we embrace Fall's seasonal cues. Even as the trees and the crisp air beckon us outward, we know that the time spent outdoors is fleeting. My very bones feel like they are retreating from the cooler air.
Yet this year, the prospect of deepening our time spent indoors feels more...tiring than restful, more...stressful than sheltering. I feel a mental focus toward getting outdoors as much as possible.
This seems like a worthy goal to have in any context, so why is it that we haven't tried it before?
Part of it is habit. The pull toward a 'hibernation' period is reinforced by those physical cues, by the weather itself, and by sense memories - the sight of all those squash varieties at the Farmers' Market, the continuous tick of the oven as it warms up for yet another baked good, the pleasantly scratchy feel of socks and sweaters, hats and scarves.
Changing our habits takes energy. Amid the many competing draws on your energy, if the thought of also rallying yourself to get outdoors feels like too much, we understand. We believe that, like fingerprints, each individual has his/her/their own threshold for fatigue, and it's useful to learn how to recognize and respect yours.
The top three draws on our own fatigue threshold are: accumulated grief over the deaths of Black Americans (and the systemic injustices that they represent), the everyday uncertainty of childcare and schooling for our children, and the chaos of the political landscape.
Even so, I have a sense that if I don't challenge myself to change my habits and get outdoors as the weather cools, I'm not going to be able to restore my energy to manage those sources of stress.
In the interest of cultural shift and creating new habits, today starts our newsletter series on How to Write an Equitable Job Post. In the background of all our work to address social justice in the past months, we have been taking note of the ways in which language and requirements in job posts perpetuate racism and/or White dominant culture and its values, versus the ways in which language in a post can provide an almost physical sense of welcoming.
Which brings us to the topic of Equal Opportunity Employment statements. The EOE Commission was established in 1964 as part of the Civil Rights Act, to 'administer and enforce civil rights laws against workplace discrimination'. (To learn more about what the EOE Commission does, you can visit eeoc.gov/overview.) You may have noticed the statements somewhere near the bottom of a job description, ranging from 'we are an Equal Opportunity Employer' to a lengthy list of ways in which the employer does not discriminate.
The importance of these statements feels both obvious and essential. Yet at times, they can feel like the bare minimum. Through the lens of taking action to create real change, they might seem like the equivalent of black squares on instagram (full disclosure: we posted a black square) or Black Lives Matter statements on a company's home page. But by the same token, the effort put into a statement can have an impact, especially in a job post where attention spans may be short, and employers are looking for ways to reach potential applicants.
In our experience, a well-crafted EOE statement can make the difference between a post that feels as if it's ignoring social context, or taking the impact of EOE for granted, and one that is truly absorbing the lessons of history, as well as the current moment, to let a potential applicant know: I see you.
In the past weeks, we have been seeking out and taking note of the best EOE statements that come across GFJ, and we've included some below. Consider using them as a jumping off point for your own.
*Remember, as you read through these: they don't just belong stamped at the bottom of a job post - many of them are threaded into the company and/or job descriptions in a way that feels revolutionary when it is done with care. And, as always, the best statements accurately reflect the culture in and actions of the organization and its people.
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We believe that the communities we serve must be centered in the work we do. Therefore people of color and people with experience accessing food resources are highly encouraged to apply. - United Way of King County
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We commit to do our best to always do right by our customers, always do right by our farmers, and always grow from our mistakes. We hope to nourish with exciting meals, cultivate conversation around hard topics, and invoke pleasure & joy. - The Pony Stall
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The Vermont Foodbank’s work culture is progressive, forward thinking, and equity minded. Staff have the opportunity to fully develop their potential in a variety of ways: as organizational leaders, in shaping programs and advocacy efforts, and in working towards a future where no one in Vermont will go hungry. - The Vermont Foodbank
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CUESA is committed to centering equity and inclusion in our programs and across all aspects of our organization. - Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture
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...we acknowledge that we cannot achieve justice without racial justice, and that achieving true equality requires dismantling racism and repairing the centuries of harm inflicted on black, indigenous, and people of color. We aim to identify candidates committed to these values of equity and justice. - The San Diego Food System Alliance
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We recognize that we have made mistakes in the past, and that there is a lot of work ahead of us. We commit to the on-going work through trainings, relationship building, partnerships, and program development, to dismantle social injustice in OGS and in the food system for the ultimate goal of food justice for all. - Organic Growers School
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We value (and try to embody ourselves) honesty, gratitude, good communication, and a continual-learning mindset. - Fat Stone Farm LLC
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In the coming weeks, we'll look more deeply into Job Requirements, Compensation, and Application Requirements. If you have other ideas for aspects of a job post (or any other part of hiring) that you'd like us to take an in-depth look at, let us know.
In food, justice, and food justice,
Dor + Tay
photo by Roger Alan Amundsen
