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The following is a summary of the key decisions and commitments made at the 2012 SFA Steering Committee face-to-face meeting. We hope these notes will provide some transparency and accountability within SFA.
As a fluid network united by our work in the Campaign for Fair Food, the steering committee provides national and regional direction, coordination, support and resources for local work and organizing. Check out the 2011 Steering Committee (and more pictures from the face-to-face) here and get in touch with the SC member in your region!
Objectives
The goals of the retreat included planning for the upcoming February-March Trader Joe's and Publix mobilizations, outlining an April Ahold action, escalation in the supermarket campaign, and advancing broader SFA development (with the Steering Committee (SC) as an integral force behind that process). We were to review SC roles and responsibilities, hear from members of the new SFA Administrative Committee, revise campaign plans and strategy, and, of course, develop closer relationships with each other and with the CIW, and have a good time!
Campaign
Several exciting campaign ideas and plans were developed, focusing on but not limited to the crucial upcoming Trader Joe's/Publix mobilizations; a major Boston action is set to take place during the Ahold shareholders' meeting in April; coordinated national supermarket protests will be held regularly; and the SC will continue to hone and strengthen its local outreach, cultivating a broad base of leadership within the supermarket campaign and collaborating regionally to maximize power. SC members made powerful personal and collective commitments to organize, educate and mobilize their communities toward the Trader Joe's/Publix actions and beyond.
SFA network development
The SC committed to expanding SFA's visibility by creating an SFA blog to build excitement for the March and April actions. A number of talented SCers have undertaken projects to expand the role of art in educating and animating our communities. SCers will also continue building on tools developed over the years: planning regional encuentros, organizing toward a network-wide Immokalee gathering in the fall, and expanding access to the SFA internship.
Fundraising
SC members committed to taking a leadership role in fundraising to support their local work, recruiting SFA Sustainers, hosting fundraising events, and encouraging donations throughout the year. Several SC'ers will also continue their work on the Sustainer Working Group to continue to explore ways to secure sustainable, grassroots sources of funding for SFA.
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