2023 Food Justice Summit Leader

Contract: (Tentatively) October 15 through February 15, 2023

Chicago Food Policy Action Council (CFPAC) Mission

CFPAC co-develops, facilitates, advocates for, and supports policies that advance food justice and food sovereignty in Chicago and across the region.

Chicago Food Policy Action Council (CFPAC) Vision 

CFPAC envisions a food system where all Chicagoans, regardless of race, class, gender, and/or social identity, have the right to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through community-driven, ecologically regenerative, and economically viable processes. The Council recognizes the history and modern maintenance of structural racism in Chicago and across the country, leading to massive inequities in land access, food business ownership, food security, and political power along racial identity lines. CFPAC works to address these inequities and dismantle racist structures in the food system by building local political power, supporting frontline workers throughout the food system, and facilitating Black/Brown partnerships and understanding.

More info on our Staff + Board of Directors

Position Context and Overview:

More than 600 local agriculture experts, elected officials, environmental justice authorities, emergency food providers, nutrition and health care advocates, urban farmers, food workers, and students are expected to attend the Chicago Food Justice Summit virtually and in-person. Together they will reflect on food justice work, accomplishments and future goals in Chicago, Cook County and across the state of Illinois.

CFPAC seeks emerging leaders and organizers to help lead the planning and development of the 2023 Chicago Food Justice Summit.

To execute this event, we are hiring a total of nine (9) Summit Leaders to support key elements of the Summit Planning Process. Summit Leaders will support one of three Working Groups:

1. Communications and Engagement (3 Leaders)
   How do we spread the word about the Summit? How can we bring in more Chicagoans to the conversation?

Summit Leaders will be responsible for working with CFPAC staff and volunteers to promote the Summit. Detailed tasks include:

• Creating an outreach and marketing plan to engage Chicagoans interested in food justice
• Creating communication tracking materials
• Collaboratively drafting outreach materials and identifying key outreach opportunities
• Creating engagement opportunities to involve attendees before, during, and after the Summit

2. Flavor and Re-imagination (3 Leaders)

Summit Leaders will be responsible for working with CFPAC staff and volunteers to creatively think of new and creative ways to include art, music, and cooking to the Summit. Detailed tasks includes:

• Brainstorm artistics components for the Summit, virtually or in-person
• Develop and coordinate creative and engaging sessions for in-person attendees
• Coordinate with invited speakers, presenters, and facilitators to record sessions or present in-person
• Develop a zine or publication to document the Summit

3. Programming and Logistics (3 Leaders)

What types of sessions do we host? How do we structure this year’s content?

Summit Leaders will be responsible for working with CFPAC staff and volunteers to develop a program and logistics plan for the Summit. Detailed tasks includes:

• Conduct targeted outreach to invite food justice leaders
• Evaluating Summit session applications based on CFPAC’s criteria
• Develop a final program for the Summit and coordinate with speakers to develop materials and be equipped to present successfully
• Develop a logistics plan to coordinate in-person activities

Summit Leader Expectations:

• Attend regular Summit Planning meetings
• Attend regular Summit Working Group meetings
• Coordinate and communicate with the Summit Planning team through Slack, Asana, and similar management platforms
• Support virtual Summit sessions (e.g. supporting speaker prep, attending and troubleshooting virtual modules)
• Support in-person Summit sessions (e.g. supporting speaker prep, attendee check-in, volunteer management, and general on-day activities)

Summit Leader Desired Skills and Experiences:

• Previous experience with the Chicago Food Justice Summit or similar gatherings
• Previous experience in the appropriate Working Group (such as prior Communications for Communications and Engagement, Design or Art for Flavor and Reimagination, Event Planning for Programming and Logistics)
• Uses an anti-racist lens, prepared to engage in uncomfortable conversations that work towards dismantling white supremacy, internalized oppression, and colonizer culture
• Ability to work collaboratively with CFPAC staff and engage in feedback loops
• Context and familiarity with Chicago’s history, culture, and political climate
• Competency in food system issues is a plus (labor, environment, agriculture, community food access, racial & social disparities in the food system)

Compensation Rate:

$1,500 stipend for approximately 60 worked hours

To apply, please visit https://www.chicagofoodpolicy.com/jobs. Additional questions or materials can be sent to summit(@t)chicagofoodpolicy.com. Applications due by October 09, 11:59pm.