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Slow Food Leader Summit

The Archive
Thank you for making the 2020 Virtual Leader Summit a great success! We are adding sessions here in the order that they occurred. Click any of the program areas below to go to that content. Cheers!
Leadership
Fundraising
Communications
Programming

State of the Snail

Watch: State of the Snail
Get the The Cocktail Recipe
Kick off the Slow Food Leader Summit with a high-level look at Slow Food in America. Executive director Anna Mulé will talk about national strategy, the future of events, the new community model, and how to integrate equity, inclusion and justice into everything we do. You’ll also hear from communications director Giselle Kennedy Lord and network engagement director Felix Wai. We’ll leave plenty of time for questions before mixologist Danny Childs shows us how to whip up a special Slow Food cocktail so we can raise a toast together to our first-ever virtual Leader Summit!

With Anna Mulé, Felix Wai, Giselle Kennedy Lord, Danny Childs

Centering Equity, Inclusion and Justice

Watch: Centering EIJ
Join three of the key authors of the Slow Food Equity, Inclusion and Justice Manifesto to understand the history of how and why the manifesto was created, deepen your understanding of its meaning, and to connect in breakout groups to workshop your own chapter’s action steps.

With Jovan Sage, Jim Embry and Denisa Livingston

Advocacy Beyond the Fork

Watch: Advocacy Beyond the Fork
The Slow Food USA Food and Farm Policy Committee will lead us in a participative, advocacy skills-building session focused on how grassroots advocacy can lead to positive outcomes and three immediate policy challenges. Our panel will discuss food and farm immigrant labor justice, the effects of aquaculture commodities on community and tribal-based fisheries, and agricultural resilience in climate change. We’ll work in groups led by the panelists to analyze issues and frame effective advocacy positions.

with: Reana Kovalcik, Slow Food DC & SE Regional Coordinator
Kevin Scribner, Slow Fish
Caitlin Balagula, SLow Food Policy Fellow
Vanessa Garcia Polanco, Federal Policy Associate, National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC)
Rosanna Maria Neal, Policy Counsel, Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA)
Adam Zipkin, Office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ).

You Say Tomato 
Dinner Party
& Summit Closing!

Watch: You Say Tomato Closing Dinner Party
“You Say” Dinners are an exercise in diversity. Many chapters are faced with a membership that lacks diversity where diversity should not be an issue, so this is a tool that intentionally seeks to engage BIPOC, LGBTQ and other generally underrepresented members of our communities, allowing them to share their food stories. These dinners can also be unique fundraisers with food justice and cultural awareness at their core.

With Phil Jones, Slow Food Detroit

Leadership

Formal and Flexible Leadership Teams

Watch: Formal and Flexible Leadership Teams
Maintaining an effective, healthy leadership team is a universal challenge for Slow Food chapters. In this panel discussion, we are bringing together 3 leaders with plenty of experience in building great leadershiop teams. These leaders will discuss what practices, policies, and processes they have in place that are critical for both effective leadership and sustaining a healthy leadership team. They will also discuss how they handle conflict.

75 minutes+

With: Marilyn Noble, Arizona Slow Food governor
Mara Welton, Slow Food Vermont board member, former Slow Food Vermont chair, Northeast regional lead
Julie Diaz, Education Chair, Slow Food Urban San Diego board member

International Slow Food Relationships and Strategy

Watch: International Relationships & Strategy
Every few years, Slow Food delegates from around the world participate in the International Council, a critical event in shaping the direction of Slow Food International. Denisa Livingston, Jennifer Breckner, Kathryn Underwood and Tiffany Nurrenberg will share key strategies from these meetings and help all of us connect with people at work doing amazing things with Slow Food. They will focus on the Chengdu Declaration and help us align with Slow Food’s future.

with Jennifer Breckner, Denisa Livingston, Tiffany Nurrenbern, Kathryn Underwood

Building Diverse Leadership

Watch: Building Diverse Leadership
Diversity is reality. Waking up to this realization is but the first step to not only demonstrating how we value diversity but how we’re willing to adapt to it. Cultural competence is key to cultivating an atmosphere where all are welcome, heard and empowered to lead. During this session, we’ll explore five steps along an action continuum and evaluate our readiness to invite in diverse populations and perspectives.

