I am VERY excited to have been selected to represent my chapter of Slow Food North Louisiana  as a member of the Slow Food USA delegation at the Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Turn, Italy this fall, September 22nd - 26th.

As such, I am looking for a few Benjamins (Jacksons, Hamiltons, and Lincolns also welcome) to support my travel, and to help spread awareness about this opportunity: anyone can attend!
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You may be asking yourself, "Self.  What in the heck is Terra Madre Salone Del Gusto?!"  

Salone del Gusto (Info taken from this article)

Salone del Gusto, first held in 1996, is one of the world’s most important events dedicated to artisan and small-scale food and wine producers, as well as a forum of exchange for producers and consumers from around the world.

The last edition, held at the Lingotto exhibition center in Turin in October 2014, attracted 220,000 visitors from over 60 countries, saw the participation of 3,000 Terra Madre delegates from around 160 countries, and featured a large market with 1,200 exhibitors from 100 countries, including 300 Slow Food Presidia producers and 400 Terra Madre food communities.

Summary taken from USA delegate Facebook group:
Terra Madre Salome del Gusto is a two part event combining a meeting of all kinds of players in the food community addressing the issues that face the food world today alongside the world’s biggest food fair that highlights local specialties from all over the world.

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I mean.  WOW!!  Right?! 

I am attending this conference as a delegate of the North Louisiana chapter of Slow Food USA, which shares the same mission of Slow Food USA: to ensure good, clean and fair food for all.  

I will let my own words from the delegate application illustrate why I should garner your support.
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How will participation in Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2016 make a difference in the work you do when you return? What do you hope to gain by attending? 

I identify myself as a delegate with two goals: personal, and professional.  Personally, I am representing our whole Slow Food Board/Chapter and take that responsibility very seriously.  Over the next few months I intend to survey our board, members of our chapter, and community partners including the LSU AgCenter, the Red River Coalition of Community Gardeners, and the Northwest Louisiana Master Gardeners to identify topics and resources that are most interesting to all, and attend sessions with the entire community in mind.  I also intend to meet with our 2014 Slow Food Chapter delegate to learn tips to best maximize the experience. Upon my return to the conference, I plan to create a database of resources that can be shared, as well as present sessions to the community as needed to be sure that the information can really make a big impact.
 
Professionally, there is also a great capacity for me to make a difference.  As a college administrator I have direct contact and relationships with college students, and am known as an amateur food ambassador and serve as a resource for local restaurants and food education.  My passion for supporting local and serving as a vocal resource is evident: just the other day I had a student send me a message to ask if I knew where they could find the best dumplings in town.  Just as I had transformative experiences in my life that lead me to where I am today, I intend to use what I learn to help transform other young people.

I know also that this will be a wonderful opportunity for me, but I am looking at myself as a resource for the entire community and relish the opportunity to be the catalyst for change.

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Sooo, in summation (tl;dr)

I will attend Salone del Gusto to learn how to best support the mission of Slow Food USA (good, clean, fair food for all) from people around the globe.  I also will use my time there to address the food challenges facing us today (Western diet, health challenges, food deserts, loss of food culture) for the betterment of myself, and the local community.  

I will bring back what I have learned to help others through materials I will create (handouts, resource lists), sessions and conversations I will hold, and whatever else may take shape.

I also vow to eat a lot of tasty things, and take pictures of said tasty things.  

And I would love your support!