From the Ground Up: Community-Based Food Policy Development and Implementation in Oakland, CA -Toolkit for Community Engagement

Toolkit for Community Engagement ContentsCommunity Engagement Community Engagement Process Self-Assessment Tool Community Involvement Stipend Policy Leadership InstitutePartnerships HOPE and OFPC MOUPlanning Tools Data collection: East Oakland Food Access/Grocery Store Survey Participatory Data Interpretation: Blue Book Exercise Policy Analysis: Policy Filter Policy Analysis: Whole Measures Tool Neighborhood Dialogue SessionCurriculum Resources Intro to Food Systems City Government 101 (including Testimony Template) City Government 201: Advocating for Sustainable and Equitable Food Policies 1

HOPE Collaborative’s Community Engagement ProcessHOPE’s resident participation is a key element of our work, differentiating our collaborative from otherpolicy advocacy efforts. Resident leaders offer on-going feedback and accountability for HOPE’s policyand systems change work. HOPE offers residents opportunities for growth and leadership as part of alarger community capacity-building effort that seeks to influence and shift the power map of Oakland’spolicy-making process.HOPE’s resident engagement process aims to be a vehicle for residents to build their capacity to takeleadership in the Collaborative, in their communities, and in the broader policy-making arena.Additionally, this process is grounded in the vision that leadership development and capacity-buildingwill create the necessary conditions for increased economic and civic community ownership.Phase I: Orientation, Intake and Self-Assessment Resident participates in HOPE orientation or attends a HOPE event Resident meets with a member of the staff to discuss their interests and goals for participation and completes self-assessment tool. At this point residents can enroll in the stipend program. Resident participates in HOPE trainings on food systems, built environment, policy advocacy, etc. to identify areas of interest and develop understanding of our workPhase II: Training and Identifying Work Area After participation in orientation and trainings, the resident will choose a focus and area of work Staff and resident develop plan for participation, including action team work and projects, etc. Resident may participate in HOPE Leadership Institute Resident will meet with Action Team Co-chair, staff, or Steering Committee member to learn more about how to plug into the work. Staff will work with resident to identify projects and point person for supportPhase III: Post-Assessment and On-going development After 6 months, resident will do a post–assessment, and will meet with a staff person to review the past 6 months and identify strengths and areas for growth. At this point, resident and staff will mutually assess whether it makes sense for this resident to begin participating in Steering Committee meetings, and/or to join additional committees Resident will consider participating in Action Teams, Committees, and/ or in additional leadership develop opportunities through other organizations 2

HOPE Collaborative Community Involvement Stipend PolicyThe purpose of the HOPE Collaborative Community Involvement volunteer program is to encourageparticipation in the collaborative, to enhance HOPE’s programs by having increased communityownership and input, to support community residents in accessing locally grown, healthy food andopportunities to engage in more active living. HOPE is committed to demonstrating concretely that wevalue community participation and encourage residents to inform HOPE’s process in authentic ways.Orientation Meetings:Anyone who is interested in the HOPE Collaborative will participate in an individual orientation meetingwith HOPE staff, without being compensated. Everyone who completes the orientation is invited tosubmit a membership application to the Collaborative. If prospective volunteers are interested in thestipend program and there are available spaces, they may fill out the appropriate paperwork, includingW-9 and Participation Agreement.Exploratory Period for Volunteers:After orientation, there is an initial exploratory period that allows perspective volunteer participants toexplore multiple options for engaging with the Collaborative. The perspective participants may attendany combination of the following activities: action team meetings, committee meetings, program workand/or volunteering in the office. The participants receive a stipend $25 each for up to three activitieswithin the 90 day exploratory period.Community Involvement Program:After the exploratory period and if the participant decides to become active in the collaborative, theywill be required to complete a participant agreement.Participation Requirements:Participants will be able to accumulate hours by doing work in a variety of ways;• Working with an action team• Serving on a committee• Doing project work• Volunteering in the office• Volunteering on a HOPE-approved project at one of HOPE’s partner organizationsVolunteer participants must commit to being active in the program 7 hours or more a month to beeligible to receive a stipend. If a participant participates more than 7 hours a month, they will not bereceiving a stipend for the additional hours; this is a flat fee stipend program. Participants will receive$120/month for completing their 7 hour commitment. Participants who wish to participate in HOPE’sprograms for less than 7 hours a month will be classified as “casual participants” and will not be eligiblefor stipend payments. The HOPE staff will manage and document the hours worked by using sign insheets at each activity and an activity log. 3

Eligibility Criteria for On-going Participation: Resident of Oakland with a valid Oakland address Active participation on at least one of HOPE’s Action Teams, including regular meeting attendance, active participation and engagement during meetings, and demonstrated willingness to take on tasks and projects. This will be assessed by HOPE staff and Action Team co-chairs after the first 3 months of participation and regularly monitored after the initial 3 month period. Demonstrated follow-through and commitment to projects – Completion of tasks to which the volunteer commits, showing up when scheduled, being on time, communicating with staff or project leaders if and when you are not able to follow through on assigned tasks (including showing up when scheduled). This will be assessed by HOPE staff and Action Team co-chairs after the first 3 months of participation and regularly monitored after the initial 3 month period. Adherence to HOPE Collaborative’s Participation Agreement and Action Team’s Group Agreements, including but not limited to demonstrated commitment to implementing HOPE’s workplans and mutual respect for all members of the collaborative.HOPE Collaborative commitment to the participants:HOPE will provide opportunities for participants to work in an array of programs, and will support theirgrowth and development through the work. In addition, HOPE will provide information aboutopportunities for skills development such as Leadership development Communications Facilitation Policy advocacyHOPE Collaborative is committed to maintaining a group of active participants that are reflective of thediversity of Oakland’s flatlands, including race and ethnicity, age, gender, and neighborhood ofresidence. Although we do not require proof of income to enroll in the stipend program, it is intendedto increase low-income Oakland residents’ access to participation in HOPE’s work. 4

HOPE Collaborative Leadership InstituteWhat it is:HOPE’s Leadership Institute is a 12 session advanced training program for community members to buildtheir leadership in the Collaborative, in their communities, and in the broader policy-making arena. TheLeadership Institute will provide an opportunity for residents who demonstrate leadership potential and acommitment to the Collaborative’s work to deepen their skills in policy advocacy, facilitation,communications, project management, working in collaboratives, and community organizing, andbroaden their knowledge of food systems, built environment, and economic and civic communityownership. We believe that leadership development is essential to create the necessary conditions forincreased economic and civic community ownership.Eligibility Criteria ● Resident of the Oakland flatlands ● Demonstrated commitment to HOPE Collaborative ○ Regular participation in HOPE’s Action Team and/or Committee meetings and activities ○ Basic knowledge of the Collaborative’s work ● Demonstrated leadership within HOPE Collaborative ○ Recommendation from Action Team or Committee co-chair or HOPE staff member ○ Demonstrated follow-through and capacity to make this commitment ○ Fulfillment of participation Agreement; demonstrated spirit of collaboration and respect toward othersApplication Process and Timeline ● If you are interested, please fill out a HOPE Leadership Institute application. Completed applications should be submitted to HOPE staff by April 1, 2011 ● Leadership Institute Committee will review applications and make final decisions by April 15, 2011. ● All applicants will be notified via email or phone by April 20, 2011. ● 10-15 applicants will be accepted. Interested participants will confirm their participation within one week. There will be a waiting list with attention paid to demographics ● Accepted applicants will fill out and submit all required paperwork for participation by May 15, 2011. ● First session of the Leadership Institute will be held in June 2010.*Attention will be paid to demographics of participants--racial, age, gender, and geographic diversity. 5