With Dan Mueller, California Project Developer and Slow Food USA Leader Summit Lead

The Slow Food Community Model

Watch: The Slow Food Community Model
Slow Food Communities are an alternative organizing model to chapters. They have been activated and adapted around the world, but not widely implemented here in the US. In this session, we’ll walk through what a Slow Food community is and how it differs from a chapters, as well as the benefits and expectations for communities and why they matter to our network. Bring your questions!

with Felix Wai, Slow Food USA network engagement manager
Horacio Torres De Ita, Slow Food Mexico
Carolina Guiterrez Sanchez, Ecogastronomica Baja Community
Jaime Saul Bazua, Ecogastronomica Baja Community and Cooks Alliance
Jeff Quattrone, Slow Food Northeast

Enriching the Slow Food leader experience

Watch: Enriching the Slow Food Leader Experience
Join Slow Food Urban San Diego for a dialogue on what it means to be a part of the Slow Food movement. Let’s dive in as we create shared meanings and cultivate a unique understanding of how we all play a part in upholding the “Good, Clean & Fair” ethos.

with Dan Mueller and Rachel Hommel, Slow Food Urban San Diego

Fundraising

Sustainability in fundraising: How to attract and retain members and donors

Watch: Sustainability in Fundraising
The key to creating a sustainable, robust, and secure fundraising program is to attract and retain individual donor, members, and volunteers. Consistent and patient stewardship of these individuals is the key to success. This requires excellent data management and consistent processes for communicating with constituents. In this workshop, you’ll learn how a strong individual fundraising program is critical for a healthy organization, discuss the importance of a culture of philanthropy, and get tips for processes and tools required for fundraising success.

With Rick Eaton

Tips and tricks for finding and applying for the best grant opportunities

Watch: Tips & Tricks for Grant Opportunities
Learn from professionals how to find the best grant funding opportunities, and how to get your applications noticed so that applying is worth your time.

Emily Sanders, ZIM Consulting Director of Grant Research, and Rebecca Conway, ZIM Consulting Director of Grants

How to Build Successful Sponsorships

Watch: How to Build Successful Sponsorships
Building sponsorships for Slow Food starts with developing relationships with aligned businesses and creating compelling appeals. Join a conversation with a group of talented Slow Food fundraisers about the process of sponsorships — how to solicit sponsors, how to make decisions on who to accept money from, how to create a pitch deck, and how to make this a sustainable process with your board. This will be an interactive conversation, so we can learn from each other. Bring your ideas!

with Chelsea Huson is chair of Slow Food Chicago
Pennie Schwartz is chair of Slow Food East End
Scott Steen is ED of Slow Food in the Tetons
Jen Casey has been governor of WI and is ED of the Fondy Market

Communications

This is Slow Food: Communicating Our Mission

Watch: This Is Slow Food
This is Slow Food: Style Guide
How do you answer the question, ‘What is Slow Food?’ In this panel, we’ll discuss how we present and talk about what Slow Food is, what we do and why it’s important. Panelists Sara ElSayed and Carrie Larson will discuss communicating the mission both from a broader international perspective and a localized point of view. Giselle will discuss the visual identity of Slow Food and the importance and logistics of keeping it consistent, as well as how our presentation of Slow Food’s mission impacts engagement and support. We’ll work in groups to develop your elevator pitch and brainstorm the overall presentation of the Slow Food message and mission for your chapter.

With: Sara ElSayed, Carrie Larson, Giselle Kennedy Lord

Communications Strategy: Content, Marketing and Media

Watch: Communications Strategy
Communications Strategy Slide Deck by Swell Co-Lab
The brass tacks of communications can be really overwhelming, but even a little strategy goes a very long way! Jana Kopp of Swell Collaborative will present on communications strategy, marketing and working with the media as it all relates to Slow Food and localized work. This is a great opportunity to develop a communications strategy for your chapter, working group or community, or dive deep into your existing communications strategy.

with Jana Kopp of the Swell Co-Lab, in conversation with Giselle Kennedy Lord, Slow Food USA communications director

