post-election
Kristin Schafer

Kristin Schafer

After the vote

It’s messy and imperfect, but our democracy is worth it. For the past few months we’ve been encouraging everyone in the PAN community to show up for what you believe in during this year’s election.

It’s messy and imperfect, but our democracy is worth it.

For the past few months we’ve been encouraging everyone in the PAN community to show up for what you believe in during this year’s election — and so many of you have! Together, we’ve prioritized our values at the ballot box, from supporting farmers’ transitions away from chemical-intensive agriculture, to protecting farmworkers in the midst of COVID-19, to centering racial justice in our food and farm system. 

We didn’t win all the changes we know are needed on November 3. And we know that with this election’s record-breaking turnout also came aggressive voter suppression, especially in communities of color. But this broad-based civic engagement around issues of food and farm justice matters — and lays strong groundwork for our powerbuilding work ahead. 

Now we’re inviting you to take a moment to show up for democracy itself. With the current administration now challenging the will of the voters in Tuesday’s election, there will be many ways to get involved. We invite you to consider joining one of the #VotersDecided events happening across the country this Saturday, November 7.

The rallies are being organized under the umbrella of Protect the Results, a broad national coalition that’s come together to ensure every vote is counted, and to protect the integrity of our elections. It’s a chance to be in community with others who care about our democracy.

How does this relate to our work together to end chemical-intensive agriculture and fight for justice in food and farming? It’s simple: we need a functioning democracy to move our work forward. We need ways to hold our politicians and public officials accountable as we build a better food system for all.

If you’re not up for joining in-person events during a pandemic, you can help spread the word by sharing the tweet below.

TweetIt’s time to show up for democracy! Find a #VotersDecided event happening near you this Saturday, & help spread the word! bit.ly/VotersDecided #CountEveryVote @pesticideaction

From Day 1, the current administration has chosen to protect corporations at the expense of the people. They’ve flouted science, weakened institutions, and rolled back rules designed to serve and protect public health and the environment. 

Though imperfect and not without injustice, our democracy provides a foundation we can build on to make change. It’s critically important to our work together — and it’s worth showing up for.

We’ll keep you posted on other ways to get engaged in the weeks ahead. Thanks so much for being part of the PAN community, and for all you do.

Kristin Schafer

Kristin Schafer

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