In This Issue

Upcoming CAGJ Organizing Meetings

- Food Justice Project Meeting: Tues Sept 8, 6:30 - 8:30

-Seattle+10 Organizing Committee/CAGJ Trade Justice Meetings: Wed Sept 9, 6 - 8pm, Cafe Allegro & Tues Sept 22, 6-8pm at Cascade People's Center

-AGRA Watch, Tues Sept 15, 6:30 - 8:30

-CAGJ Book Group, Wed Sept 16 Caffe Vita. Book: “Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal: War Stories From the Local Food Front” byJoel Salatin

-Anti-Oppression Committee Oct 6

Contact us for more info!

View full CAGJ Calendar

CAGJ Receives Food Sovereignty Award!
This week CAGJ was honored and excited to learned that we have been awarded the Food Sovereignty Honorable Mention Prize, along with the Toronto Food Policy Council and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Kenya). La Via Campesina - the international movement of peasants who introduced the idea of “food sovereignty” - won the prize.   Central Co-op’s Madison Market nominated CAGJ for the prize, sponsored for the first time this year by the Community Food Security Coalition and other organizations to “recognize organizations who have performed significant work to promote food sovereignty by raising public awareness, on-the-ground action, or developing and implementing programs and policies; and groups who recognize the importance of collective action in bringing about social change; global linkages in food sovereignty work; and the importance of women in agriculture and food issues.”  CAGJ members will travel to Des Moines, Iowa in October to receive the prize at the 13th Annual Community Food Security Coalition Conference, “From Commodity to Community: Food Politics and Projects in the Heartland”.  All prize winners will be highlighted in the conference program and on the website.  We also hope to join Seattle Council-member Richard Conlin at the forum on the first day,  “From People Power to Public Policy: A Gathering of Local and State Food Policy Councils”. 

If you would like to help CAGJ members cover the cost of travel to the conference, please contact Heather Day, Director: 206-405-4600 or hrd99@igc.org. Learn more about the conference here: www.communityfoodconference.org

By Popular Demand: Kale served at the July 18 SLEE dinner!
Tasty, Simple & Healthy!
Ingredients: Head of Kale, Salt, Olive Oil
Place washed, individual leaves of kale on a baking sheet, sprinkle salt and lightly brush with olive oil.  Place in oven at 375 and bake for 10 minutes, or until crisp. Enjoy!

CAGJ AGRA Watch researchers cited in article in The Nation!
Our friend Raj Patel, author of ‘Stuffed and Starved,’ has co-published an article in The Nation about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s role in Africa with Erick Holt-Jimenez and Annie Shattuck, both of Food First. The article will appear in The Nation’s September 21st issue ‘Food for All’ - along with articles by Michael Pollan, Anna Lappé, and Alice Waters. The article is by far one of the best critiques of the Gates Foundation’s dominant role in a top-down approach to agricultural development in Africa. It addresses the Foundation’s lack of transparency, their admission to “land mobility”, their inability to address gender issues, and, thanks to help of CAGJ, the article connects the Foundation to GMO research and specifically their strong relationship to Monsanto:  “Travis English and Paige Miller, researchers with the Seattle-based Community Alliance for Global Justice, have uncovered some striking trends in Gates Foundation funding. By following the money, English told us that "AGRA used funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to write twenty-three grants for projects in Kenya. Twelve of those recipients are involved in research in genetically modified agriculture, development or advocacy. About 79 percent of funding in Kenya involves biotech in one way or another." And, English says, "so far, we have found over $100 million in grants to organizations connected to Monsanto." Although the article does not appear in printed form until the 21st, you can currently view each of the ‘Food for All’ articles at The Nation’s website: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090921
Kudos to Travis & Paige and all of AGRA Watch for their important work!!!

Seattleplus10.org: Track our progress to mark the 10th Anniversary of our Victory over the WTO!  & Get Involved!
CAGJ is helping to organize a teach-in, including skills-building, social movement strategy, and educational workshops to build our local and global movements for justice!  The details are still being worked out, but mark your calendars: Nov 28 – Nov 29, with actions taking place Monday Nov 30 and throughout that week as well!  And please contribute your time, funds and energy to make this an anniversary that builds our movements toward the socially just future we all desire!  Meetings are the 2nd Wed/month at Café Allegro in the U-district and 4th Tues/month at Cascade Peoples’ Center; everyone welcome!

