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Report on First 2008 Action Fellows Retreat |
October 17, 2008
I want to give you a brief report on the first 2008 Fellows retreat, which began on Tuesday at noon and ended Thursday at noon. In a word, it was fantastic. I believe the good result reflects three things:
1) The group of Fellows is stellar. They are high quality human beings that have good hearts, heads and hands. They are open, skilled, passionate and compassionate. I knew they were a good group on paper, but some how did not expect such a fantastic level of dialog from the start.
2) The convening process is showing the fruit of ROC’s increasing experience as a convener. Joseph McIntyre and his colleague Erica Peng of Ag Innovations designed and executed an excellent process. Haney and Lameise provided a perfect set of supporting services from food to technology. Craig McNamara modeled deep integrity and wisdom during an interview session the first night that set the perfect tone. Of course, Craig’s Center for Land Based Learning, combined with absolutely stunning weather, provided the perfect surrounding environment for success.
3) The current economic, political and environmental context confirms the need for the work we are asking the Fellows to undertake. The entire group knows it is a serious moment demanding the most from us as individuals and organizations.
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Sept. 7, 2008
Slow Food Nation has just ended. It was an amazing event: sixty thousand people, hundreds of farmers and food producers, dozens of presenters, four major venues, incredible media coverage and open dialogue about the strengths and weaknesses of Slow Food. It was a concrete moment that could mark a phase change in America related to food and agriculture. I hope so.
I want to reflect on progress made by ROC in the last several months as revealed by three Slow Food Nation events in which ROC played a defining role. ROC is a network collaborative and there are many voices shaping strategy, action, and assessments. The ROC Stewardship Council will convene in a few weeks to reflect on progress and do it again in November. The 2008 Fellows will begin a series of retreats running October through December in which strategic opportunities will be the focus. All of you reading will, I hope, consider ROC’s past progress, current focus, and future direction and your relationship to those. I invite comments, concerns, and suggestions. Knowing the magnitude of collective thinking just ahead, I offer my assessments as one voice in a chorus.
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Opening Remarks For Changemakers Day During Slow Food Nation |
August 30, 2008
Following are three sets of opening remarks delivered by Michael Dimock at three panels of Changemakers Day during Slow Food Nation on August 29, 2008.
Panel: Network Power and Food Politics in the Connected Age
Thank you all for coming to Network Power: Food Politics in the Connected Age. My name is Michael Dimock and I am president of Roots of Change. Roots of Change is a collaborative of diverse leaders and institutions unified in common pursuit of a sustainable food system in California by the year 2030. As a coordinating entity across government, non-profit and business sectors, Roots of Change works to maximize the synergy available to those transforming the food system by convening multi-stakeholder planning sessions and supporting collaborative implementation with grants, fellowships, and contracts. Roots of Change is a sponsor and co-organizer of Changemakers Day and we are thrilled you are all here.
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Introducing The Declaration for Healthy Food and Agriculture |
August 28, 2008
What follows is a transcript of the first public reading of the final draft Declaration for Healthy Food and Agriculture
By Michael R. Dimock and the Declaration Framers in the Rotunda of City Hall, San Francisco
Thank you all for coming to the first public reading of the Healthy Food and Agriculture Declaration, an effort involving individuals and organizations from all across the nation who seek fundamental improvement in food and farm policy.
My name is Michael Dimock and I am president of Roots of Change. Roots of Change is a collaborative of diverse leaders and institutions unified in common pursuit of a sustainable food system in California by the year 2030. As a coordinating entity across government, non-profit and business sectors, Roots of Change works to maximize the synergy available to those transforming the food system by convening multi-stakeholder planning sessions and supporting collaborative implementation with grants, fellowships, and contracts. We are very pleased to be working with Slow Food Nation and Slow Food USA on this weekend’s events that will awaken the nation to a delicious food revolution now underway.
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Changemakers Day & Slow Food Nation |
August 16, 2008
Changemakers Day & Slow Food Nation: a time to celebrate the good food movement’s arrival on the national stage
On the one hand, a world food crisis, driven by peak oil, peak population, and climate change looms. On the other, spiking interest in renewable energy, healthy food and agriculture, social justice, and the concept of sustainable civilization offers hope. Amidst this dichotomy each of us make choices every day. How do I live? Where shall I focus my energy? What is my vision for the future?
Some will become more cynical and committed to self-preservation, hunker down in the face of challenges, and build a financial, physical, and psychological mote. Some will close their eyes, live as they have, and hope for the best. And some will think of the whole, search for solutions, and lend a hand in collective efforts to transform crisis into opportunity.
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