
      1. Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrc-Ghqj8sG9IhlAb4JUIqD6oUeecPIaxR 
   2. LGBTQ2S+ Affinity Group
      1. https://slowfoodusa.org/affinity-groups/
2. Terra Madre Salone del Gusto  
   1. August Terra Madre Programming Call – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvcu2hrT0tHNKNS4na1NZu4FRApHVwzTTi 
   2. Slow FOod USA x Terra Madre exclusive tees – https://www.bonfire.com/store/snail-swag/ 
3. Membership drive
4. Wellness policy toolkit: launch webinar
   1. https://slowfoodusa.org/event/slow-food-live-your-role-in-school-wellness/ 
   2. Oct. 10 – toolkit is live
5. Negroni Week: Sept 16-22
   1. https://www.negroniweek.com/ 
6. Slow Fish Charleston – tickets: https://www.universe.com/events/slow-fish-2024-charleston-tickets-3LWSFQ
7. End of Year Auction – Nov. 15 – 30 (Deion)

Executive Director Search

1. So far, 200 applicants for the role; deadline to apply is Sept. 15

Updates

1. Farewell to Dan Muller, EIJ strategist for Slow Food USA
2. 2023 Annual Report 
   1. Slow Food USA annual report will be released to our activists and members by the end of the month (preview: https://slowfoodusa.org/2023-annual-report/ )
   2. SFI Annual Report: https://pub.slowfood.com/EN_Annual_Report_2023/index.html