CAGJ with G-BIACK, Grow Biointensive Agriculture Centre of Kenya, who we brought to Seattle in October 2019.
APRIL IS CAGJ MEMBERSHIP MONTH!
Soon you should receive CAGJ’s beautiful 2019 Annual Report in the mail. You can also check it out on our website!
I hope you and your family safe, and in good health. These are such challenging times, and I am grateful for all that the CAGJ community is doing to support food system workers, farmers, fishers, and especially undocumented folks in crisis.
I am proud of what we have accomplished together in the past year. We celebrate Membership Month in April by sending you our Annual Report, and asking for your support. We know that many are facing difficult times, but if you are able, please consider making a donation, which will be doubled by UFCW 21 and generous members if you donate any time through GiveBIG on Wednesday, May 6th. (Schedule your GiveBIG gift today!)
Some significant changes have taken place at CAGJ this past year. Recently our Organizing Director Simone Adler stepped down to start a new job with Working Washington/Fair Work Center; we will miss them greatly! We have decided to hold off from hiring, given the uncertainties of the coming year, and are grateful to our SLEE Dinner Coordinator, Sara Lavenhar, for picking up additional responsibilities in the interim.
- In crises, there are opportunities. Nothing could have prepared us for the upheaval caused by the global coronavirus pandemic. Nor did we anticipate how clearly the crisis would lay bare how broken our food system is. This represents an opportunity, and we must recommit ourselves to strengthening the global food sovereignty movement, in order to build the power necessary to secure healthy and just food systems for all.
- CAGJ is in a unique position to respond to the pandemic. Through both AGRA Watch and the Food Justice Project’s Solidarity Campaign partners, CAGJ is connected to leaders on the frontlines across the spectrum of food workers and advocates. We are amplifying their calls to action. Our Summer School Organizing Collective is designing this year’s program to give participants the necessary tools to understand how the pandemic is connected to food sovereignty, climate justice and a Just Transition. Want to learn more? Email us!
- We are laying the foundation for CAGJ’s next 20 years: As we near our 20th anniversary in 2021, we are laying the foundation for our future work through strategic planning. Our 15 member Dream Team is working diligently with our consultant Scott Winn to update our Theory of Change, including a renewed Vision and Mission. We hope you will join us (virtually if necessary) for our 3rd Membership Gathering to ratify the proposed changes – stay tuned for details! To give you a preview, we propose this update to our values: Racial and Social Justice, Collective Liberation, Solidarity, Community Sovereignty and Ecological Health.
CAGJ is our Members! Please re-commit to our collective struggle this Membership Month with a donation, if you are able. And please consider becoming a Sustaining Member to give on a monthly basis, or increasing your monthly pledge! If you can’t donate funds at this time, you can still be a part of CAGJ’s community – Sign up to be a Member online (tinyurl.com/joinCAGJ).
As we near a critical election season, we appreciate all that you do, through your time, money and commitment, to #VoteforCAGJ.
In solidarity,
Heather Day, Executive Director
P.S. Please SAVE THE DATE: We will host our 14th annual SLEE Dinner on October 17th! We are excited for the Keynote by Seattle Chef Tarik Abdullah, and will gather virtually if necessary.
