Why call this a gathering and not a conference?

There were some differences at FAS this year - no workshops, few “talking head” plenary sessions, and no panels extolling the virtues of best practices.   

What we experienced were conversations with frontline projects leading the way on a range of issues within food systems change efforts and mind-opening art and music.  We explored how change happens and asked ourselves some challenging questions about how and what we want to be together as part of this movement.  

It’s time for us to move from being a “network” into a real community that works together and leads itself on the very real issues of making good food available and accessible.  This demands that we shift from our independent agendas to a collective higher purpose – an actualization of what Good Food could also do.

In the context of changing funding and new questions about sustainability, we will only meet the challenge of growing a Good Food Movement if our direction is based in our relationships to each other and our infinite capacity for collective leadership and powerful, wise action.

This is what aimed to do at this gathering – invite full participation and contribution…definitely, not your typical conference.