<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Hello,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"> I was asked to forward this email, for good reason. Pheobe Gooding is a colleague who is more than qualified to serve in the position that she was recommended for with DCSWDB. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">You will learn all details in the email below. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Bonita</div><div class="gmail_quote"><br><br><div style="word-wrap:break-word;line-break:after-white-space"><div><div dir="auto">Greetings!</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><span style="border-color:rgb(0,0,0)">Please sign and share this letter from Anjali Boyd </span>in support of Phoebe Gooding, whose nomination to the Durham Soil and Water Board was rescinded under circumstances that should be brought to light.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">*****</div></div><div><div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><span id="m_-1909045290362022306m_-1711774379737233311m_5709615624647211465m_2045477692040391167gmail-docs-internal-guid-49f3442a-7fff-fe50-dd0e-86e3162c0d15"><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I am a BIPOC, female, new and beginning farmer with a small farm in eastern Durham. In August I was nominated to the Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors. Members of the board enthusiastically voted for me because of my background in conservation and environmental justice, my board experience, and because of the perspective and insights I can offer firsthand as a BIPOC female small farmer.  After receiving the nomination, I spoke with a colleague of mine with deep experience in Durham food systems. He congratulated me and said that, historically, conservation funding and resources have mostly been transferred to white, wealthy landowners in the county. My appointment to the board comes with voting power to ensure that resources are more equitably distributed among county residents including those who have historically faced higher barriers to accessing land and opportunities.  </span></div><br><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I waited with patience and excitement for the North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Commission to approve my appointment. What happened next has not happened in 40 years. The state commission decided to supersede my nomination and appoint Mr. Ken Browning, an older, white, male farmer instead. </span></div><br><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Over the last few months of gathering information, and trying to understand what happened and why I have come to a few conclusions:</span></div><ul style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-color:transparent">First, the decision to supersede my nomination needs to be brought to light. </span></div></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-color:transparent">Second, I am incredibly qualified for the position.  </span></div></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-color:transparent">Third, I will fight for my rightful appointment to the board so that I may serve the people of Durham County with a lens of equity and justice. </span></div></li></ul><br><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I’m asking you to fight with me. Please </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">read and sign the attached letter</b></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> of support</b> by Anjali Boyd, Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor (elected)</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)">.</span></div><br><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Please, please share widely! This is really a state issue and not just a county issue. The <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uOu0bMOvOG5hrOLsiAwQ3GLBFQY7GALV/edit" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif" target="_blank">letter</a> explains in more detail my qualifications for this position and the issues of concern that this raises for all conservation districts in our state. If you have any suggestions or other thoughts to offer, reach out to me at (802) 490-0258 or contact Anjali Boyd at <a href="mailto:dsw@anjaliboyd.com" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif" target="_blank">dsw@anjaliboyd.com</a>. </span></div><br><br><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Add your signature to the letter here: </span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><a href="https://forms.gle/Fw5BLMcqsT4MgtbC8" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">https://forms.gle/Fw5BLMcqsT4MgtbC8 </span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </span></p><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)">In solidarity,</span></div><div style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Phoebe</span></div></span></div><div dir="ltr"><br><div><br></div></div>
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