At the last Closing the Hunger Gap (CTHG) Conference in 2015, representatives of hundreds of food access organizations gathered to declare that charity won’t end hunger. Instead, they called for a radical transformation from charity to justice. They redefined hunger as a problem of economic and racial inequity and reimagined the ways we address hunger.
This year’s conference, themed “From Charity to Solidarity,” promises to be just as revolutionary, especially in the midst of consistent divisive attacks on people in poverty in the current political climate. From September 11 through 13, 2017, hundreds of people from around the country working to eliminate hunger and poverty within their communities will join at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center in Tacoma, Washington, just south of Seattle, to learn from other another and strategize next steps in the continuing movement to end hunger. Registration is currently open to secure your participation.
The 2017 CTHG schedule will inspire and challenge leaders in the anti-hunger movement to question the approach to ending hunger and will provide concrete, collaborative teachings and actions that will continue long after the conference ends. Attendees will choose between interactive sessions on topics including inclusivity and reciprocity in grassroots organizing, racial justice advocacy, the impact of law and policy on anti-hunger work, case studies in sustainable community development and much more.
This year’s keynote speakers are Malik Kenyatta Yakini, founder and Executive Director or the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, and Beatriz Beckford, experienced grassroots organizer and Campaign Director of MomsRising. They will each share applicable insights from their work and experiences as anti-hunger movement builders.
Before the conference, participants can engage in training on narrative change and tours of innovative groups in the Washington area addressing food insecurity through cross-sector alliances, community farming, culinary training programs, the arts and more. Throughout the conference, attendees can form meaningful partnerships and with peers from across the country through multiple networking and brainstorming sessions.
The conference is hosted by Northwest Harvest and the CTHG National Network and sponsored by WhyHunger and the Northwest Harvest. Anyone interested in or working towards food justice is welcome to join. Please share this information with your peers and register for the 2017 CTHG conference as soon as possible to guarantee your attendance and a discounted conference registration rate. Scholarships are also available for attendees.
Register today for the 2017 CTHG Conference at: https://cthg.regfox.com/conference