Seattle gets $300,000 for community food projects - Report from Richard Conlin's newsletter
In mid-July the US Department of Agriculture notified Seattle that we had been awarded a $300,000 grant to implement elements of the Local Food Action Initiative. The funds will all go to community-based organizations, with the City providing in-kind match to ensure that the projects will be successful.  Seattle Community Farm and Good Food Project goal: create a vibrant urban farm that grows food for hungry people. The project will focus its efforts in the Rainier Valley, central Area, and Delridge neighborhoods, and includes plans to: Create market opportunities for low-income residents by increasing market capacity for the Clean Greens Farm and Market; Provide gardening education for low-income residents at community centers, senior centers, and other locations through the work of the Southeast Seattle Garden Education Initiative.; Support a Healthy Corner Store Initiative. Implementation begins this year, with the urban farm and all other components underway by the spring of 2010. Solid Ground, a community-based anti-poverty and anti-hunger organization, will be the lead agency for the project.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! Our Food, Our Right: Recipes for Food Justice
CAGJ is seeking submissions to the Food Justice Project's activist guide and recipe book, Our Food, Our Right, a community recipe book and activist resource guide that that promotes self-sufficiency and knowledge sharing, through a food sovereignty framework. The guide will be ready for sale during this Fall’s Week of Action marking the 10th anniversary of the WTO protests – & will make a PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT!  Specifically, we welcome short articles on food justice/DIY ideas/local food issues/global food politics, recipes, art submissions, poems, creative writing pieces, and anything else you want to share! Please feel free to email any submissions, recipes, questions, or suggestions to Maria: rodriguezme08@gmail.com
 
Introducing CAGJ’s Anti-Oppression Committee
As part of CAGJ's long-term goal of identifying local and global impacts of trade and monetary institutions, we feel it is important to challenge underlying roots of social oppression which perpetuate the dominant global economic system. With this in mind, CAGJ has committed to operate as a multicultural organization dedicated to recognizing and transforming the ways oppressive norms operate both internally and externally with our allies in the work we take on. Anti-oppression work (or anti-oppressive practice) seeks to challenge and transform the influence of inequality and oppression in societies, economies, cultures & groups. This work can be done in part through empathy, self-awareness, understanding  the impact of social/political context on communication and group dynamics and creating changes to our structures. To this end, CAGJ has formed an Anti-Oppression Committee, a bi-monthly work group comprised of interested CAGJ members including representatives from each of the project groups. Starting with the previous Steering Committee meeting in July, CAGJ has included in the agenda a portion of time to discuss principles of anti-oppression and how it relates to the group's politics as well as each of us individually. Over time, we aim to find ways to integrate this approach in all of our ongoing work.

CAGJ also plans to bring an Anti-Oppression lens to the upcoming CAGJ Retreat in September and to incorporate it during November's Seattle +10 Teach-In. Discussion of anti-oppression in the context of the anti-corporate globalization movement is particularly important in light of organization problems during the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle which was critiqued in an influential article by Elizabeth Martinez titled "Where Was the Color in Seattle?". [ http://colours.mahost.org/ articles/martinez.html ] We hope that you take the time to read that article as well as others that will be linked to on the CAGJ website in the near future to get a better understanding of anti-oppression practice and analysis. We also invite you to attend the next Anti-Oppression Committee meeting which will be held on October 6 at the CAGJ office.

CAGJ Joins UFCW Local 21 Whole Foods Action
Last week CAGJ joined United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 21 leafleting at Whole Foods to protest Whole Foods CEO John Mackey’s editorial blasting current Health Care Reform efforts. We called on Whole Foods shoppers to express their concerns to the company via their online comment page. Steve Williamson, who gave the keynote at CAGJ’s July 18 Dinner, wrote, “There is a Boycott Whole Foods movement brewing nationally, and it links our values on Health Care Reform to our values about exposing progressive imposters like Whole Foods CEO John Mackey.” Read Mackey’s: editorial: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204251404574342170072865070.html
Leave a comment for the global headquarters of Whole Foods: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company/service.php

