PA WAgN 2018 Symposium

The Pennsylvania Women’s Agricultural Network (PA-WAgN), along with Presenting Sponsors Chatham University’s Food Studies Chatham, CRAFT, and the Women’s Institute, is pleased to announce the 11th Annual One-Day Symposium, Women Growing Justice, taking place on December 12, 2018 in the Pittsburgh region. The keynote address will be presented by Erika Allen, co-founder of Urban Growers Collective. She received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her MA in art psychotherapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Erika takes a unique and creative approach to working with urban food production and how to engage the topics of social justice, food insecurity and the involvement of youth in creating a better urban environment. Ms. Allen is a Post Carbon Institute Fellow. Erika served on the Illinois Food, Farms and Jobs Act Council appointed by Illinois Governor Quinn and served on Chicago Mayor – Rahm Emmanuel’s transition team – Energy, Environment and Public Space Committee. She completed the Latino Policy Forum – Multicultural Leadership Academy (2016-2017). We are excited to have such a fresh new voice at our symposium.

In addition, we will have Caitie Whelan presenting a workshop on The Art of Risk Tasking. Caitie is the Founder of The Lightening Notes which features, “great ideas and striking stories to remind us that we matter and that improving the world is our matter.” Prior to this adventure, Caitie worked six years in Congress as a Senior Foreign Policy Advisor and a Legislative Correspondent. Caitie will be challenging all our participants to look deep within and decide how they can take the risk of working with others outside their geographical region or cultural identity to increase the voice of women growers and ultimately increase their own sustainability.

PA-WAgN is a powerful network of women farmers, entrepreneurs, educators, service providers and growers, and the Symposium is our annual opportunity to come together for education, inspiration and networking.

If you are interested in childcare contact Patty Neiner at prn103@psu.edu
Registration will close at midnight on Friday, December 7th.