The primary change will be in the seating arrangements. We will only have seating in chairs at tables for about 80 people (each table seats 8). We will prioritize accessibility needs, and guests of Table Captains. There will be picnic blankets for others. The event will take place rain or shine; there is a covered area, in the event of inclement weather.

STEP ONE: Let us know how you will pay for your table.

• Option 1: Pay $400 – $1,000 up front to CAGJ (individual tickets are $40-$100). Table Captains provide essential seed money so CAGJ can cover the costs of organizing the gala. Please remember that the SLEE! Gala raises a significant portion of our annual budget each year. When considering the sliding scale, we ask you to please give graciously and accept our utmost thanks! Some Table Captains choose to be reimbursed by their guests, others don’t – that’s up to you. Please mail your check (so we don’t get charged a 3% credit card processing fee!), made out to CAGJ, to 1322 S. Bayview St., Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98144.
• Option 2: Pay $40 – $100 for your own ticket and ask your guests to purchase their tickets individually. NOTE: If guests are purchasing their own tickets, please inform them to indicate that you are their Table Captain during the online ordering process. If they are sending a check to CAGJ, please note our address: 1322 S. Bayview St., Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98144.

STEP TWO: Make a list of friends, family, and colleagues to join you who believe in movement-building, international solidarity, food and climate justice, and Fair Trade – and who might want to learn more about CAGJ and enjoy an inspiring night featuring local grassroots organizations and an incredible keynote.

STEP THREE: Invite your guests!

• We’ve provided a sample email invitation at the end of this page
• Ticketing link (if you’re not paying up front for your table): tinyurl.com/SLEE2022tickets
• Facebook event: coming soon!
• Remember that many people take a bit of follow-up; if you haven’t heard from a guest within a week or two, give them a call or send a note to personally invite them to join you at your table.

STEP FOUR: Send your completed guest list, including names and email addresses, to sara(at)cagj.org by WED July 6, 2022. We promise we will not share guests’ email addresses; we want to be able to send a reminder to all guests before the event with important details.

What happens if I can’t get enough people to come?

If you are unable to fill your table, we will open your table to other single ticket holders.

What will my guests get to do at SLEE?

• Enjoy delicious, locally sourced hors d’oeuvres, donated by our valued regional farmers.
• Meet and engage with fellow activists, organizations, farmers, and food workers who are passionate about food justice, Fair Trade, and strengthening local economies everywhere!
• Be inspired by dynamic speakers and presenters from the Food Justice movement.
• Bid on Silent Auction items donated by local businesses and community members.
• Take action for justice in our local and global food system!

What about the meal?

We will be serving hors d’oeuvres instead of a full meal, as the event takes place in the afternoon.

How will I be acknowledged?

We want you to know how much we appreciate you! As a Table Captain, you will be recognized on the event website, and from the podium at the event. Additionally, if you are able to give at the $1,000 level and pay for your entire table beforehand, we will give you a quarter page ad in our event program.

When you support CAGJ, you are helping to strengthen the global Food Sovereignty movement. Please see our latest annual report for an overview of the many ways CAGJ organized in response to the challenges of 2021. Your support enables CAGJ to:

• Finish our short film series, Rich Appetites, and continue conducting research and mobilizing with global allies to hold the Gates Foundation accountable in Africa;
• Stop GE salmon from coming to market, in partnership with other organizations and in solidarity with Northwest Tribes;
• Support food chain workers across the state, including the farmworker union Familias Unidas por la Justicia, who just expanded their membership by supporting tulip workers who were striking to improve working conditions;
• Organize our 4th Rise-Up Summer School, because the Food Sovereignty movement needs more people – especially youth! – who have both a nuanced understanding of local and global food system issues and the organizing skills to build alternatives.

NOTE: If you paid up front, you can delete the paragraph about tickets and paste the rest of the invitation below. Personalize as you wish!

Dear friend,

I am hosting a table at CAGJ’s 16th Annual SLEE Gala on Saturday, July 16th, and invite you to join me! This year, to respect Covid protocols, SLEE will be held out-doors as an afternoon garden party, 3-6pm.

The Strengthening Local Economies Everywhere (SLEE) Gala is an annual fundraiser benefiting Community Alliance for Global Justice (CAGJ). It is a great chance to reconnect with old friends, and meet fellow activists, organizations, farmers, and food workers who are passionate about food justice, Fair Trade, and strengthening local economies. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and libations, go on a garden tour, peruse the silent auction full of fabulous offerings, and hear live music!

Community Alliance for Global Justice’s 16th Annual SLEE! Gala

Saturday, July 16^th, 3 – 6 PM

Keynote: “Reclaiming Food Sovereignty and Reconnecting to Indigenous Ways of Life”

Held at MLK Fame Center in Madison Valley, 3201 E Republican St, Seattle, WA 98112

The keynote will be given by members of Black Star Farmers in one of the gardens they cultivate! Black Star Farmers is dedicated to creating radical, joyful, and supportive space for communities to reclaim their ancestral foodways. Born out of the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) during the 2020 George Floyd uprising, today they steward several gardens in Seattle, on occupied Duwamish and Coast Salish territory. They are committed to facilitating difficult conversations about race, anti colonialism, anti capitalism, and the abolition of all oppressive systems especially as it relates to BIPOC communities.

Please let me know if you will be able to join me on July 16^th!

Tickets

Tickets are offered on a $40 – $100 sliding scale. Please purchase your tickets, and make sure to include my name as your Table Captain when prompted. You are also invited to donate an additional ticket to make it possible for a farmers and farmworkers to join us at the gala as honored guests!