Get Involved!

This is a guiding framework for the DEJI committee and can be tailored or changed by active committee members, via consensus, to better fit the needs of its members 

Purpose

The Oregon Farm to School & School Garden Network (OFSSGN)  is committed to addressing racial and social (including economic/educational) inequities within the farm to school movement. OFSSGN works to integrate equity and justice principles and practices into all areas of the organization’s programming and spheres of influence. This means welcoming and engaging in difficult conversations, embracing the discomfort of facing our own complicity in systemic oppression, and continuously integrating our learning into our policies, programs, and practices.

The DEIJ working group exists in order to integrate equity and justice principles into all areas of OFSSGN’s programming and spheres of influence. This working group is tasked with connecting, advising, and directing the work and leadership of the network towards OFSSGN’s strategic goals. 

Goals and responsibilities

These are initial goals or tasks of the Oregon Farm to School & School Garden network. Internal goal setting will be decided upon later by the appointed DEJI committee.

• Identify pathways, opportunities and strategies for OFSSGN staff and leadership in their work towards achieving the networks strategic goals
• Bring knowledge, experiences, and connections to DEJI working group in order to foster new relationships and improve reach of network 
• Share trainings, resources, and events for working group members and other network members to participate in
• Attend trainings and professional development to continue to learn and grow as leaders in the DEJI space 
• Apply the OFSSGN strategy lens to make recommendations to leadership regarding programs and decisions  
• Advise OFSSGN staff and leadership regarding program implementation, communication and decision making to support equitable, inclusive and just programs and operations. 
• Short term objectives for the committee include: 
  • crafting an OFSSGN DEIJ statement; 
  • identifying pathways to  increase diverse representation and engagement in the OFSSGN community, membership and leadership. 

Membership 

Members must meet the following criteria:

• Willingness to engage in difficult conversations related to race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, class, culture, and other identities in a respectable manner
• Commitment to ongoing learning, personal growth, and knowledge sharing around DEJI issues
• Dedication to creating and working towards a more just food system as demonstrated by participation in OFSSGN, another organization, or through personal endeavors.
• Commitment to guiding work that is aligned with OFSSGN’s five core guiding principles
  • Leadership Development for emerging farm to school leaders
  • Centering Marginalized stories, voices and experiences
  • Shifting power and resources 
  • Treating people and land in a healthy way 
  • Focusing on systemic impact 
• Dedication to advancing equity as a leader within the network & at your organization
• Ability to dedicate time to the working group as demonstrated by attending a 1 hour monthly meeting 
• Willingness to participate and share as well as listen thoughtfully and make space for other committee members 

Application Process

Initial applications will be accepted from March 28th -May 8th.  For the work that the group is focusing on, we ask that members be willing to commit one year of membership. Eight individuals will be invited to join the committee. Other applications not submitted within the open application period will be reviewed by the committee and accepted as spots become available. This process may be adjusted or changed as seen fit by future committee members. 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice Working Definitions

• Diversity encompasses the variation of social and cultural identities that makes each individual unique, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, abilities, geography, and age. This includes understanding the intersectionality of these diverse identities and the way we all experience the world as a result. 
• Equity occurs when everyone has access to the opportunities necessary to engage in our organization, experience a culturally safe environment, and achieve their full potential as a committee member.
• Inclusion means welcoming people of all backgrounds, while recognizing and respecting their inherent worth and dignity. Our efforts will focus on inclusion of historically underrepresented and underserved groups, particularly communities of color, immigrants, and people experiencing poverty.
• Justice means dismantling barriers, addressing harmful systems of oppression, and acknowledging the history of violence, inequality, trauma, and the unjust treatment of certain groups.