2020 Board Election

I have served on the Board of Directors for two years and learned a great deal but I feel like I’m just getting started.  I still have a lot to contribute to the Open Harvest community and I am committed to being part of positive change.

Understanding the financial aspects of running a grocery store has been a challenge for me at times but after each meeting I am more confident in my ability to interpret financial reports and key financial indicators.  Also, if re-elected, I plan to attend additional training sessions to gain more knowledge of the financial processes at Open Harvest so I can be a more effective director.  Relationships are an important part of my community involvement and I try to be involved in as many community and volunteer activities as possible primarily through my kids’ elementary school and various advocacy groups.  I was one of three parents at Saratoga Elementary who started Community Cafés at the school to help parents, teachers, administrators, students, and community members connect and cultivate relationships.     I am committed to helping make the community a more equitable and inclusive space for all people with marginalized and oppressed identities.  Sometimes my many privileged identities cloud my judgement on how best to do that and I recognize I need to be more consistent and purposeful addressing my implicit biases and blind spots.  I am a work in progress but the last few months have reminded me of my responsibility to do my part in bringing about systemic change.  I believe I can help do that through my work on the Board.  Most recently, I have been engaged in a number of anti-racist trainings and activities including the Abolitionists Challenge and Building Racial Equity through the Race Forward organization.  I also participated in a reading group that reflected on and discussed Layla Saad’s book Me and White Supremacy.  Soon I plan to participate in Race Forward’s next level of training, Organizing Racial Equity, which will focus more on organizational change.  I understand increased knowledge and awareness without action will not bring about change and if re-elected I will be more intentional and active as a director when addressing issues related to racism, inclusivity, and equity.

Financial stability is a constant challenge for smaller coops like Open Harvest.  The pandemic has made that even more of a concern and no one really knows what the future holds.  That uncertainty will be challenging but it can also provide opportunities to make the coop more resilient and stronger.  Even more pressing, in my opinion, is addressing cultural and systemic issues to make Open Harvest a more equitable and inclusive community. That change starts with the Board and if re-elected to serve a second term I would use my voice and position on the Board to bring about that change.  For example, I have been in communication with a food coop in Kalamazoo, MI that created an Anti-Racist Transformation Team (ARTT) to help their board more effectively address racism and oppression in their organization.  This team now informs nearly all aspects of their work and I think something similar to this would be beneficial to Open Harvest and the Board.  I recognize that creating systemic change can be a long and sometimes difficult process but I am willing to put in the work to help make that happen.  I want to do that work because I believe the Board and Open Harvest are and can continue to be an important part of our community but we can and must do better for all of our community members.

Open Harvest is a vibrant community I want to continue investing in.  I learn something from every visit, whether it be about food or our community. The cooperative principle is the business model of the future.  We invest in each other making our local community more resilient in light of what may be happening nationally.

I served a term, been the secretary. I am engaged in multiple committees, the Annual Meeting, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Committee, and have been  on the Election Committee in the past. I try to get to know the staff and express the value in their being and hard work. I learn much from our staff.

Our board needs the experience of past board members to move forward with changes in our society, changes in the coop and continue to build our community. I foresee our store evolving to better serve a broader customer base, to attract and support inclusivity in the products offered

As a current board member, we come to understand the finacials, margins, the expenses of running a cooperative. Understanding the need for our policies to reflect the current times, with the need to be available and inviting to all.  My experience as secretary, writing charters and chairing various committees so that I may mentor the next person into these roles.

As co-chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity committee, I brought Inclusive Communities to our forefront to assist us with improving our cultural competancy.

I worked with the Expansion committee to understand how location and size may better serve our community.

During the renovation at Open Harvest,we created an improved deli space, community seating and reorganized the location of the shopping carts.  I assisted with hammer in hand.

I show up prepared for meeting and provide another lens on the issues at hand. I feel the presence of board members in the store creates a unity with the staff and membership for more opportunities to listen to your needs.

The our grocery business continually faces competetion with one stop bigger stores and the profit margin is slim. Increasing the membership thus increasing equity in the store, and increasing basket size due to a decrease in visits and limited hours of operation during these past few months is challenging. We are all blessed with a fantastic operational staff with whom I feel important to strengthen connections and offer support of their investment in the store.

Changing the cultural climate to be more inclusive is at the forefront of action with board members and staff addressing how we improve the culteral climate to reflect our community. As a board, we review policy constantly and update our policy to address improve language to support cultural competency.

Our board had a shake up that provided opportunities for growth, improved communication amongst ourselves and our member owners. As a result, more member owners and staff are attending the board meetings. Having their presence and feedback makes the board more accountable for their action.