CSTI 2009 Recap by Reid Mukai with contributions from Heather Day and Danielle Abbott
On the weekend after the record-breaking Northwest heat-wave this summer, three CAGJ activists  - Heather Day, Danielle Abbott and Reid Mukai – attended the annual CSTI (Community Strategic Training Initiative) conference, put on by Western States Center, the area's leading activist and organizing training institution.  Dan HoSang, a U of O professor and longtime community organizer, started off the program with his talk titled "Racial Justice in the Age of Obama" and effectively challenged the mainstream notion that the Obama presidency signifies a post-racial America. He pointed out how many current forms of social injustice are interdependent, that it's empowering to address how issues of racial justice are connected and the importance of keeping racial politics in the popular and political discourse.  The plenary the second day was about the global impact of the economic collapse and was delivered by Pancho Arguelles of the Southwest community organization Collectivo Flatlander. It was a provocative account of the brutal and desperate situation of many working people in the Global South as well as a rousing call for action in short term as well as long term struggles. 

On Friday, Heather co-facilitated a discussion on planned actions for the 10th anniversary of the WTO protests. CAGJ members also attended several day-long workshops, including “Beyond Diversity: Dismantling Racism”, facilitated by Kenya Pierce of TRENDZ for Youth and Scott Winn of the Coalition of Anti-Racist White,  “Grants and Fundraising, Oh My,” facilitated by Anita Rodgers, Program Director from the MRG Foundation and "Bankers, Brokers, Bubbles and Bailouts" led by Steve Schnapp, Education Coordinator for United for a Fair Economy.  The participatory fundraising workshop was especially geared towards progressive and radical groups that may have difficulty raising funds from mainstream sources, and the facilitator made herself available for future assistance and advice.  The workshop on the economic crisis did an excellent job of using fun exercises and discussion to understand this issue, including how it relates to racism, sexism, and imperialism and how a transition to a Solidarity Economy (an economy without oppressive social relationships and which values people over profits) could be a way out of this and future crisis.  The workshop on dismantling racism offered a very useful framework for anti-oppressive organizing for social justice that involves everyone in the necessary work for undoing oppression in our organizing and society.  There was also an excellent balance of grounding the theory in people’s personal stories and experiences.
 
Looking back on it, the consensus is that CSTI was a well-organized, educational and fun event with many networking opportunities and at just $60 for registration was definitely worth the trip to Portland. We encourage interested CAGJ members to consider participating in CSTI next year.  To find out more about the events of CSTI 2009, please visit this site:
http://www. westernstatescenter.org/news- and-spotlights/enews/articles/ august/missed-something-at- csti

Participate in “SLICE: Strengthening Local Independent Co-ops Everywhere!” 
Saturday October 3, 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

CAGJ is collaborating with our community partner Central Co-op along with BALLE Seattle on
”SLICE: Strengthening Local Independent Co-ops Everywhere”, a day-long workshop for people starting or interested in starting new co-ops, and anyone who supports co-ops and cooperation. With the economy and environment disrupted by financial speculation and the endless drive for growth and profit, SLICE brings together people from around Puget Sound and Washington to support strong, values-based cooperative enterprises of all kinds, as accountable and sustainable alternatives to standard ways of doing business..
SLICE highlights: Workshops on Building a Cooperative Movemen, Global Cooperation, Screening of “Argentina: Turning Around”, Regional coalition-building, policy development. Location: Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Avenue, Capitol Hill, Seattle. Cost $30 per person, advance registration and payment required, work-trade scholarships available.
Visit www.centralcoop.coop for more information, to register and purchase tickets or apply for scholarship.
 Coffee and tea provided by Equal Exchange, a producer co-op. Beer provided by Full Sail worker owned brewery. Scholarships provided by Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union and Group Health Credit Union. See full agenda at Central Co-op website: http://www.madisonmarket.com/

Community Calendar        
Seedsaving as an Activist Practice: a slideshow presentation by Marisha Auerbach - Friday, September 11
Seedsaving gives us the unique opportunity to dance with life and play a distinct role in our nourishment.  We can nurture plants for the special qualities that may sustain us in an uncertain future.   As corporations attempt to take control of our genetic diversity, seedsaving becomes an important political act.  Come join us to learn how you can take responsibility for your own food supply by saving your own seeds from your garden.  We will be discussing harvest of cultivated and native seeds as well as flowers and vegetable crops.  Seed saving is a great localizing buffer against the globalization of our food supply, because it encourages diversity and increases the resilience in our gardens to pests and diseases. Location: Yogalife Studio, 200 Woodlawn Ave NE, Seattle, WA  98115.  When: 7:15 pm - 9:15 pm. Cost: $10 - $7 sliding scale. For more information or to register, contact: Jenny Pell,   jennypell@gmail.com,   (206) 949-0496

