November CEC meeting reminder and agenda

[Ashley R. Todd]

Hey Everybody,

I just wanted to remind everyone that our November meeting will be held tomorrow, 11/21, at 630pm in the duplex (behind the coop on 15th). I'll be there a few minutes early to meet new folks, chat with people, and prep tasty snacks! 

At the last meeting we decided to focus our energy and attention on the Listening Season project, so for now everything we do (including recruiting new members) will be with the intention of moving that project forward. I've cc-ed this message to the Listening Project folks to give them a chance to weigh in and/or reconnect with us.

Since this will be the first meeting focused exclusively on moving the Listening Project forward, I'm proposing the following agenda:

1. Meet, Greet, Eat

2. Check-ins, Action Item review:

-Ashley: Put Jamilah in touch with SEI contact

-Francesca: Find out who donations budget "belongs" to

-Ashley (Theresa?): find out if there's Board support for 7th Principle Project. If so, ask for staff/WO hours to be allocated to work on it

3. Listening Season Project Summary

4. Next Steps - brainstorm

5. Working Owner Recruitment - discussion

6. Announcements/Check Outs

-What went well? What didn’t?

7. Set Next Meeting Date/Facilitator/Notetaker

Let me know if you think there's anything else we need to cover, otherwise I'll just see you there!

Ashley

[Theresa A. Hilinski]

Thanks, Ashley, for so much work and your dedication to keeping the CEC alive and kicking.   Excited to hear about the Listening Project being chosen as the main focus.

I have an agenda request in for the board meeting in early December so the 7th principle project can be revived.  There were board members that stepped down, then some back and forth of new, interested board members, so I apologize for the time that has passed since it's moved along anywhere.  I know you were very instrumental in getting it going, Francesca, so I'm hoping to bring some clarity from the December board meeting, to the December CEC meeting.

Thanks guys!  Bummed I'll miss you guys tomorrow night.

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Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

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[Ashley R. Todd]

Hi again! Sorry about all the emails, but I just realized that since I won't be at the meeting tonight you'll need some info about the Listening Season project. Here's a description and potential next steps Jocelyn and I came up with:

Where the Listening Season Project left off: At our recent “discernment” meeting (in Sept), the LSP participants identified a few common threads among the people we had spoken to, and brainstormed next steps for the project. Common threads that merit further attention include:

• Affordability: Can we offer lower prices without compromising our buying standards?

• Exclusive Culture: People see workers/other shoppers as “altnernative” or “not like me”; perception of staff as unwelcoming/desire for more intimate shopping experience

• Negative and/or inaccurate preconceptions re: prices, shoppers, staff that keep people from even stepping through the door

• ACG’s role as a gentrifying force

Potential next steps for addressing these issues

Jocelyn

1) Organize a series of focus groups (or more informal "house meetings") with support from community partners like the African American Health Coalition. Topics could include:

• Customer Service/Being a "Community Store": what are people's expectations when they come into Alberta Co-op? Do  they have higher standards for customer service than they would at a conventional grocery store? What creates or detracts from a "community feel" for people? What is "the ideal shopping experience"?

• Affordability: Get a sense of price perception vs. reality, share price comparisons with other stores, ask for most frequently purchased items, share possible affordability & educational programs and ask for people's interest (bulk department tours, working owner program, supported shares, cooking classes, etc.)

• Cultural Perceptions: What are the assumptions that people have about ACG? (ie only for certain people, certain diets, etc.) What is behind these assumptions? What could shift them?

2) Organize another training on relational meetings, and plan for a time when all CEC members can attend. Try to get a few staff to participate. Have a conversation about creating an ongoing relational culture at ACG. Start with one-to-ones with each other.

3) Brainstorm ideas for questions to include in a customer survey next year (Rachel is planning one potentially for the spring.)

Ashley:

1) Reach out to neighborhood organizations that already have regular meetings/members and ask them to co-facilitate group discussions about their N/NE neighborhoods, food access/affordability, and the ACG’s role in the community

2) See if people we already connected with would be willing to hold house meetings (or otherwise connect us) with their neighbors/social circles to discuss their N/NE neighborhoods, food access/affordability, and the ACG’s role in the community

3) Hold an open brainstorming session (incl. CEC, staff, board, neighbors, owners) to come up with ideas about how the co-op could better meet its mission. Share results with staff/board as recommendations for future policies/programs. Make sure there’s food.

4) Determine whether and how existing projects (internship, 7th principle, etc) could be grafted on to the LSP, so energy and effort behind those projects doesn’t go to waste

OK, I think that's it for the emails today. Have a great meeting, and I'll see you soon!

Ashley

On Wed, Nov 20, 2013 at 1:47 PM, Ashley R. Todd <ashle...@gmail.com> wrote:

[F E BLOM-COOPER]

Since the November 21 meeting did not take place (due to the community meeting regarding Trader Joe's plan to locate to the corner of Alberta and MLK) I was told our CEC meeting would not be happening.
 
I am attaching my report prepared on the 7th Principle based upon my meeting with Therese Calabrese.  I assume we will be discussing the items listed below at our meeting in December.
 
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
Francesca
 
p.s.  I will be out of town next week but if there is a make-up meeting before the normally scheduled one please let me know.
 
Many thanks.

 

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Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 14:35:19 -0800
Subject: [CEC] Re: November CEC meeting reminder and agenda
From: ashle...@gmail.com
To: acg-communit...@googlegroups.com; charles.e...@gmail.com; jocelyn...@gmail.com; bwilli...@gmail.com

[Theresa A. Hilinski]

Thanks for sharing the update, Francesca!  I think there might be some confusion on the project; I see that there are notes about the September board meeting, but the 7th principle project wasn't discussed then.  Looking forward to catching up and hopefully moving this forward.

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Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.