Memorandum of UnderstandingThis Memorandum of Understanding entered into April 12, 2011 between HOPE Collaborative’s FoodSystems Action Team (hereinafter referred to as “HOPE’s FSAT”) and Oakland Food Policy Council(hereinafter referred to as “OFPC”).This MOU details partnership between the two parties. The goal of the partnership is to develop andadvance a food policy agenda that supports HOPE’s FSAT and OFPC’s common goals: increased foodsecurity, greater public health, promotion of local agriculture, community economic development, andcommunity ownership. A partnership may increase our collective impact through the strengths andopportunities both HOPE and OFPC bring.HOPE’s responsibilities 1. HOPE will work to strengthen OFPC’s community engagement via: Training and skill development opportunities for FSAT members to build knowledge of food systems and leadership and capacity to participate in OFPC’s food policy and advocacy work. Stipends to community residents to compensate them for their time and work with HOPE’s FSAT and OFPC Outreach to FSAT members about OFPC meetings and events Assist in the coordination of listening, reportback, or other sessions in the community for community members to give input on OFPC’s work 2. A HOPE staff member will apply to serve on OFPC to reinforce lines of communication. 3. HOPE will designate one seat on its Steering Committee to an OFPC representative. 4. HOPE will give priority to OFPC as a project partner when applying for funding for food systems work.OFPC’s responsibilities 1. OFPC will handle policy work around HOPE’s FSAT and OFPC’s common policy priorities. 2. OFPC will provide opportunities for community members involved in HOPE’s FSAT to participate in food policy advocacy 3. OFPC will give priority to HOPE as a project partner when applying for funding that covers community outreach, education, and other forms of engagement.This MOU will be for a two year term extending through HOPE’s implementation phase (end date: October31, 2012). Either party may terminate this agreement at any point. The signatures below acknowledgeacceptance of the terms of this Memorandum of Understanding.__________________________ __________________________HOPE Collaborative representative OFPC representative 6

Surveyor’s Initials: Today’s Date:Survey Area:  East Oakland 66th  East Oakland Foothill  West Oakland(check one)Survey Venue:(if applicable, write in) East Oakland Food Access/Grocery Store Survey SURVEYOR’S COPYIntroductionHello. My name is ______________________ and I’m with a community group that is doing ashort survey to find out what East Oakland residents want in a grocery store where they buyfood. The members of my group are from Acta Non Verba, Communities for a BetterEnvironment (CBE), HOPE Collaborative, Oakland Food Policy Council, and PUEBLO.We want to make sure that community voices are heard as the City of Oakland and variouscorporations make their plans to put new grocery stores in East Oakland. We will compileresponses to this survey and present them to these city officials and decision-makers. We willalso share results of this survey with the East Oakland community.The survey takes about 10 minutes. The information you share will be kept private, and yourname will not be connected to your answers.Screening Questionsi. Do you…  Live in East Oakland?  Work in East Oakland?  Shop or want to shop in East Oakland? [IF ANY OF THE ABOVE IS CHECKED, ASK QUESTION ii] [IF NOT, SAY] Thank you for your time. We are only talking to people who live, work or who would consider shopping in East Oakland.ii. Will you take the survey?  Yes [SAY] Great, thank you! I will read the questions and record your answers. [TURN THE PAGE TO START THE SURVEY]  No [SAY] Thank you for your time. 7

Survey Questions A. Think about how you’d like your local grocery store to look and feel. On a scale of 1 to 5, from 1 = not important to 5 = very important [SHOW RESPONSE CARD], please rate how important each of the following is to you. Circle a number from 1-5How important is each of thefollowing… Not A little In the Very Don’t Important important important middle important know1. The grocery store is clean and 1 2 3 4 5 DK well-kept.2. The store is a safe place to 1 2 3 4 5 DK shop.3. The store has well-staffed and 1 2 3 4 5 DK fast check-out lines.4. The store has few or no alcohol and tobacco advertisements 1 2 3 4 5 DK inside.5. The store accepts WIC vouchers and/or Food 1 2 3 4 5 DK Stamps/EBT. B. In terms of where your local grocery is located and how you get there, how important is each of the following to you? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, from 1 = not important to 5 = very important [SHOW RESPONSE CARD]. Circle a number from 1-5How important is each of thefollowing… Not A little In the Very Don’t Important important important middle important know6. The store is close to my home 1 2 3 4 5 DK or workplace.7. The store is easy to get to by 1 2 3 4 5 DK bus or BART.8. The store has enough parking. 1 2 3 4 5 DK9. The store is safe and easy to 1 2 3 4 5 DK get to by bike. 8

C. We’re interested in what kinds of foods you’d like to buy at your local grocery store. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree [SHOW RESPONSE CARD], please rate how much you disagree or agree with the following. Circle a number 1-5How much do you disagree/agree withthe following? Strongly In the Strongly Don’t Disagree Agree disagree middle agree know10. I find it hard to find affordable, fresh fruits and vegetables in my 1 2 3 4 5 DK neighborhood.11. There is need for food products in my 1 2 3 4 5 DK neighborhood to be more affordable.12. I would like my grocery store to carry more fresh foods and less processed 1 2 3 4 5 DK or manufactured foods.13. I would like to buy fruits, vegetables and meats from local farms (within 1 2 3 4 5 DK 100 miles of Oakland).14. I would like to buy organic fruits and vegetables (without pesticides), if 1 2 3 4 5 DK reasonably priced.15. I would like to buy organic meat and dairy (without pesticides, antibiotics, 1 2 3 4 5 DK or hormones), if reasonably priced.16. I DO NOT want my local grocery store to sell alcohol and/or tobacco 1 2 3 4 5 DK products. 17. Would you like to see foods from a particular ethnic group or culture in your local grocery store?  No Yes  If Yes, specify which ethnic group or culture [IF NEEDED, EXPLAIN (e.g., Mexican, Chinese, Middle Eastern]. 9

D. Business and hiring practices of a local grocery store can have economic impacts for a community. These next questions are about what types of business or hiring practices you think are important in your local grocery store. Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, from 1 = not important to 5 = very important [SHOW RESPONSE CARD]. Circle a number 1-5How important is each of thefollowing to you… Not A little Somewhat Very Don’t Important important important important important know18. The store is owned by people 1 2 3 4 5 DK who live in the community.19. The store hires from the community at all staff levels, 1 2 3 4 5 DK including management.20. The store pays employees good wages (enough to live on 1 2 3 4 5 DK comfortably).21. The store owners support labor 1 2 3 4 5 DK unions.22. The store supports or gives back to local schools or 1 2 3 4 5 DK organizations.23. Store’s sales tax dollars are 1 2 3 4 5 DK used to benefit the community. 24. Is there anything else that’s important to you for your local grocery store? 25. At which of the following places do you usually shop for food? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY. AFTER CHECKED, THEN ASK] Please tell me the name of the place where you shop. Type of Place Name of Place  Large supermarket (like Safeway)  Smaller, locally-owned grocery store  Convenience or corner store  Discount grocery store (like Foods Co or Food4Less)  Warehouse club (like Costco)  Big Box retail store (like Walmart or Target)  Food pantry or food bank  Farmers’ market, CSA, or produce stand  Other [PLEASE SPECIFY TO RIGHT]  Don’t do my family’s shopping 10

