Farewell Letter from Heather Day

Dear beloved community,

It has come time for me to step down from my Director role at Community Alliance for Global Justice. My heart is heavy, as this organization has been my life’s work in many ways. I feel incredibly proud of what we’ve collectively accomplished, and very fortunate to have had a job that I’ve absolutely loved all of these years. 

We are marking the 25th anniversary since the WTO uprising this year. The moment of founding CAGJ after the WTO protests was so exciting and rewarding. Starting in 2000 I collaborated with Jeremy Simer, who created the proposal for CAGJ, to consult with community members on what was needed. We held our first retreat at a wonderful activist farm, and I remember the buzz, the energy driving us forward, and that was right where I wanted to be after getting trained as an organizer by CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador). I loved our vision of being grounded locally, while taking on tough international issues in which we had great stakes – in the belly of the beast, working in solidarity with social movements in the Global South.

Several years later, it was a dream come true to have the opportunity to step into the lead organizer role, after we held our first SLEE Dinner; it’s hard to believe that was 18 years ago! We found a way to take CAGJ in a new direction, grounded in the local food justice and global food sovereignty movements. It has truly been an honor to work with all of CAGJ’s partners and allies, and the fabulous CAGJ activists, interns, volunteers and community supporters who have fought corporate control of our food system, while building the beautiful world that we need and want.

Heather & Sara tabling at Folklife

Now it is time that I turn over the leadership to a new collective of volunteers and leaders who will define the vision for CAGJ moving forward. I do so lovingly, with every intention of supporting the organization through this transition. CAGJ is not in the financial position to hire my replacement, so we will convert into a volunteer-led organization, as we started out! Only with one big difference, which is that our Operations Goddess Sara Lavenhar will continue in her part-time position, providing critical institutional knowledge and support.

I’m currently seeking my next job, while working part-time with Pesticide Action & Agroecology Network in the interim. My intention is to continue working as an organizer, in a way that provides for my son’s future, and mine. The hard work of community organizers is needed now more than ever, and I look forward to digging into whatever comes next.

Words can’t really express the enormity of my gratitude to everyone who has supported CAGJ over the years. Many people have told me, “CAGJ is Heather Day!”, but of course it would not exist without YOU, and all of the hard-working, generous and brilliant people who have collaborated, in community, to struggle for global justice. 

I hope you will join us to create CAGJ’s next chapter! 

HELP LEAD CAGJ INTO THE FUTURE

WED NOV 20, 6:30 – 7:45PM via Zoom: Register

Come learn more about how to get involved in the Board and Volunteer Collective. Read more about it here, and please let us know if you can attend! 

If you’re unable to come on the 20th, but want to learn more about how to get involved, please fill out the registration form to let us know a good time to meet, and we will reach out to you soon: tinyurl.com/CAGJInterestMeeting

With so much love for our community,

Heather Day

With Henry & my sister Kirsten