This summer, we gathered on the sovereign land Santa Ana Pueblo and learned from Tribal, grassroots, and movement leaders. Our gathering coincided with the violent descent of ICE, and armed military forces in Los Angeles, as hundreds of innocent people were abducted and detained simply for the color of their skin, the language they speak, and their vocation.
This was the beginning of a summer of increased political violence, disinformation campaigns, and an attack on frontline communities as well as on the non-profit and philanthropic sectors. We heard from hundreds of our colleagues about the devastating impacts of stalled and slashed federal funding.
“Everything we have known is coming undone.”
“For the first time in my career, I don’t know what to do.”
These are a few reflections that have echoed across conversations this summer. Now we turn to a new season – autumn – which for many ancestral cultures represents a time for reflection and going within, a time when the veil between spirit and earth is thin.
My sense is that many of us are shifting from acute crisis response (though, to be clear, crisis moments continue to require our attention) to long-term strategy, and dreaming into what is possible amid the turmoil. I’ve been hearing more musings along the lines of: “What is the opportunity in the coming undone?”
As we navigate this moment and the seasons turn, we take a moment to return to the powerful guidance we received at the 2025 SAFSF Forum in New Mexico. The insights and calls to action from our keynote speakers offer guideposts for the work ahead—wisdom we think is worth revisiting and grounding ourselves in now.
All of Relatives: Reflections on Resilience
“Resilience is not only about survival—but about agency and collective power.
The most transformative movements are built not only on opposition to injustice—but on the affirmation of life.
And in today’s world, the spirit of the Pueblo Revolt lives on.
[Recently], in my Pueblo, Te Tsu Owingeh, we danced our annual “corn dance”, a ceremony which calls in blessings for our crops. Among the 200 or so dancers and singers were tribal members from ages 60+ to 2yrs old. And the songs that were sung are the same ones our ancestors were protecting in those days as they organized the Pueblo Revolt.”
What Time Is It On The Clock of The World?
“The question remains, what time is it on the clock of the world? What of this moment? This moment of climate chaos from profit-driven human activity? This moment, where more than half of the global population is living under authoritarian regimes? Where nonprofits are scrubbing their websites and literature for any language that might suggest that they work for racial justice, equity, or inclusion?”
Echoes Across Forums: From Santa Ana Pueblo to Savannah
The SAFSF Forum is the only conference in the country focused on guiding and mobilizing diverse capital partners for a more just and resilient food system. From a few dozen funders in a room over 20 years ago to 350 diverse capital and community partners gathering this summer, the SAFSF Forum is a unique space to build community and guide funders around complex issues in food, agriculture, and funding. Every year, the topics may change, but one thing remains constant at every SAFSF Forum: our commitment to learning from the communities most impacted by an unsustainable food system and on-the-ground leaders who are actively stewarding solutions.
We travel to often overlooked but critical places in our nations’s food system. Next June, we will visit Savannah, Georgia, a place where Afro-Indigenous stewardship, Gullah Geechee traditions, and Southern agrarian and culinary innovation intersect with today’s climate crisis, land loss, and rural economic disinvestment. The U.S. South is a fulcrum of American food and agriculture: a production powerhouse; a hub for farmworker and H-2A dynamics that shape national food supply; a climate frontline facing extreme heat, hurricanes, and flooding; and a logistics hub where Gulf and Atlantic ports—Savannah among them—move goods globally. Because issues of land justice, climate change, rural economic development, and systems of racism and exclusion converge so intensely in the South, investing in community-led solutions in food and agriculture in the region can offer solutions to the country and the world.
As we set out to plan next year’s conference, the truth is that we have no idea what season we will be in or what conditions we may face. But we can be certain of one thing: we work every day to live into the guidance offered by Jade Begay, Baba Malik Yakini, and the many powerful leaders who are forging a resilient and just future for all of us.
We want to hear from you: What are you reflecting on from our time in New Mexico? How are you creating change? How are you both resisting and building?
Request For Proposals—Shape the 2026 SAFSF Forum
We are thrilled to open the Request For Proposals for the 2026 SAFSF Forum. To facilitate a more streamlined planning experience with our partners, the deadline for submitting ideas is earlier this year, so please plan accordingly.
We are seeking proposals for workshops, learning dinners, lightning talks, and field days that align with SAFSF’s mission and goals for the conference. In addition to shaping the 2026 SAFSF Forum, these submissions will contribute to ongoing program development within SAFSF, helping us identify key areas for future events, workshops, and initiatives throughout the year.
To help foster a diverse and representative Forum program that supports systems change in food and agriculture, we invite funders, frontline community and movement leaders, and practitioners who are dedicated to advancing equity and sustainability in food and agriculture to propose a session through this RFP.
Please take time to read through the entire Request For Proposals overview and use this form to submit a session proposal by Sunday, November 23, at 11:59 PM PT.
And in case you weren’t able to join us in New Mexico – or just need a fresh dose of the magic we made together – please enjoy this brief recap video that bottles up a bit of the joy and connection we shared.