1. EQUITY
Placholder slice

2. MESSAGING EQUITY POLICY WORKING GROUPS
Where does equity fit in the development of OCFSN?
In our first year of operation, our working groups have been the main ‘structure’) for our work together. The topics of the working groups will change over time, but this “plant structure: is well established.
Messaging and communications were another priority area that members wanted the network to work on – based on input at our first network convening. Funds are being invested in professional services to help us work on this right now, Full Focus was hired and has been working already and will continue.
Equity is another priority area that members wanted to address, just getting started with that conversation, looking to come up with a plan and invest resources this coming year.
Policy, another priority area to figure out the network’s role. Right behind equity in terms of sorting out what the network’s role might be and how we can best assist our members. Think about raising funds to invest in resources needed to support development of that role of the network – next year.
MESSAGING
POLICY
EQUITY
WORKING GROUPS

3. Disclaimer!
The ad hoc equity committee worked really hard to put together the two equity sessions for the convening, but we’re not experts!
Those come later…. as members help define the priorities for equity work with OCFSN.

4. All Oregonians will have meaningful access to healthy and affordable foods that are grown and processed regionally in an environmentally and economically resilient food system that provides entrepreneurial opportunity and fulfilling livelihoods for employees throughout the supply chain.
Our vision commits us to work toward a healthier, more accessible, resilient and just food system for all Oregonians.
We can recognize that equity is a core principle of this vision, but we have yet to define how we will act on that principle. One priority of OCFSN is help us work together to learn about and move toward greater equity.
So what is equity?

5. “The fact is we don’t know what equity looks like as a society, because we’ve never actually had it.”
I like this quote because it explains a lot about why defining equity seems intimidating at times.
One thing this illustration reminds me of, is that we can start by listening, by creating opportunities for people to speak and be heard.
Quote from Stanford innovation Review, article, What the Heck is Equity Anyway
Illustration from Carol Bryan, 14, of Corvallis, Oregon, winning entry for the 2016 Equity Illustrated Youth Design Contest from MMT.

6. Equity involves ensuring that everyone has access to the resources, opportunities, power and responsibility they need to reach their full, healthy potential; as well as making changes so that unfair differences may be understood and addressed.
We don’t have a definition, and a great task for the committee and as we go forward.
Need to create one that makes sense for all of us as a group, but for now this will give you an idea.
Another example of a broad definition of equity, one that might help us as we start on the journey toward our own shared definition.
(from A collaborative group of Canadian researchers and educators)
Part of starting our learning process as a network has been getting input from you, and I’m going to hand off to Anya to share some of what you told us about who we are and how we are approaching equity.
As we think about listening to each other and creating a definition that works for us.
Who is in the room? Who is at the table?
Why calling that out – pods; work in silos, what is the intersectionality of our work, conflict,

7. We’re going to do a quick activity to get a sense of who’s in the room and the types of communities we engage with.
I’m going to read a series of words, and I’d like you to stand up or raise your hand if your organization prioritizes work with that category.
For example, stand up or raise your hand, if your organization prioritizes work with women.
Women
Rural
Metro/urban
Low income
Latino
Indigenous populations
Communities of color
LGBTQ
Houseless/homeless
Children & families
Any others that I forgot to mention?

8. Priority Service Areas
We asked this same question in a pre-convening survey that was sent out to our members a few months ago. These are the results we got back.
I wanted to highlight this question to show the diversity of voices and perspectives we have in the room. There is a lot of variation. There are some things that logs of people have experience with and are connected to and there are other categories where not as many people have experience.
These are all voices that our members are bringing to the conversation. It’s a strong foundation for us to build off of.

9. Major Issues
Let’s take a look at what are the issues that are coming forward from these voices.
Again, this diversity is a strength.
(Other = Farmland preservation, nonprofit support, sustainable agriculture,

10. Capacity to engage in equity work:
While we have member orgs that are focused on a variety of priority issues and communities, what you also told us, is that you might not have the capacity to engage in equity work right now”
For some of our members, equity feels like a “buzz word” that doesn’t really impact the work you do.
Others see the value in prioritize equity more, but don’t have the funding or resources to do so (for trainers, facilitators, or time).
And finally, a few members in the room are very committed to equity, stating that “all of their work is informed and inspired by an equity lens”.

11. Public Equity Statements
What are some of the ways this equity commitment plays out?
Some of the groups that have resources and time to devote to equity work have developed equity statements.
According to the pre-convening survey, about 20% of our members have a public equity statement.

12. Example Equity Statement
“Ensuring all people have access to the benefits of local parks and recreation. True to the very philosophy of public parks and recreation is the idea that all people – no matter the color of their skin, age, income level or ability – have access to programs, facilities, places and spaces that make their lives and communities great. Parks and recreation truly build communities – communities for all.” - National Recreation and Parks Association
But what is an equity statement?
An equity statement is a public commitment to a set of equity related values.
Here is an example from the National Recreation and Parks Association

13. What can OCFSN do?
And finally, we wanted to know how OCFSN could support you in approaching equity work.
This is what we heard back. As you can see, there are some reoccurring themes:
Training
Staff support
Increasing capacity
Information and resource sharing
Funding
And evaluation tools.
Throughout the rest of the Convening and beyond, there will be more opportunities to engage in these conversations. We want to put effort into supporting you and this work. We will work on creating opportunities to meet our members where they’re at.
The breakout session this afternoon will dive deeper into discussing what OCFSN can do, but for now I’m going to pass it over to Tracy Gagnon from Oregon Food Bank to help us talk about some strategies our members are already using.

14. Exploring Equity

15. Panelists Emily Sessoms Kris Soebroto Sarah Sullivan
Cambios Farm Program Coordinator, Huerto de la Familia
Kris Soebroto
Program Director, Village Gardens
Sarah Sullivan
Executive Director, Gorge Grown Food Network