Download Strategy Worksheets from Swell Co-Lab

Digital Content and Virtual Programming

Watch: Digital Content & Virtual Programming
A workshop-style session covering the where, when, why and how of digital media and virtual programming. We’ll look at the social media landscape and discuss best platforms and practices for different Slow Food USA chapters and communities. Giselle will lead a training on how to manage and host virtual programming á la Slow Food Live. We’ll hear from Alexander Craig of Slow Food NYC and Seth Brammer of Slow Food Dallas Fort Worth on their approach, success and challenges with digital media and virtual programming, respectively. Q&A session to end.

with Alexander Craig of Slow Food NYC, Seth Brammer of Slow Food Dallas Fort Worth, and Giselle Kennedy Lord of Slow Food USA

Programming

Programming Ideas Fair

Watch: Programming Ideas Fair
There are so many amazing projects happening all the time in our national network of Slow Food chapters and advocates! This panel is dedicated to celebrating and sharing some of these stellar initiatives. Our panelists will discuss why they started their projects, challenges they have overcome or are still overcoming, and plans for the future. We hope for this to be a lively ideas fair where sharing experiences will inspire participants and plant the seeds for more action ahead!

with: Colles Stowell, Slow FishNorth America – Slow Fish Crew Together Webinars
Beth Gates and/or Madi Taylor, Slow Food Portland – Market Scouts
Sara Jean Whelan, Slow Food Vermont – Disco Soup
Lou Rodarte, Slow Food Phoenix – Blue Watermelon Project
Carrie Larson, Slow Food Charleston – Ark of Taste Dinners

The COVID Pivot: Events to Action

Watch: The COVID Pivot
Slow Food chapters have pivoted from in-person events to a focus on action, leveraging Slow Food’s renewed commitment to equity, inclusion and justice to help their communities navigate this crisis. We’re bringing a few of these chapter leaders together to share reflections on their process and how others can do the same.

The National Resilience Fund has supported some of the projects that have emerged in community food hubs and alongside local chapters — inspiring projects that bring together youth, farmers, chefs, and community to address the systemic weaknesses in our food system laid bare by the COVID pandemic, issues that Slow Food has been advocating to change since 1989.

with: Willow Blish, Slow Food East Bay
Chef Phil Jones, Slow Food Detroit
Amanda Vanhoozier, Slow Food Dallas Fort Worth
Moderator: Seth Brammer

Resiliency Gardens & Online Adventures: A Pivot Story

Watch: Resiliency Gardens
Lauren Maples and her team from PEAs in ATX will share the creative ways that they have pivoted with their school garden program. They are working on Resiliency Gardens and Online Adventures for their students. Find out what the new year will bring for their organization in the time of COVID.

with Lauren Maples, founder and educator of PEAS

Ark of Taste: Nominating At-Risk Foods

Watch: Nominating Ark of Taste Foods
This event will start you on your journey to document and advocate for preserving at risk local food biodiversity. Your first step is writing a nomination, and that’s open to the public. The national Ark of Taste committee welcomes local community members to work with them, and is there to assist you on your journey through the protocols, and the research that’s needed. We are biodiversity — when we preserve it, we preserve ourselves.

with Jeff Quattrone and Mimi Edelman

Looking at The Ark of Taste Through Two Lenses

Watch: The Ark of Taste Through Two Lenses
Join us as a panel of Ark of Taste advocates discuss the AOT from cultural and historical perspectives, and find out what is happening with these treasures as we explore this new world with COVID-19. From their nutritional value versus commercial crops to navigating a perilous supply chain, even under normal circumstances, find out how you can lift AOT ingredients for the benefit of people, planet, and profit.

With: Chef Phil Jones
Chef Kevin Mitchell
Historian David Shields
Mixologist Danny Childs
Grower Mimi Edelman

Knowing and Growing the Snail of Approval program

Watch: The Snail of Approval Program
In true grassroots fashion, Slow Food chapters conceived of an incredible program — the Snail of Approval — that recognizes farmers, chefs, and business owners pursuing sustainable food systems and practices. Join the national office and chapter leaders as they discuss Snail of Approval in the COVID era, as well as upcoming new resources to help unite participating chapters and guide new chapters who want to start their own program.

With: Robin Tyson-Stoehr, Slow Food East End
Carol Diaz, Slow Food Russian River
Slow Food Sonoma County North Joint Venture
Alison Macbeth, Slow Food USA