Thank you for joining us at the 3rd Annual Gathering
What a day!
On Thursday, October 19, 2023, over 500 San Diegans joined us for the 3rd Annual Gathering for San Diego County Food Vision 2030, a full day of workshops, sessions, and dialogues around transforming ourselves and our food system, to re-center #kinship. Kinship with each other, with the earth and our full community of life, with our ancestors and generations to come.
Thank you to all participants for showing up in love and solidarity. It was incredible to see so many folks from across our region come together, laugh, cry, sing, dance, tell stories, and name and unpack important issues we are working on collectively across our #foodsystem. To quote a participant, today, "our cup feels full." 😌
Gratitude
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to all of the day’s Speakers, Caterers, Community Hall participants, and Sponsors for nourishing us in so many ways. Our region contains true abundance.
We also want to thank the many others who worked behind the scenes to bring this day to life. Thank you to our dedicated support crew:
Julianna Crespo and Carlos Crespo
For sharing their endless knowledge of the Center for the Arts, and their invaluable support over months of planning this complex event—truly, no task was too large nor too small for these two to tackle. Thank you, thank you!The team at the California Center for the Arts
(including Coby, Karen, Meghan, Chef Eric, Edgar, José, Todd, and many more individuals across many departments) For working with us for many months, providing the home of the Gathering, doing the incredible physical labor of hosting 500+ people, and maintaining a beautiful and community-centered facility.40+ volunteers
For their enthusiasm and support from sunrise to sunset. We could not have done it without you! Special shout-out to Jesús Chapa, our friend we can always call on, for driving our event van and helping us load and unload materials for days.Cris Juárez García and Diana Echeverría of Inecui Flowers
For crafting the beautiful and creative arrangements at each table. You lit up the space 🌻Andrea Rocha, Mario García, and Laurie Silvan, Spanish interpreters — and Fernanda Vega, Spanish translator of written materials
For helping us understand each other across language barriers. We hope to continue offering interpretation, in more languages, at events in the near future.Sitterwise
Today’s childcare providers, for providing a safe and creative space for our young ones, and helping us make today accessible to parents and caretakers.Anthony Cullins and Manny Cepeda
For blessing us with your spirits and music. Thank you for transporting us to a place of joy and movement!EDCO
For providing essential waste management and recycling services for the Gathering, and for San Diego County communities daily.Tomoko Matsubayashi, the Taylor Films team, and Charles Guinto
For documenting the day with thought and care. These teams continue to work for weeks afterwards to produce mementos for us all to cherish. Stay tuned for a photo gallery and video playlist!Rubi Orosco, Zeke Peña, and the team at La Semilla Food Center
For sharing their incredible zine, “Food, Land, and Us: A Look at the Farm Bill From the Paso del Norte Region.”Local Printing Partners
Minuteman Press Midway, Any Budget Printing, The Big Picture Graphics, Cal Copy on Alvarado Court, and FedEx on University Ave. Thank you for working late for us, rushing jobs, educating our team, and inspecting details with care and patience.(M)olly Costello
For their powerful artwork throughout the guide, and for the design of this year's volunteer t-shirts. Mud blessings to all.
We are committed to knowing and working with many more artists, especially those in San Diego County, to help us visualize and reflect on how we'd like to show up in the world.
And so many more!
Countless other individuals were involved in bringing this moment to fruition—workers, small business owners, tradespeople, kin of all forms—whom we interact with and depend on every single day. Let’s recognize the way we are all knit together in life.
Recap, Photos, Videos coming soon
Stay tuned for a full recap of the event, official event photos, videos, session recordings, and more.
To everyone, we hope you had a wonderful Gathering. Thank you for all that you are. We look to our collective future with anticipation—joy, justice, resilience, and connection are all present, for us to step into together.
See you out there!
In kinship,
San Diego Food System Alliance team