26. Which of following types of places that sell food would you like to see more of in East Oakland? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]  Large supermarket (like Safeway)  Smaller, locally-owned grocery store  Convenience or corner store  Discount grocery store (like Foods Co or Food4Less)  Warehouse club (like Costco)  Big Bix retail store (like Walmart or Target)  Food pantry or food bank  Farmers’ market, CSA, or produce stand  Other [PLEASE SPECIFY TO RIGHT]Questions about Respondent[READ] Now I have a few questions about you. Please keep in mind that your answers arevoluntary, and that your personal information will not be shared. You may skip any questions.[NOTE: YOU MAY NOT NEED TO READ ALL OF THE ANSWER CHOICES AFTERQUESTIONS 27-33, SINCE THE RESPONDENT MAY GIVE YOU THE ANSWER FIRST]27. What is your zip code? ______________  Don’t Know/Refused28. How many people live in your household? [IF NEEDED, READ THE CHOICES BELOW]  1  4  2  5+  3  Don’t Know/Refused29. How many members of your household are under 18 years of age?  1  4  2  5+  3  Don’t Know/Refused30. What is your gender?  Male  Female  Other 11

31. How do you identify your race/ethnicity? [IF NEEDED, READ THE CHOICES BELOW. YOU MAY MARK MORE THAN ONE.]  Black or African-American  Latino or Hispanic (such as Mexican, Latin American, South or Central American)  White or Caucasian  Asian-American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander  Native American or Alaska Native  Other [SPECIFY] __________________________________________________  Don’t Know/Refused32. In which of these age groups do you belong?  Under 18  50-59  18-24  60-64  25-29  65+  30-39  Don’t Know/Refused  40-4933. About what is your annual household income?  $0 - $15,000  50,001 - $80,000  $15,001 - $30,000  $80,001+  $30,001 - $50,000  Don’t Know/Refused34. Do you have any other comments or suggestions about food or grocery stores in East Oakland?Conclusion[READ] Thank you for taking this survey! 12

We would like to stay in touch to keep you informed about what is happening around food inEast Oakland. I can take down your contact information on the next page, and add you to ourmailing list. We will detach this page from the rest of the survey.Respondent Follow-Up Information[BE SURE TO GET BOTH CONTACT INFO AND HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO BEINVOLVED – Part 1 and Part 2]Part 1: Contact Info[ASK] Can I please get your.,.NameAddressAddress 2City/TownStateZipEmail AddressPhone NumberOther Phone NumberPart 2: How they want to be involved[ASK a-c]a. Would you like more information about what we learn  Yes  No from this survey and do with the findings?b. Would you like to be invited to a community meeting  Yes  No about grocery stores coming to East Oakland?c. Do you have any other interests or concerns?[IF YOU FILL OUT THIS PAGE, THEN TEAR OFF AND KEEP SEPARATE FROM SURVEY] 13

BLUE BOOK EXERCISE for HOPE Collaborative MembersA group of organizations, institutions, and community residents formed the HOPE Collaborativeto improve health and quality of life by transforming the food and fitness environments inOakland neighborhoods suffering the most from health disparities. We are now coming to the endof our planning process—the HOPE Collaborative will soon submit a Community Action Plan(CAP) to our funders that includes practices and policies that address some of the healthdisparities in Oakland.During the planning process, the HOPE Collaborative has undertaken extensive action research todetermine the assets, opportunities, problems, wants and needs in Oaklands most vulnerablecommunities, and to develop a strong collaborative process with extensive community and youthengagement and leadership.You have in your hands the data collected from a series of assessments, including interviews,surveys, and community meetings (listening sessions and mapping sessions). Additionally, you havethe recommendations from meta-analyses, or a review of past research that has been done that isrelevant to the mission and vision of the HOPE Collaborative.In your blue book [provided to all participants], please answer the following questions in order.To complete this assignment, people can work individually or in any grouping that they choose, 1) What story is the data telling? In this story, what have people living in the flatlands identified as problems and issues relevant to food access, to accessing safe and attractive environments for active living, and to local, sustainable economic development? What have people told us they want in their neighborhoods and in Oakland relative to these three areas? 2) Please develop a written statement to achieve the following outcome: Increased access to fresh, healthy, affordable, local food so that 30% of food consumed by flatland residents comes from these sources, linked to increased opportunities for safe physical activity and play, and linked to local neighborhood wealth formation and ownership of assets. The HOPE Collaborative will work together over the next several years to implement and support a system of practices, policies and advocacy that produces the desired outcome for the food and fitness project. In writing your statement, please use the story from question 1, your own wisdom, and other references to describe what practices (see Toolbox) the HOPE Collaborative should use to achieve this outcome.through the action teams, through neighborhood affiliations, through organizational affiliations,etc. Please return your blue book to the HOPE Collaborative office at an Action-Team meetingdesignated for this purpose. Then in the Action Teams, we will discuss practices and identifyrecommendations from each Action Team. The Collaborative will then discuss theserecommendations to decide on the top-ranked practices to be included in the CAP. TheCollaborative will then identify the policies, partnerships, and resources necessary to implementthese practices. 14

HOPE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN POLICY BRIEF SUMMARYPolicy description summary:Recommend for Community Action Plan: YES/NOCentral HOPE goal:Policy filter score: Filter Score Accountability to residents Impact/scale Opportunity/synergy Equity TotalRelated HOPE Action Team:Author:Date: HOPE GOALState whether/how the policy will further each goal below 15

Access to fresh, healthy, local affordable food:Safe, attractive spaces for play & physical activity:Local, sustainable economic development: BACKGROUNDFull policy recommendation description:Relevant history in Oakland:Places policy has already been implemented:Outcomes from policy implementation elsewhere: FILTER 1: ACCOUNTABILITY TO RESIDENTSDoes the policy address an issue raised in charettes, listening sessions, surveys or other direct sources?Overall score (1-5):Discussion: FILTER 2: IMPACT/SCALEWhat population benefits from this policy? Is this a large population? Would the policy create changethat addresses the system or the symptom? 16

Overall score (1-5):Discussion: FILTER 3: OPPORTUNITY/SYNERGYWhen is the right time to get this policy passed and implemented in Oakland? Are there specificopportunities or barriers facing this policy? What will the policy cost, and who pays? Will it benefitdecision-makers? Is it politically feasible overall? If so, is it feasible in the short or long term?Overall score (1-5):Discussion: FILTER 4: EQUITYDoes this policy reduce inequality? Could it help dismantle institutional racism? Could it reduce healthand economic disparities? Does it serve those with the least access and opportunity?Overall score (1-5):Discussion: 17