Lettuce Link Outdoor Movie at Marra Farm- “What’s on Your Plate?” Saturday, September 12th, 6:30pm
Help support Lettuce Link projects - Giving Garden & Children’s gardening education at Marra Farm, city-wide Fruit Tree Harvesting, Urban Growing and Giving - and watch a cool new flick about kids and food politics. BONUS: First 20 people to purchase their ticket will get a Lettuce Link canvas tote bag. Come early, bring blankets and enjoy the show.  Location: Marra Farm 9026 4th Avenue S (South Park) Bus Routes #: 60, 131, 132 & 134.  Price: $15 ticket price, includes tour of farm, refreshments and movie.  Questions contact: Teresa Mares – tmares@u.washington.edu or Anna Ramos - annar@solid-ground.org, www.solid-ground.org/News/OutdoorMovie

SEEDS September Harvest, Sept 12 -13 on Vashon
This September the Social Ecology Education and Demonstration School (SEEDS) is offering an interdisciplinary program of Weekend Workshops Sept. 11 – 13 at the Beall Greenhouses on Vashon that focus on community transformation, building a climate justice movement, grass-roots sustainability efforts, and organizing skills.  SEEDS is inspired by the Institute for Social Ecology (ISE) in Vermont, which has played a leadership role in the ecology movement for over thirty years.  ISE co-founder Dan Chodorkoff will give a public talk on Social Ecology and the Triple Crisis at 7 pm at the Land Trust Building. For more info., contact Bob Spivey at 206-949-4786, or visit www.socialecologyvashon.org.

Call for Dialogue and Action on Climate Change!
19th September, 2009, 3-7pm
Organized by SEEDS - Social Ecology Education and Demonstration School. World leaders will convene December 7, 2009 for a United Nations "Climate Change" conference. While this is not the first global meeting on climate issues, with the world's precarious and stark environmental and social condition this conference promises to be historic. When the member UN bodies come together this December, whose interests will they represent? Will this be another predictable outcome of financial interests tweaking the treaty to extend, trade, and buy off climate solutions as in previous years? The very same forces that are heading us toward climate catastrophe have created ongoing misery among the peoples of the global south. When will we have genuine "climate justice"? Please join SEEDS for a round table discussion on climate justice, and breakout strategy sessions intended to provide a framework for coordinating activities this fall and beyond. We invite you to come together with us in shaping the Pacific Northwest's contribution to the Mobilization for Climate Justice. Location: Cascade People's Center, 309 Pontius Ave. North Seattle, WA 98109. For more information & to RSVP: Email:  pnw_climatejustice@igc.org, Or call Bob Spivey: 206-949-4786. Visit SEEDS: http://www.socialecologyvashon.org/
Also visit: http://www.actforclimatejustice.org/

2009 Harvest Celebration Farm Tour in King County
Saturday September 26, 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Location: 26 farms on Vashon Island, and in South and East King County
Date:  Information: Tour is FREE!  Suggested donation $10/family
Visit our website: www.king.wsu.edu/foodandfarms/HarvestCelebration.html

Participate in “SLICE: Strengthening Local Independent Co-ops Everywhere!” 
Saturday October 3, 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Location: Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Avenue, Capitol Hill, Seattle. Cost $30 per person, advance registration and payment required, work-trade scholarships available.
Visit www.centralcoop.coop for more information, to register and purchase tickets or apply for scholarship.
 Coffee and tea provided by Equal Exchange, a producer co-op. Beer provided by Full Sail worker owned brewery. Scholarships provided by Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union and Group Health Credit Union. See full agenda at Central Co-op website: http://www.madisonmarket.com/

6th Annual Eat Local Now! Dinner
Sunday, October 11, in West Seattle
Sponsored by BALLE Seattle -  Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, co-sponsored by Sustainable West Seattle and CoolMom. More info, and to get involved!: http://www.eatlocalnow.org/2009-eat-local-now-dinner/get-involved

SAVE THE DATE: Next CAGJ Teach-Out: Clean Greens Farm, Duvall
Saturday, October 24

Thank you for reading CAGJ’s newsletter!

Community Alliance for Global Justice | 206-405-4600 | contact_us@seattleglobaljustice.org
606 Maynard Ave S #252
Seattle, WA  98104