Seven members of the St. Kate’s/CSJ Food Access Hub team traveled to Duluth in March to attend and present at the Metro Food Justice Network (MFJN) Food Justice Summit, “Rooted in Culture, Rising with Resilience: Future-Proofing Food for All.”  Team members include CSJ and St. Kate’s staff and student interns. We presented on voices of college campus food insecurity and we attended a variety of workshops on topics from Seed Rematriation to Farmers Market Food Hubs and Food as Medicine.  Additionally, we networked with MN food justice organizations, including Dream of Wild Health, Healthy Roots Institute, Urban Roots, and Renewing the Countryside.  Overall, the two days in Duluth provided a rich learning, networking, and team-building experience.  

The MFJN summit encompassed a range of topics and perspectives from those working directly in food justice and agriculture, bringing a breadth of experience and energy into our weekend conversations. The first day of the summit grounded us in “Food Storytelling as Resistance”, with a framing panel that emphasized the pathways into freedom through future-proofing our food system. Skillshare circles allowed our team to explore new, exciting topics of interest in breakout rooms with session facilitators. To wind down our first day, we participated in a sound bath. This guided meditation uses vibrations, frequencies, and tones to soothe the mind and body, benefiting overall holistic health. On our second and final day, we engaged in the day’s theme “Reclaiming Power through Practice”, which offered unique workshops, interactive immersions, and community offering sessions. These sessions focused on localizing food systems, engagement in food rescue and waste diversion policies, strengthening climate action response and policy, cultivating food as a source of medicine and care, and sharing collective stories for meaningful impact.

We were delighted for this opportunity to connect as a team, share best practices, and build relationships across the MN Food Justice Network. Mutual inspiration and admiration for initiatives addressing food insecurity and sustainability from around the state, both new and ongoing, were palpable! As we enter a new growing season and plan for the coming school year, we are flush with creative ideas for more networking with local nutritionists, cooks, and gardeners to enhance our knowledge, operations, and opportunities for the CSJ and St Kate’s communities. Keep your eye out for invites that will be forthcoming!

All in all, a main takeaway from our experience at the MFJN summit was how much the experience strengthened our team’s relationship. Together, we enjoyed the car ride up to Duluth and a stop at Tobie’s restaurant. Once at the conference, the flexible breakout session structure of the summit allowed team members to attend sessions in pairs and reconvene to share takeaways over the beautiful joint meals offered by MFJN in collaboration with Duluth Convention Center staff. Moreover, the central location of the summit allowed the team to briefly explore the shops in Canal Park and enjoy the early spring weather by taking a stroll around the Lake Superior boardwalk. As the conference wrapped up, a final team stop at Love Creamery for ice cream felt like the culmination of a weekend filled with learning, good conversation, and new connections.