Active allyship goes beyond being a supportive bystander; it involves taking intentional and sustained action to support, uplift, and advocate for marginalized groups. In the food and agriculture industry, where diversity is increasingly recognized as essential for innovation and sustainability, active allyship plays a critical role. Here’s why.

As we reflect on the evolving landscape of agriculture and food, it becomes increasingly clear that this industry is, at its core, a people business. From the hands that sow seeds to those that manage supply chains and innovate sustainable practices, people are the heart of every process that brings food from the farm to our tables.

It is an absolute honor to serve as the new executive director of Together We Grow. As I approach a month in this pivotal role, I wanted to extend a warm message of gratitude to Chancellor Frank, the TWG board and members, the CSU System, and supporting stakeholders for their advocacy and support not only of me as the new leader, but of the TWG mission.

In today’s energetic and evolving work landscape, fostering an environment of respect in the workplace is essential. Workplace respect is more than just a catchword; it is the foundation of

Since the last newsletter in May, it seems as if the world has changed again and that the headwinds against diversity, equity, and inclusion work continue to mount and grow

For many people, May is a month of transition. Universities are winding down the semester, students are graduating with excitement about their next steps and future, K-12 students and their families are engaged in a busy month of activities and celebrations before transitioning to summer schedules, and spring is turning into summer.

That’s a wrap! (For the moment…) The Together We Grow Connect Conference and 2023 Annual Meeting brought together 70 people across industry, higher education, NGOs, and government.

In less than one month we will be in Atlanta, Ga., for TWG’s Connect Conference and 2023 Annual Meeting! We are looking forward to being in-person for this event, for

TWG has a lot in the works at the start of this new year! This month’s newsletter is chock full of updates and information, and I encourage you to review

Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe that it is 2023 — and yet I have had no trouble writing the correct date on documents since approximately Jan. 3 (possibly the earliest date I have achieved this in my lifetime).

It is hard to believe that 2022 is coming to a close! While this time of year is often a time of reflection, 2023 is on my mind.

Together We Grow is on an exciting journey! There are some upcoming happenings you don’t want to miss.

It has been an amazing time at Together We Grow from a social media perspective. As trends continue to change, we are grateful for our partners, members, and active social participants that work with us to create new and fresh content critical to reach audiences and connect them to agriculture, food and the opportunities in this sector.

$900,000! For an individual, this is a life changing amount of money. And yet, this is the monetary impact to the average Black woman over the course of her lifetime

“Where have all the people gone?” I have continued to get this question that I’m sure you have asked – or been asked – related to workforce shortages. In our organizations we feel it daily. A recent article from Fortune caught my eye.

For many people, August is a time of transition. Students are preparing to return to school, teachers and professors are preparing to welcome students and facilitate their growth during this

As a high schooler, I ran track and field. I typically ran independent events – such as the 1- and 2-mile – that depended solely on my efforts in the race and on my own investment in training.

Moments of transition are always a time for reflection. And so, I find myself waxing nostalgic as I pass the baton to our new executive director.

As we wrap up one sign of transition — another school year in the books — it feels like aspects of life in the U.S. have stabilized.

I always love this time of year, and in Colorado it truly feels like spring.

The big news around Together We Grow is that our posting to hire a new Executive Director is live!

As we start this new year, I’ve been honored to join my Colorado State University System colleagues in opening a brand new campus in the heart of downtown Denver called CSU Spur.

2021. Whew! It’s been a year. You’ll see evidence of some of my favorite Together We Grow highlights further below in this newsletter, but in the meantime here are a few of my favorites.

We’re entering the season of gratitude. That time of year when we create pause in the bustle and arrange spaces and tables to celebrate the people in our lives. We

I love this time of year. For starters, my kids are back in school. While I hold my breath to see how long that may remain, I am grateful to have some sense of normalcy (and a significantly quieter house while we continue to work from home).

It’s late July as I write this update, and I’m thinking about the color red.

As we transition to warmer months, I’m thinking about our academic partners and the challenging and amazing year you have just pulled off. Congratulations, you did it!

Where I live, in Colorado, the trees have begun to bloom, the grass has finally greened, and after a season of storms and confinement, it does feel that the world is opening, if even a little bit, sowing seeds of hope.

There is much to be hopeful about right now. Vaccinations. Continued innovations. And the transformational energy that comes with spring.  

I so enjoyed listening to Dr. Elizabeth Parks last month as she discussed the art and science of ethical, sustainable listening — and the ways that we often miss one another.

2021 has those of us who are leading culture change within our organizations and this industry looking at the agenda for the year with awe.

Somehow this year is already coming to an end, and this is our final newsletter of 2020. And what a year it has been!

While we now have more clarity about the election, what has been clear since last Tuesday is that we are a nation deeply divided.

The fire to the west of my home in Fort Collins continues to ravage the mountainous playground that we all love, the places where we connect with something bigger than ourselves, where we find peace and respite.

This time of year always feels full of possibility to me. A time to recommit to the goals we have before us.

I always think the month of August brings an energy of excitement, with final trips and outings as summer’s days become fleeting and more precious than they were just months before.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about quantum changes, because it appears they are happening everywhere I look. In psychology research, a quantum change is a sudden, dramatic, and enduring transformation that affects a broad range of personal emotion, cognition, and behavior.

In my garden, the seeds we planted weeks ago have sprouted, growing every day, responding to the attention of my three children. Growing, unaware of the soul-level unrest that thrums across our country.

Wherever you find yourself consuming this newsletter, I hope it finds you and your teams well – and that your strategies to adapt to the current reality are keeping your stakeholders healthy and able to engage in the work the world needs.

Welcome to our inaugural Together We Grow newsletter!