Justice and Fairness al 20 Legend for Rating Scale: er = gy e ed er -5: Not Happening in Oakland or ,F , yn to sc 0: Neutral S te al e / le ta L oc al ty S 5: Beginning to Happen ib i Sc ni l, d, ss / 10: Successful tu n a oo po ct ty o d or o T g pa s si tab b gi orh : 15: Very Successful ui c ax pp ei W TO m AL Ac Re u n I m ent ility O Eq La N el Re hb th Rating Scale (choose one value) Importance Filter Jurisdictional Work Group Notes and Referrals Rate on a scale from -5 to 15 Rate each on a scale from 1-5 Scale Selections 1. Provides food for all 0.0 0.0 • Ensures access for all community members to fresh, healthy, 1a 0.0 affordable, and culturally appropriate food. • Demonstrates a decrease in food insecurity (hunger, obesity, 1b 0.0 diet-related disease). 2. Reveals, challenges, and dismantles injustice in the food 0.0 0.0 system • Upholds the dignity and quality of life for all who work in the 2a food system (production, processing, distribution, and sales). 0.0 • Heals the social, historical, cultural, and spiritual connections 2b 0.0 among people, food and the land. • Describes a clear vision of and moves towards creating fair 2c alternatives to unjust food systems. 0.0 3. Creates just food system structures and cares for food 0.0 0.0 system workers • Develops and implements policies that protect food system 3a 0.0 worker rights. • Ensures safe working conditions and fair wages without 3b 0.0 discrimination for those who work in the food system. • Affirms diversity in regards to race, class, ability, gender, 3c 0.0 religion, sexual orientation, and other cultural identities. 4. Ensures that public institutions and local businesses 0.0 0.0 support a just community food system • Ensures that schools and other public institutions serve 4a healthy and delicious meals to all and gives preference to 0.0 purchasing food from local farms.18 • Sustains stores in every community that sell healthy, high 4b 0.0 quality, affordable foods. • Supports local food processing and distribution efforts that are 4c viable and that create safe, healthy, and meaningful livelihoods 0.0 for all those who work in the food system.

Strong Communities al 20 Legend for Rating Scale: er = gy e ed er -5: Not Happening in Oakland or ,F , yn to sc 0: Neutral S te al e e / l ta L oc al S 5: Beginning to Happen ib ity i Sc l, d, ss / un 10: Successful n a oo e bil po ct rt ty o d T g pa po si ta b gi orh : 15: Very Successful ui co ax p ei W m nts ity TO m AL Ac Re u n I O Eq La N el Re hb th Rating Scale (choose one value) Importance Filter Work Groups Jurisdictional Selecting Notes and Referrals Rate on a scale from -5 to 15 Rate each on a scale from 1-5 Scale this Item 1. Improves equity and responds to community food needs 0.0 0.0 • Involves a broad range of community members in defining and 1a 0.0 supporting food-related goals. • Builds capacity for and community control of food resources 1b 0.0 and assets. • Supports community resilience to social and environmental 1c threats like food insecurity, violence, disease, illiteracy, and fuel 0.0 and energy shortages and costs. 2. Contributes to healthy neighborhoods 0.0 0.0 • Ensures space for food production and distribution that is 2a safe, enjoyable, and accessible to a diverse community. 0.0 • Promotes shared work around food projects that strengthen 2b 0.0 the community. • Balances community food goals with housing, transportation, 2c and social goals. 0.0 3. Builds diverse and collaborative relationships, trust, and 0.0 0.0 reciprocity • Cultivates a learning community among food system 3a advocates that is open to dialogue, research, education, change, 0.0 and transformation. • Strengthens relationships and partnerships within a 3b community, and strengthens the power of the community’s 0.0 voice externally. • Strengthens the connections between food and spiritual 3c legacies within a culture such that the values associated with 0.0 community food systems are reinforced. 4. Supports civic participation, political empowerment, and 0.0 0.0 local leadership19 • Respects the voice of and decisions made by community 4a members that create positive change in their local food system. 0.0 • Includes and improves access to local government agencies 4b that can support the stability of local/regional food 0.0 infrastructures according to the community’s interests.

Vibrant Farms al 20 Legend for Rating Scale: y er = rg e ed -5: Not Happening in Oakland ne or ,F , to sc 0: Neutral Sy te al e / le ta L oc al 5: Beginning to Happen ib ity i Sc ,S , ss un al od t/ 10: Successful po c rt on rho d ity o T g pa ts po si tab b gi o : 15: Very Successful c ax p ei W qu TO m AL Ac Re u n Im en ility O E La N el Re hb th Rating Scale (choose one value) Importance Filter Work Groups Jurisdictional Selecting Notes and Referrals Rate on a scale from -5 to 15 Rate each on a scale from 1-5 Scale this Item 1. Supports local, sustainable family farms to thrive and be 0.0 0.0 economically viable • Builds capacity for farmers in sustainable farm practices 1a that nourish the land and natural resources. 0.0 • Develops policies that encourage success in small and mid- 1b 0.0 scale farming ventures. • Provides support for small and mid-scale farmers to succeed 1c and offer an economically viable alternative to the global 0.0 agricultural system. . 2. Protects and cares for farmers and farm-workers 0.0 0.0 • Develops and implements policies that protect farmers and 2a farm worker rights. 0.0 • Ensures fair wages and safe working conditions that limit and 2b eliminate exposures to hazards for all farmers and farm workers 0.0 without discrimination. • Supports farming as a profession that encourages personal sustainability and includes an ability to retain and attract new 2c 0.0 farmers. 3. Honors stories of food and farm legacy through 0.0 0.0 community voices • Respects the historical context of the agricultural system and 3a 0.0 works to undo the effects of racial enslavement. • Listens to community members’ stories of their food and farm 3b legacy so that communities can shape their future from lessons 0.0 of the past. 4. Respects farm animals 0.0 0.0 • Ensures that farm animals have safe, healthy, and humane 4a treatment throughout their life cycle. 0.020 • Provides animal habitats that support animal health and 4b 0.0 reduce disease. • Ensures animal processing is safe and humane and considers 4c 0.0 the life and needs of the animal.

Rating Scale (choose one value) Importance Filter Work Groups Jurisdictional Selecting Notes and Referrals Rate on a scale from -5 to 15 Rate each on a scale from 1-5 Scale this Item 1. Provides healthy food for all 0.0 0.0 • Ensures that all community members have access to fresh, nutritious, and culturally relevant food for all people in 1a 0.0 communities, neighborhoods, schools, and institutions. • Recognizes the cultural and spiritual relevance of food to 1b 0.0 health and well-being. • Utilizes a broad range of public investments and tools (such as 1c 0.0 land use planning) to increase access to healthy food. 2. Ensures the health and wellbeing of all people, inclusive 0.0 0.0 of race and class • Deepens understanding of the interrelationships between food 2a security, inequities across race and class, and health outcomes. 0.0 • Decreases inequities across race and class that contribute to 2b 0.0 food insecurity and compromise health. 3. Connects people and the food system, from field to fork 0.0 0.0 • Promotes a range of diverse connections between local food 3a 0.0 producers and consumers. • Increases knowledge of the connections between food quality, 3b 0.0 healthy environments, and healthy people. • Commits resources to teach people of all ages the skills and 3c knowledge essential to food production, preparation, nutrition, 0.0 and enjoyment. 4. Connects people and land to promote health and wellness 0.0 0.0 • Provides safe settings and opportunities for people to directly 4a 0.0 experience the land in ways that promote health and wellness.21 • Promotes equity around access to land and resources needed 4b 0.0 for public access and personal food production. •Unites and inspires neighbors to grow food and to share food 4c 0.0 and food cultures.

Sustainable Ecosystems al 20 Legend for Rating Scale: y er = rg e ed -5: Not Happening in Oakland r ne ,F , co to 0: Neutral Sy te al e / l ta L oc al l 5: Beginning to Happen ib ity i Sc ,S , / un al od 10: Successful e p ct rt ty on rho id abi T g pa po s t b gi o 15: Very Successful ui co ax p ei m nts ity TO m AL Ac Re u n I O Eq La oss N el W e s Re hb th: Rating Scale (choose one value) Importance Filter Work Groups Jurisdictional Selecting Notes and Referrals Rate on a scale from -5 to 15 Rate each on a scale from 1-5 Scale this Item 1. Sustains and grows a healthy environment 0.0 0.0 • Protects and improves soil, water, air, energy, and seed 1a 0.0 quality and quantity for long-term needs. • Eliminates pesticides, genetically modified organisms, and 1b 0.0 other contaminants that disrupt ecosystems and human health. • Conserves and restores healthy wildlife habitats within 1c 0.0 agriculture and aquaculture. • Recycles and utilizes waste as a resource. 1d 0.0 2. Promotes an ecological ethic 0.0 0.0 • Values ecosystem elements and understands their function in 2a producing food and supporting life (foodshed). 0.0 • Understands and supports the diverse value and character of 2b 0.0 urban and rural ecosystems. 3. Enhances biodiversity 0.0 0.0 • Promotes a range of diverse connections between local food 3a 0.0 producers and consumers. • Protects and improves biodiversity in human systems of 3b 0.0 agriculture and aquaculture. 4. Promotes agricultural and food distribution practices that 0.0 0.0 mitigate climate change • Provides safe settings and opportunities for people to directly 4a experience the land in ways that promote health and wellness. 0.0 • Utilizes agricultural practices that build the carbon22 4b sequestering properties of healthy soil. 0.0 • Provides community opportunities to understand and make 4c informed decisions about climate change and other 0.0 environmental issues related to agriculture.

Thriving Local Economies al 20 Legend for Rating Scale: er = gy e ed er -5: Not Happening in Oakland F or , l, yn to sc 0: Neutral S te a le / le ta L oc ca S , 5: Beginning to Happen ib ity i S , n ss / al od 10: Successful tu po ct on ho or ity i r id ab o T g pa ts b 15: Very Successful u ax O pp ei W es t eg o : cc T m AL A R un Im en ility O Eq La N el R hb th Rating Scale (choose one value) Importance Filter Work Groups Jurisdictional Selecting Notes and Referrals Rate on a scale from -5 to 15 Rate each on a scale from 1-5 Scale this Item 1. Creates local jobs and builds long-term economic vitality 0.0 0.0 within the food system • Invests, encourages, and promotes community based 0.0 enterprise development. • Promotes economic support structures for the next 0.0 generation of producers. • Promotes business incubator programs for community members, youth, and food-insecure individuals that develop skills 0.0 and cultivate ownership. • Prioritizes hiring of local community members for farm and 0.0 food system jobs. 2. Builds local wealth 0.0 0.0 • Promotes local and regional agricultural businesses that are sustainable and support a healthy food system. 0.0 •Ensures that decisions about local economies are directed by 0.0 members of the community. •Builds community economic literacy to sustain long-term 0.0 economic sustainability. 3. Promotes sustainable development while strengthening 0.0 0.0 local food systems • Promotes local and regional sustainably grown or harvested agricultural products within the food system, and promotes local 0.0 businesses to distribute and promote these. • Promotes green building and energy conserving practices on farms and in facilities related to food processing or distribution 0.0 (be that processing plants, supermarkets, food banks). • Supports active relationships between conservation and 0.0 working lands. 4. Includes infrastructure that supports community and 0.0 0.0 environmental health • Includes diversified and sustainable farm-based businesses with connection to their history and community. 0.023 • Includes processing and distribution facilities that are efficient, 0.0 ecologically sound, safe, culturally relevant, and locally run. • Develops new enterprises and products that respect ecological diversity through accounting for how a product is 0.0 made, how it may be used, by whom, and the alternative uses of the product or space over many users and time.

Neighborhood Dialogue Session: Agenda (Total 2 hours)1. Session will start at 5:10 to allow time for people to sign in and find seats2. Welcome (5 minutes) a. OFPC’s mission and history b. Contents of Participant Folders, including demographic sheet and comment card c. Sign-in sheet and media release form3. Why Are We Here? What is the OFPC? by OFPC (5 minutes)4. Audience Introductions (15 minutes) a. Name and why you’re here5. Interactive activity (10 minutes)6. Discussion and Questions (35 minutes) a. See “Questions for Group Discussion” and posters7. Break and Food (10 minutes)8. Wrap up: Report out what the priorities are and talk about next steps. a. Review top priorities/highlights from discussion b. Next steps for OFPC (See “Points for OPFC to Cover in Wrap-Up”) c. How to get involved with OFPC 24

1. Do you have community gardens or urban farms in your neighborhood? [If yes] Do you garden orgrow food there? [If no] Would you like to see community gardens or urban farms in yourneighborhood? [If yes} Would you use them?RELATED OFPC PROPOSAL: Advocate for the development of coordinated City policy and programmingstrategy to support and expand urban agriculture (including zoning, public land access, and incubationand coordination of urban ag activities).2. Do you have all the fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and milk/dairy that you want for you and yourfamily available in your neighborhood? [If yes] Where do you get that fresh food? [If no] What do youthink you would need in your neighborhood to get that fresh food?RELATED OFPC PROPOSAL: Include and improve access to local governmental agencies that can supportthe stability of local/regional food infrastructure according to the communitys interests. Buildrelationships with key government representatives and community leaders.3. Have you heard of “GMO” in the food supply? *If yes+ Could you please tell us what GMO is? *If no+“GMO” means food made from crops that have been changed by genetic engineering to do things likegrow bigger or to grow even when sprayed by herbicides. [Anticipate more questions about GMO andprepare to answer as many as possible.]Do you have any opinions about eating food that comes from GMO crops? Do you mind eating foodfrom GMO crops? Would you prefer not to eat food from GMO crops?What about pesticides? Most growers use pesticides on their crops, which stay on the food that we eatunless we properly wash and rinse the food. Do you mind eating food with pesticide residue? Wouldyou prefer not to eat food with pesticide residue?RELATED OFPC PROPOSAL: Build upon the GMO-ban successes of Marin, Trinity, Mendocino Counties toinform Alameda County-wide policies on pesticide- and GMO-free zones.4. Are the food trucks, produce trucks, and taco carts in your neighborhood a good source of food?Would you want to see more of them? Do you want to see them in different places? Do you own a cart?Do you want to?RELATED OFPC PROPOSAL: Advocate for the development of mobile vending regulations that protectand expand access to mobile vendors providing healthy food. 25

Questions for Group Discussion, Continued5. Do you have a farmers’ market in your neighborhood? *If yes+ Do you shop there? *If no+ Would youlike to have a farmers’ market in your neighborhood? Would you shop there? *Anticipate questionsasking what a farmers’ market is and prepare to answer them.+RELATED OFPC PROPOSAL: Incorporate use of EBT for healthy food in farmers markets, WIC programs,and senior nutrition programs.RELATED OFPC PROPOSAL: Develop and approve land use policies (including zoning regulations) toprotect and expand farmers’ markets.6. The Council would like the City of Oakland to help set up a fund that will help people from theneighborhood start their own grocery stores and food shops. Do you want to open a business or storeselling food? Can you think of a friend or neighbor who might want to do this? Would you use a fund, orany help, to do this?RELATED OFPC PROPOSAL: Advocate for the development of a “Fresh Food Financing Fund” that willprovide financing, technical assistance, and location assistance to new food enterprises in underservedcommunities.7. Is there something else we should work on with the City to solve food access, diet, and nutritionproblems in Oakland and in your neighborhood? 26

Objectives: Define ‘food system’ Name 5 stages of a food system Explain the difference between conventional/industrialized and sustainable food systems Understand where our food comes from Name one way our food system impacts health Become familiar with HOPE’s Food Systems Action Plan Explain how HOPE’s Food Systems Action Plan will create systems changeMaterials Butcher paper and markers Cards and signs for “Who am I?” Food Inc. DVD Laptop, projector, speakers HOPE one-pagerWelcome and Introductions – 10 minAsk everyone to share their name and one reason they are interested in food systems.Overview of HOPE Collaborative – 5 minutesGive an overview of HOPE Collaborative, planning phase, where we are now. Ask people who wereinvolved before to raise their hands.“HOPE Collaborative is part of a national food and fitness initiative. A large goal of the initiative is toreduce chronic disease through improved access to healthy foods and making our neighborhoods safeand attractive places for physical activity and play.”“While personal choices around diet and healthy eating are often the first thing people think of when wetalk about obesity and chronic disease, we know that our food choices are shaped by the environmentswe live in and that the food that is available to us is a systemic issue, which means it’s shaped bygovernment policies, the ways our cities are designed and built, and also social and economic factors,like race and class. In tonight’s training, we’re going to learn a little more about how diet and diet-related illness is a systemic issue and ways we can work together to make change.”Group Agreements – 10 minutesBrainstorm: What is a food system? What is a sustainable food system? – 15 minutes 27

“We’re here today because we are interested in ‘food systems.’ Who can tell me what a ‘food system’is?”Record responses on butcher paper.If participants have trouble, ask them to think of all the jobs they can think of that are involved in gettingtheir food to them. The list might include truck drivers, cafeteria workers, farmers, meat processors, andso on. These people all work in sectors that make up our food system.Chart: “A food system includes all processes involved in feeding a population: growing, harvesting,processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consumption, and disposal of food and food-relateditems.”“Within each sector of the food system, there can be conventional, sometimes referred to as industrial,versus more sustainable models. What do you think a ‘conventional food system’ might look like?”Potential answers: Profit-centered Industrialized and mechanized Uses toxic inputs, such as hybrid or genetically engineered seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, fossil fuels, etc. Toxic outputs – air and water pollution, soil depletion, climate change impacts from fossil fuel use Monocrop as opposed to biodiversity (easier for mechanization and industrialization) A small number of large corporations control the market Poor labor practices“HOPE talks a lot about ‘sustainability.’ For example, our mission statement says that we will ‘createfundamental and sustainable environmental changes that will significantly improve the health andwellness of Oakland residents’ and that we envision ‘sustainable, successful, local economies.’ What doyou think it means to have a ‘sustainable food system’?”Record responses on butcher paper.Chart: “A sustainable food system enhances the environmental, economic and social health of a place.It promotes: Justice and Fairness: “Equitable access to healthy food; Improved living and working conditions for farm and food system workers” Strong Communities: “Increased community participation” Vibrant Farms: “A stable base of family farms, More direct links between farmers and consumers” Healthy People: “Improved access to an adequate, affordable, nutritious diet; Adoption of dietary behaviors that reflect concern about individual, environmental and community health.” Sustainable Ecosystems- “Sustainable production practices emphasizing local inputs” Thriving Local Economy: “Farmers, consumers and communities partner to create a more locally based, self-reliant food economy; Food and agriculture-related businesses that create jobs and 28

stimulate the local economy; Food and agriculture policies that promote local or sustainable food production, processing and consumption”“These values come from a tool the Oakland Food Policy Council used to develop their policy priorities.(‘Whole Measures for Community Food Systems: Values-Based Planning and Evaluation’ (Center forWhole Communities, 2009)). Each of these “Values” consists of many “Practices” that when all occurringtogether constitute a thriving food system.”Who am I? (20 minutes)Hang up signs with different parts of a food system around the room: Production, Processing andManufacturing, Wholesale, Retail, Consumption, Waste Management. Hand out a Food System card toeach participant. Each card corresponds to a stage of the food system. Ask them to read their card andstand next to the sign their card describes.Starting with Production, ask each participant to read their card aloud and have the group decide if theyare part of a conventional or sustainable food system. Ask the group for examples throughout theactivity (“Who has been to an organic farm? What’s an example of a healthy and sustainable grocerystore?”, etc.)Where does our food come from? (20 min)Ask participants to pair up with a partner. Pass out a large sheet of butcher paper and markers to eachpair. They should each name a food they ate that day and then work together to map the pathway ofone or a few main ingredients, using the butcher paper and markers to visually illustrate path fromproduction to consumption, how long it took, distance traveled, resources used, waste produced, etc.Ask them to remember the different stages of the food system and to reflect these in the map. Givethem 10 minutes.Hang up a butcher paper with the following questions to guide the paired discussion: What is one food you ate today? When and where do you think the main ingredients were grown or raised? How was the food processed? How was it transported? What were the inputs? (land, water, seed, animal feed, chemicals, petroleum, labor, ...) What was the waste output? (greenhouse gases, chemicals in the soil & water) For each, how do you know?Ask a few pairs to present their maps.Discussion How easy or difficult was this exercise? Why? Which foods were easy to map? Which were more difficult? What did you discover? Does the map you drew fall into a more ‘conventional’ or ‘sustainable’ food system? How do you know? How much do you feel like you know about what you eat and how important is this to you? Why do you think some of this information isn’t made clear to you by the manufacturer/farmer/etc. if it wasn’t? 29

Food Inc.: The Dollar Menu (20 minutes)Select one fresh vegetable and one processed food from the previous activity.Ask: “Which one do you think costs more? Which one has the most ingredients and is the mostprocessed? Why isn’t that one more expensive?”“We’re going to watch a clip from a movie called “Food Inc.” Who here has seen this movie before? Thesegment I’m going to show you speaks to some of the systemic reasons that unhealthy foods often costless than fresh and healthy food. One of the reasons is because of crops subsidized by the federalgovernment.”Give overview of crop subsidies.Ask: “Who do you think the proliferation of cheap but unhealthy food has had the greatest impact on?”(Low-income families who spend a larger percentage of their earnings on food.)“An unfortunate result is that income is now the most accurate predictor of obesity and Type 2diabetes—2 conditions linked to diet.”Show “The Dollar Menu” chapter of Food Inc.Discussion: What did you think of that clip? Are these issues you see in your communities? How have our government policies affected the types and costs of available foods? How might our government policies be restructured to allow more access to healthier foods?HOPE’s Food Systems Action Team – 10 minutes“HOPE’s Food Systems Action Team will address some of the issues we’ve discussed today and createmore equitable access to healthy, fresh, sustainable, and affordable foods in Oakland. We plan to do thisthrough several ways.”Review FSAT’s Action Plan, written up on butcher paper. Afterwards, ask how the group what impactHOPE’s Food Systems Action Plan will have on Oakland’s food system. How will it promote a healthierand more sustainable food system for Oakland residents?Closing – 10 minutes“One individual or collective action I am going to take to promote a healthier and more sustainable foodsystem in Oakland…” 30

PRODUCER - CONVENTIONALI am the farm or ranch that grows or raises the food. I use machinery and toxicinputs made by large agricultural corporations. The chemical fertilizers andpesticides I use pollute the soil and water. I use a mono-crop method of farmingwhere I only grow one type of crop and reduce the diversity of nature. I may getlarge subsidies from the government for growing commodity crops, such as cornor soy, which are used to produce processed foods, such as high fructose cornsyrup and hydrogenated oils. These are then used to make cheap but unhealthyfoods.PRODUCER – SUSTAINABLEI am an organic farm that grows a variety of foods with health benefits, such asfruits and vegetables, and humanely raises animals without hormones orantibiotics. This encourages biodiversity. I grow food using practices thatconserve natural resources and restore the environment, such as rotating mycrops to replenish the soil with nutrients, using green manure, and composting. Ipurchase my inputs from local businesses and sell my products regionally, whichsupports the local economy and reduces fuels used for transport. 31

FOOD PROCESSORS AND MANUFACTURERS – CONVENTIONALI am the factory or plant that takes the raw materials grown by the producer andturns it into a food product. I cook, blend, grind, and mix the raw materialstogether and add many ingredients such as sugars, food coloring, flavoring,preservatives, and supplements. Many of the nutrients in the food are lostthrough processing methods I use, such as over-cooking the food or extractingunwanted parts. I also create a lot of waste and toxic by-products that go intowater, air, and soil. I employ non-union undocumented workers that are paid$7/hr.FOOD PROCESSORS AND MANUFACTURERS – SUSTAINABLEI am an independently-owned local business that purchases locally grown andorganic raw goods from regional farms. I process the ingredients that go into thefood products I sell, such as freshly grinding grain that is made into bread, canningseasonal fruits and vegetables, and turning fresh milk into cheese. In doing this, Iadd value to farm products, meaning they can be sold at a higher price, andpreserve local and seasonal produce so they can be eaten year-round.WHOLESALE/DISTRIBUTOR – CONVENTIONALI buy large quantities of products from producers and sell them at wholesaleprices to retailers, usually under a contract agreement. I may store products inwarehouses and hire truck companies to move products around. I movethousands of miles from one place to another. Sometimes I expose food todangerous conditions, such as poor refrigeration and storage, and prolong thetime it takes for the food to get to the consumer. 32

WHOLESALE/DISTRIBUTOR – SUSTAINABLEI source sustainably grown foods from regional farms and re-sell to food retailers,restaurants, and local distributors. I help small and mid-sized farms survive theconsolidation and globalization of the food system by linking them with regionalmarkets. I also support healthy and sustainable food businesses by supplyingthem with high quality products that might be hard for them to source on theirown. I believe people have the right to know how their food was grown and whogrew it, so I provide this information to all my customers.RETAIL – CONVENTIONALI am a supermarket that sells the final product to the consumer. I am a largecorporation with hundreds of franchise chains. The large size of my companygives me a lot of control of the market. Since I buy in bulk quantities, I am able topressure farmers and manufacturers to sell their products to me at a very lowprice, which allows me to sell food at a cheaper price to consumers. Thesepractices make it more difficult for smaller family-owned grocery stores tosurvive. I further erode the local economy by sending my profits back to my ownheadquarters, which are out of state, and reduce the amount of taxes that areearned locally to be used to improve roads, schools, and social services. 33

RETAIL – SUSTAINABLEI am a local family-owned grocery store or a worker or consumer-owned foodcooperative. I provide healthy and fresh foods to people in my community. Isupport the local economy by selling food produced by regional family farms,bakers, dairies, and other local businesses. I hire from the local community andprovide a livable wage.CONSUMPTION – CONVENTIONALI buy or use the final product – food. I may buy food for my whole family orhousehold or just for myself. I consume more products than any other group ofpeople in the world. Although the United States makes up only 5% of the worldpopulation, we consume 40% of its resources. This overconsumption contributesto the epidemic of obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, and other illnessesrelated to poor eating.CONSUMPTION - SUSTAINABLEI try to eat a healthy diet of mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, andminimally processed foods. I do this for my own health but also because I believemy personal choices can have positive impacts on our food system. It is notalways easy to choose healthy and sustainable foods, because they are notavailable in my neighborhood and they are also more expensive. For this reason, Ialso believe in the importance of collective action, such as advocating forhealthier school food and nutrition education programs in my community. 34

WASTE MANAGEMENT – CONVENTIONALI am the final step in the movement of food through human communities and endup as discarded or landfilled waste. Americans throw away 40-50% of their food,and food waste is the most common material in Oakland’s waste stream. Thisfood loss contributes to pollution and wasteful use of resources.WASTE MANAGEMENT - SUSTAINABLEI am the collection and reuse of food scraps, through donation of edible food tocharities and recycling of edible food through composting and other processes. Ihelp divert food waste from landfills. The benefits are reducing pollution,creating needed compost for agriculture, reducing trash collection and disposalcosts for individuals and businesses, and ensuring that edible food is redistributedto those who need emergency food assistance. 35

City Government 101 East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, Oakland Food Policy Council, HOPE CollaborativeMaterials: Blank butcher paper, Handouts, BPs (Butcher Paper), Markers, TapeAudience: • Oakland Food Policy Council- education, policy, academic, activists, business • HOPE- Community engagement and outreachA. Introduction and Welcome a. Purpose of tonight’s training: i. Primer on local government structure ii. Concrete places for community-members to engage and intervene iii. Walk away with some beginning skills b. Icebreaker: Name, Organization or Affiliation, One thing that’s baffled you about city government (we all have something!)B. Types of local government decisions a. ASK: “In the past year, how many people have engaged in some activity involving the City of Oakland? Stand up if you’ve participated in the following things that somehow involve City Government)” —stay standing. i. Going to a City Hearing or watching one on KTOP; participating in a meeting hosted by a City Councilmember or Mayor ii. Signing a petition/postcard, writing a letter, or making a phone call to City council or City staff iii. Using a library, senior center, or community center iv. Getting a parking permit/paying parking ticket/pay property tax or renter protection fee v. Voting in a Local Election (Councilmember, City Ballot Initiatives, Tax increases) b. Implication: These are all ways that we interact with our city government. i. As voters, we elect councilmembers who make laws and pass policies. ii. As residents, we encourage councilmembers to make good policies and programs (ii and iii) iii. As residents, we pay taxes (v) that pay for the various city services (iv) that are provided. c. Local governments are governed by the following types of actions taken by City: i. Legislative ii. Interpreting laws iii. Permitting iv. Advisory d. Exercise: “What would the following agencies and bodies be generally?” (Use agency examples from your municipality) e. Implication: we need to know the different types of actions and decisions are made.C. City Structure and decision-makingD. Public meetings – types and structureE. Policy development- what you need 36

