[act-ma] Lets Take Back Our Food System Join the Equal Exchange Action Forum

[Danielle Robidoux]

Equal Exchange needs you. We are taking a powerful, new step in building a
system that connects our worker-owners, producer partners, and you to
create a holistic democratic system. Equal Exchange is one of the most
successful and largest cooperatives in the country and one of the largest
Alternative Trade Organizations (ATO) in the world. As we celebrate our 30
year anniversary we are both proud of what we have accomplished and
concerned for the future of our food system, and our world.

In the wider food system, corporations control everything from seeds to
supply and prices, while relentlessly chipping away at the regulations that
inform and protect consumers. They fight feverishly to prevent us from
knowing if GMOs are present in our food. They continue to promote
production methods that hasten the warming of the planet—a present-day
threat to millions of small farmers and others around the world. And,
corporations count on consumers remaining unorganized to maintain the
status quo.

Equal Exchange has launched a new initiative called the Equal Exchange
Action Forum. This is Equal Exchange's new path that aims to build a
democratic food system owned by people not corporations. We wish to create
a system that values people over profit. To build an alternative to the
conventional economic system we need citizen involvement to succeed. Now
more than ever is the time to build solidarity in our current political
context.

We have had physical and virtual events across the Northeast and Midwest
and will continue to have more. Our Action Forum community spans four
different time zones and reaches as far as New Zealand, U.K., and India. We
have launched our online platform in which we have interactive discussions,
provide exclusive content for members, and members have the opportunity to
connect with each other to continue some of this work together. We are
enthusiastic about this new initiative and believe this Action Forum will
serve as a vehicle to work towards a just food system. You are truly
joining us in the beginning of pioneering this movement. Please join us in
realizing this dream. This work is not simple, it's not easy, but it is
necessary, and it cannot succeed without us all working together.


This summer Equal Exchange is hosting our first-ever People’s Food System
Summit (PFSS). This will be the first gathering of the entire Equal
Exchange community that connects all parts of our supply chain. Our goals
are to organize Action Forum members, farmer partners, and worker-owners
together in this physical space. We will be hosting workshops, a roastery
tour and cookout at our headquarters. We will make plans for how we can
organize to take back control of the food system, together.

This year we have begun to sow the seeds for a grassroots movement to build
a truly democratic food system, and we need your participation. If you
would like to the join Action Forum you can fill out your application at
this link :

http://equalexchange.coop/action-forum-application

You may also join us for our upcoming event at* Kickstand Cafe April 6th in
Arlington, Ma 630-8pm* in which we will have an engaging discussion on how
we can build a people's food system, together. Please RSVP at eeactionforum@
equalexchange.coop

-- 

*Danielle Robidoux*


*Action Forum Organizer(774)-776-7407*

*drobidoux at equalexchange.coop <drobidoux at equalexchange.coop>*

*[image: http://equalexchange.coop/actionforum]
<http://equalexchange.coop/actionforum>*