Apply to Present at the 18th Annual Chicago Food Justice Summit

The Chicago Food Policy Action Council would like to invite all to submit their proposal to present at the 18th Annual Chicago Food Justice Summit to be held virtually on February 8-10, 2023. The Summit will empower attendees to share meaningful knowledge, build strong relationships, and join in conversations to envision our food future together.

 

The theme of this year's Summit will be Future Proofing Our Food System.

Our food system is a paradox: 40% of food in the US is wasted, yet 1 in 12 Illinoisans face food insecurity. While 385 food businesses closed in Chicago, Food and agribusiness billionaires nearly doubled their wealth in the last two years. Our food system comes at a tremendous cost that is being paid everyday by the health of individuals, communities, and our environment, yet fails at providing basic food access for all.

Will a system founded on scarcity, imperialism, and greed be enough to feed our communities and future generations? 

Over the past few years, we’ve seen an explosion in community and cooperatively-led food projects. This year, the USDA invested an historic $34.9 Million in local food businesses for Illinois. With almost 900 urban farm projects within Chicago, one in ten Chicagoans live within a quarter mile of a garden. During the pandemic, mutual aid distributed hundreds of thousands of meals while engaging with neighbors and building community.

Could a food system rooted in love, mutual support, and collective care carry us into the future? 

We are looking for panels, workshops, and engaging sessions that fit this year’s theme, as well as embody our mission and vision statements. Each day will explore the ways that we can strengthen and scale our food system while planning and preparing for the many economic, social, and environmental challenges that lay ahead. 

What will it take to build a system:

  • that allows folks equitable access to the food that excites and nourishes them

  • that empowers growers and food workers for economic success

  • that honors the Earth and her inhabitants

  • that centers community and intergenerational stewardship

 while being scalable to our food needs, resilient to future disasters and disruptions, and vibrant for many generations to come?

 

All proposals are due by November 28th, 2022 at 11:59PM. Speaker stipends are available. 

This event is organized in partnership with Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE) and the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH).