This month is the start of what is supposed to be the beginning of fall (but as Californians, we know it as the hottest time of the year), and … it’s also the annual Slow Food Membership drive! From Tuesday, Sept. 6 through Friday, Sept. 30 we’re asking our community to support Slow Food’s work of Good, Clean, Fair Food for All by becoming a paying member. 

On the Slow Food USA website, you can learn more about the history of Slow Food, why the work matters on a national and global scale, and where funds will be applied - so we won’t go into that here. But what’s more important is sharing how being a member of your local chapter, Slow Food East Bay, helps you be a direct part of nourishing our local food businesses, farms, gardens, activists, and restaurants. 

By joining, you support our mission to uplift the voices of our local food community through partnerships and social media campaigns plus events like our upcoming Bean Feed in November (more on that later!), a revisiting of our Cultural Food Traditions dinners, and the continuing work of the Sister Farms project. In our work, we acknowledge the inequities in our food system, particularly for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, and are bringing their achievements and voices forward - and paying them appropriate amounts for their time and energy. We believe food brings joy and connection, and that good food should be a basic human right for all. And that we should celebrate all the hard work with delicious meals.

If any of this speaks to you, join us! Go here to become a member. 

Good food should be accessible to all, and we understand that the membership fee can be a barrier - but stay tuned! Slow Food USA offers “Pay What You Can” days during the month of September when you can join for a dollar amount that is comfortable for you. We’ll make sure to forward the opportunity when it comes available

Here’s to eating well and doing the good work!
The Slow Food East Bay team
 

🍴 FEATURED ORGANIZATION

Slow Food USA

Please forgive us for highlighting our own parent organization, but we want to share some of the deep work that the global Slow Food movement is doing to protect food communities and preserve biodiversity, their dedication to indigenous communities, and the now 18 years of Terra Madre, an international network of food producers meeting and sharing resources and stories.

📝 RESOURCES

📰 Read

Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them | Dan Saladino

Learn more about why diversity in food matters and how Slow Food’s Ark of Taste is a part of the movement to save the world’s vanishing foods.


Slow Food’s Elitism Only Fueled My Craving for McDonald’s

Understandably, there are critics of the Slow Food movement, one inherently Euro-centric and historically White run. Elitism, tunnel vision, and a lack of attention to the “Fair for All” part of the mission are issues often raised. As those involved, we must continually turn to this feedback and work to change the actions of our movement to be more aligned with justice and a more equitable and available food system!


“The World is Getting Younger”: A New Era for the Slow Food Movement

In July of this year, Slow Food welcomed a new leader - Ugandan farmer Edie Mukiibi took over from founder Carlo Petrini in a shift of the movement’s focus from the past to the future. Hurrah!


📺 Watch


SFUSA’s Slow Food Live

A project begun under the harshness of the Covid shutdowns in the Spring of 2020, Slow Food Live has become an amazing video resource. Learn about everything from Sourdough to Elderberry Syrup to foodways in Arizona. Or dive deep into the Farm Bill or Social Permaculture! Each episode is about an hour, a perfect nibble, a taste of the broadness of the Slow Food ecosystem.


🎧 Listen 


Slow Food Youth Network’s SFYN Podcast

Also a 2020 launch, the Slow Food Youth Network’s podcast shares experiences, tips, and interviews of the young members of Slow Food communities, giving a voice to actors of the food chain whose stories are rarely told. Listen on PodBean, Apple, or Spotify

🐌 CALL TO ACTION

Want to help ensure the expansion of Good Clean and Fair Food in the East Bay? If so, Come to the Table and join Slow Food East Bay’s volunteer leadership team! 

Expanding our core leadership group will ensure we continue celebrating the diversity and deliciousness of food in the East Bay and championing those behind it. And with more helping hands, we’ll be able to provide more opportunities to welcome casual eaters into the Slow Food realm and inspire them to dig deeper and work for a better food system.

We’re interested in hearing from anyone wanting to get involved and are dedicated to having our team makeup reflect the diversity of the East Bay in voices and experiences 
If you happen to have these particular skill sets, all the better!

• Grants/Fundraising
• Volunteer Coordinator
• Membership Engagement 
• Communications/Social Media Engagement

Specific details can be found in this Formal Announcement and this document outlines Responsibilities and Expectations. Fill out this form by September 11th and we’ll follow up for an exploratory conversation.

📅  UPCOMING EVENTS

SFEB Monthly Potluck: Beans and the Climate
September 8th  5:30 - 8:30pm
West Berkeley
We’re taking time to explore the world of beans - this month through the lens of “Clean”. How does growing beans benefit the soil? How does eating beans benefit the climate?
Save the date for next month (October 13th) when we talk about “Fair” in the food system using beans as our platform. 

Chef-in-Residence Bryant Terry Presents | Black Food Summit
September 9th & 10th
Museum of the African Diaspora 685 Mission St San Francisco
TomKat Ranch Pescadero
Join MoAD’s Chef-in-Residence, Bryant Terry, for a timely two-day summit inspired by his latest book Black Food.

Soil Not Oil 2022
September 17th & 18th
Tara Firma Farms 3796 I St, Petaluma, CA 94952, USA
Soil Not Oil with talks and panels throughout the day and will end with a barn dance! Lunch and Dinner will be provided. Camping available!

Wine Down with the Wine Noire
September 18th  2:00 - 5:00pm
EOF Studio 329 17th Street Oakland
Meet Alicia Kidd of The Wine Noire, a champion for Black and women-owned wineries, to enjoy delish wines and a charcuterie plate. Alicia presented at Slow Money NorCal’s Food Funded and is raising money for Coco Noire, an urban wine shop!