Presented by Maine Food Convergence
Building Collective Action & Community*: A Maine Food System** that works for people and the planet.
The goal of the 2023 Convergence Event is to co-create a space for the Convergence Community to explore how shifts in the food system can advance social and racial equity while also increasing climate resilience. The event will facilitate conversations, most of which will center voices of those who have experienced inequities within our food system. It will help participants connect, deepen relationships, explore collaborations, and celebrate each other while working towards an equitable climate and food future.
*Convergence Community
People from across Maine, across sectors, across generations, and from various backgrounds who have interest in learning from and sharing varying perspectives to co-create a just and resilient food system in Maine. This includes those who are impacted by systemic inequities such as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), LGBTQIA+ community, people living in urban and rural areas with limited access to resources & transportation, people receiving food stamps and other benefits, impacted farmers, fishermen and small businesses.
**Maine Food System
Maine’s food system consists of more than our food supply chain and markets. It is made up of efforts to protect our waters, land and soils and other climate change mitigation work; it includes transportation systems so people can access work, food stores, and healthcare centers; it encompasses systems that influence wages and efforts to pay all workers a thriving wage; it includes school systems and other food service institutions. Emergency food programs are part of Maine’s food system, as well as social support services such as EBT and housing assistance. Policy and investments, access to training and education that relate to all of the above also play a major role in the health of our Maine food system. Culture and the wellbeing of individuals and communities are crucial to a thriving food system and all parts of the Maine food web can be looked at with a lens that investigates how race, gender, age, and socioeconomics influences equity in the system.
For more information and to register, visit the event page.