From the Director: Our Leadership
The abundance of spring has arrived! Baby animals are weaned, CSA’s are underway for the year, and strawberries are ready for picking. It’s an incredible time to be a Finger Lakes farmer and a local food system advocate and participant!
Here at Groundswell Center, we’re well into an action-packed workshop and event season featuring some new topics including a Tractor Safety Workshop, a Community Picnic at the Incubator Farm w/ Ithaca Welcomes Refugees, the Farmer Story Slam and much more.
On an organizational level, we’re also evolving and expanding. As we prepare to enter our 10th year of existence, we look ahead for the long-term. We’re exploring the possibility of forming Groundswell as an independent 501c3. This prospect is thrilling, daunting and much in between. We are currently fiscally-sponsored by the staff and board at the Center for Transformative Action, who’s staff provide guidance and have helped us tremendously over the years.
Part of our evolution process includes assessing our impact, our capacity, our diversity and our stability, and we are tremendously grateful for the involvement of the Groundswell leadership teams including the Advisory Committee, Equity & Accountability Committee, Development Committee, and the Incubator Farm Committee. The folks on these teams provide a diverse range of perspectives and experiences so that we make decisions for the long-term and that best reflect the varied needs of our community, with traditionally marginalized voices at the center. They have been essential in writing our Equity Statement, developing job descriptions and hiring staff, planning essential fundraising events, building new relationships and more.
As we well know, the shift of creating a just and equitable organization and local food system is never finished. This is work always in progress, and we welcome more voices to take part in the discussions and efforts. We are actively recruiting additional members for each Committee that bring varied insight into our mission and work. If you’re interested in learning more about these Committees, please contact me and we can set-up a time to talk more in person.
Warm regards,
Elizabeth Gabriel
Director, Groundswell Center