Blog posted on behalf of the Vermont Releaf Collective 7/27/2020
Calling all BIPOC Vermonters who are passionate about land, environment, agriculture, and food systems
The Vermont Releaf Collective stands for Racial Equity in Land, Environment, Agriculture, and Foodsystems. We are a budding network of BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) in Vermont who enjoy, work in, lead in, benefit from, or contribute to the focus areas—land, environment, agriculture, and food systems—of Collective. From farmers and farmworkers to restaurant employees, entrepreneurs and activists to scientists and practitioners, advocates and researchers to educators and enthusiasts, our network seeks to create a collective alliance of BIPOC stakeholders and organizations who are deeply committed to promoting racial equity in land, environment, agriculture, and food systems initiatives.
Our mission is to build a network of BIPOC Vermonters involved in food systems, agriculture, land, and environmental work that amplifies our voices and experiences; shares a platform to develop our community; and advocates for opportunity and success in our state and beyond.
At our core, we aim to create a network and affinity platform for BIPOC involved in land, environment, agriculture, and food systems initiatives to connect and support collectively. This includes facilitating spaces for BIPOC to network and connect based on interests, support and amplify community initiatives, connect community members with opportunities (work, volunteer, professional development, grants, etc.), and strengthen our vibrant community through advocacy and education using our collective platform.
As we are in the initial phase of development, we are in the process of creating our network. We would also like to learn about ways that BIPOC community members involved in our focus areas feel we could best support the Collective network. We are also looking for folks who would be interested in supporting our development. Please complete the survey to express interest and share your wishes for the Collective - it should take less than 10 minutes. Questions? Email Olivia Peña at [email protected]. You can also follow us Facebook and Instagram.