(Walk through map of local legislative process.)F. Places to intervene a. ASK: “Where in the legislative process are there opportunities to influence and organize community input?” b. What type of “tactics”/activities can help get councilmembers to support? (examples- public comment, using media, etc.)G. EXERCISE: Write a sample testimony Using Testimony template, break into small groups, select a policy issue, and take 10 minutes to jot down notes on what you would say. a. Introduction: Clearly introduces who you are, how long you’ve lived in city/district, affiliation (shows part of larger group, not just individual). b. Why you care about the issue: personal story, how you are affected by lack of food access, want to see better services for family/children, etc. c. Specific action you want the legislator to take: support a policy/program, get City staff to take a certain direction, etc., especially if tied to a specific timeline. d. Note: the best testimonies are short (1-2 minute), respectful, to the point, personalized. Share with group. a. What made the testimony convincing? b. How could it be made stronger or clearer?H. Wrap-up and Evaluation 37

City Government 201 East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, HOPE Collaborative, and Oakland Food Policy CouncilMaterials: Nametags, markers, tapeAudience: • Oakland Food Policy Council- education, policy, academic, activists, business • HOPE- Community engagement and outreachPurpose/Goals: • Build on foundation knowledge of 101—primer on structure, engagement and intervention, beginning skills • Use four “real world” Oakland Food Policy Council Policy proposals to apply knowledge learned, and plan for creating change in Oakland • Create opportunities to strategize and begin to engage in the policy proposalsNote: This session is less about city government, although the power analysis part does dovetail, andmore about organizing and advocating for change.A. Introduction and IcebreakerB. Recap relevant parts of City Government 101 session a. Types of decisions/approvals b. Policy development process c. Decision-making structure d. CouncilmembersC. Understanding the City Policy Landscape We will be breaking into small groups to develop advocacy strategies for specific policy recommendations. We will cover the following areas: a. Goal: What it is you want. Can be split up into long, medium, and short-term goal. b. Who makes decisions on this issue? (Sometimes referred to as “targets”—people who can make the policy/program happen, who can give you want you want.) c. Who can influence the decision? People/bodies who have influence d. What leverage do you have to move this campaign? Ex. public land/money, councilmembers who want to run on an issue, particular crisis that needs to be averted. e. Who do we have on our side: our partners/constituents/allies (supporters) f. Who might come out in opposition, and how can we address/neutralize them g. City Budget implications: How does this impact the City’s budget? What sources of funding can you propose? Walk through an example.D. Real-world Planning of 4 policy campaigns a. Breakout ideas/case studies: Ask everyone to select a Oakland Food Policy Council policy proposal on which to focus in a small group. Describe the breakout activity, go through the 4 issue areas again, and break into groups, focus just on what you want the City of Oakland to do. 38

Assign staff to each small group breakout to keep group on task. i. Mobile vending ii. Urban Agriculture iii. Environmentally preferable purchasing policy iv. Fresh Food Financing initiative (State-level) b. Framing questions in small group breakouts Overarching Question for Exercise: What will it take to win the goal? What is our plan of action/tactics/strategy to reach decision-makers and those with influence? i. What is the short-term goal of the policy at the City-level? ii. (Priority) Who makes decisions on this issue? How many votes do you need to pass the policy? Where do individual decisionmakers stand on this issue? iii. Who can influence the decision? (Staff, advisory boards, commissions; other friends and allies- community, elsewhere) iv. (Priority) What sort of leverage do you have to move this campaign? (i.e. councilmember who wants to run on this issue, federal funding for the project that expires, public land used, etc.) v. (Priority) Who are your supporters and people you can work with? vi. Who might be potential opposition, and how can we anticipate their arguments to the City? vii. Will this take any financial commitment from the City? Where can that money come from? viii. What are specific next steps you and your supporters should take? What actions do you want to take in the next 3 months? c. Report backs by groups i. Questions/feedbackE. EvaluationPrepared by East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE), 2011. www.workingeastbay.org 39

PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES FOR SPEAKING AT A COMMITTEE OR COUNCILMEETINGCouncil procedures provide that anyone wishing to speak at a meeting must fill out andsubmit a speaker card to City Clerk before the meeting begins. A speakers card must becompleted for each agenda item that one wishes to speak on (i.e. speaking on two itemsrequires two cards).Guidelines:1. Groups who are supporting or opposing issues before the Council are urged to select onespokesperson.2. Issues not noticed on the Agenda should be addressed under the "Open Forum" sectionof the Agenda. However, no action can be taken by the Council on items not noticed on theAgenda.3. When the speakers name is called, the speaker should use the public microphone,announce his/her name, organization represented (if any) and his/her position in favor oragainst; then proceed with remarks.4. Speakers should limit remarks to the designated time limit as determined by the Chair.5. Speakers are cautioned that only topics specifically related to the OaklandRedevelopment Agency will be heard under Oakland Redevelopment Agency "OpenForum."6. Speakers cards become a part of the Public Record. In accordance with the PublicRecords Act, any information you provide on this form is available to the public. Addressesand telephone numbers are optional information.Open Forum• There will be a 15-minute Open Forum at the beginning of the 6 pm portion of the CityCouncil meeting. If all Speakers are not heard within the 15-minute time frame, Open Forumwill be continued at the end of the 7 pm portion of the meeting.To speak during Open Forum:• Submit a Speakers Card to the City Clerk by 6 pm.• Generally, speakers will have at least one (1) minute to speak.• If everyone who submitted a speaker card is not heard within the 15-minute period, theymay speak at the end of the 7 pm portion of the agenda.Council Meeting Speakers card(s) will be accepted by the City Clerk:• Beginning at 12 noon on Friday for the upcoming Tuesday City Council or CommitteeMeetingSpeakers card(s) must be submitted to the City Clerk:• By 6 pm for items agendized from 6 to 7 pm. Before 8 pm and/or prior to the item beingcalled for discussion for items scheduled for 7 pm and later. Speakers Cards will not beaccepted after 8 pm on the day of the meeting. Generally, speakers will have at least one(1) minute to speak.Prepared by East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE), 2011. www.workingeastbay.org 40

Activity: Voicing your opinionAgenda Item Number and Title: __________________________________________IntroductionName: _______________________________________________________________Affiliation/Organization (or simply “resident”): _____________________________City Council District of residence/affiliation: _______________________________Issue/CommentaryPersonal story (brief) or Connection to the Issue (direct or indirect connection):Concern about the issue (In favor, Opposed, or Neutral…why?):Specific action you want taken:ClosingContact information: ___________________________________________________Thank you.Speaker Cards can be found online at:http://www.oaklandnet.com/cityclerk/speakerupdate.asp 41

From the Ground Up: Community-Based Food Policy Development and Implementation in Oakland, CA -Toolkit for Community Engagement

by Community Food Security Coalition

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