Meet the Equity and Racial Justice Education Team at Oregon Food Bank

The Equity and Racial Justice Education Team is fostered by the life, labor and love of a group of educators and equity practitioners.

They hold different social identities, longevity within the profession, and wisdom that enables this work to remain steadfast in its mission and vision.

Their woven experiences and knowledge create the conditions for others to learn, grow and develop by modeling their living values as a guide for new possibilities.

Our services

• TRAINING: Training curriculum is built to facilitate and resource others with tools to expand one’s critical thinking and capacity for transformation work to support addressing the root causes of hunger on personal and institutional levels. Our training is held at no cost and available both regionally and nationally.

  • ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES/PROGRAMMING:

• MENTORSHIP: Our team offers mentorship to organizations, partners and colleagues on regional and national levels through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) process. Through this service, we aim to expand critical thinking to strengthen our movement to end hunger for all.

• CONSULTATION: Our team offers consultation to resource and guide regional and national networks for strategically operationalizing equity for food justice and food sovereignty.

  • To learn more about how to access our consultations, please visit our frequently asked questions (FAQ) page.

  • Book a 30 min meeting with Rachel Black Elk, Associate Director

  • Book 45 min meeting with Erin San Antonio, Regional Manager

Root Cause Networking Hours

The Equity and Racial Justice Education Team has a Regional and National Team. Each team hosts 1-hour office hours every month, known as our Root Cause Networking Hours. These were formerly known as our Office Hours.

We host food banks, partners, and volunteers to discuss/ask questions about their equity work, network, resource share, and continue to uplift the connections to the root causes of hunger.

The Equity and Racial Justice Education Team (ERJET) offers Regional and National Root Cause Networking Hours — monthly learning and community-building spaces designed to foster connection, reflection, and shared learning around equity and racial justice in food systems.

Participants are invited to ask questions, exchange resources, build relationships, and explore how we can collectively address the root causes of hunger.

Regional Root Cause Networking Hours

Our Regional Networking Hours are open to Oregon Food Bank staff, local and regional food banks, partners, volunteers, and community organizations throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Sessions are held monthly on the second Thursday from 1:00–2:00 p.m. PST and are offered both in person and virtually to increase accessibility. Please Note: Session times are subject to change depending on our session topic. Finalized times are noted in the registration link.

Each month features a different programmatic topic, creating opportunities to engage with a range of equity and food justice concepts through interactive discussions, workshops, guest speakers, and other learning formats that support different learning styles and practical application.

Examples of our signature programming include the Land-Based Education Series, Interactive Hyperlocal Kitchen Workshops, Voces de Liderazgo (Spanish Leadership Voices).

For more information or to register, please contact Erin San Antonio (they/siya), Regional Manager, Equity & Racial Justice Education Team, at esanantonio@oregonfoodbank.org.

National Root Cause Networking Hours

Our National Networking Hours are open to the Feeding America network, food banks, partners, volunteers, and organizations outside of Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Sessions are held virtually on the first Thursday of each month from 10:00–11:00 a.m. PST and provide space for participants across the country to connect, share resources, and strengthen their equity and racial justice practices. These sessions are participant driven and structured to be intentionally collaborative and conversational.

Ongoing topics include:

• Follow up learning from trainings

• Continued space for learning about anti-racist and decolonial frameworks

• Operationalizing Equity

• Troubleshooting Operationalizing Equity

• Relationship Building/Networking

For more information or to register, please contact Rachel Black Elk (they/them), Associate Director (National), at rblackelk@oregonfoodbank.org.

Connect with our Team

• Subscribe to our Newsletter

• Sign up for our Upcoming Trainings & Engagement Opportunities

• For more information or general questions please reach out to us at erjet@oregonfoodbank.org

*All ERJET trainings are open to everyone and align with federal and state civil rights laws. Our programs advance equity and food justice through inclusive, decolonial, and anti-racist education that invites people of all backgrounds to learn, reflect, and take action toward a more just food system.

You are welcome to register and attend any of our trainings offered throughout the year.