Thank you, Kara!
It was truly a bittersweet moment when Kara informed me that she had come to the difficult decision to move on from her role as G2L’s Food Innovation Network (FIN) Program Director. It was bitter because I knew we were going to lose a tremendous leader whose commitment, expertise, and love for the work is unmatched. But, also sweet because it allowed me to reflect on the program’s incredible achievements that Kara helped lead. Over the last nine years, Kara took an idea and vision to expand access and opportunities in the local food economy and turned it into reality. Under Kara’s leadership, our FIN team developed and now manage two critical programs aimed to achieve that vision: Spice Bridge, a Tukwila-based food business incubator supporting aspiring immigrant and refugee-owned food businesses; and the Tukwila Village Farmers Market, a seasonal market featuring fresh, affordable produce grown by immigrant and refugee farmers right here in South King County. There are no words to describe the impact these programs have had for members of the community. We are forever grateful to Kara’s dedication and leadership over the years, and she leaves a lasting legacy of work in the community she loves.
Her transition comes at a pivotal point in our program’s growth. We have been at Spice Bridge now for two years (I know, it’s hard to believe). We opened during the COVID-19 pandemic and endured some very challenging times. That said, we continue to learn and with that comes new and exciting opportunities. We now begin the search for a new program director to lead FIN into its next phase. We have a talented and dedicated team and are looking for a strong leader who shares our commitment to equity and community empowerment. Please distribute the job announcement to your networks. We will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis to ensure we find the right candidate for our community and for our organization. Please feel free to reach out to me (aj@globaltolocal.org) directly if you have any questions.
Please join me in wishing Kara the very best on her next adventure and celebrating her many accomplishments during her time at G2L.
AJ McClure
Executive Director
Message from Kara…
After working nearly 9 years on this remarkable effort, I have made the difficult decision to step away from my role at Global to Local’s Food Innovation Network (FIN) program. While I still have much love and passion for the community and work, it is time for a personal transition and I know someone will keep the momentum going and bring new energy to the amazing work we are all doing together.
It has been incredible to be part of FIN’s journey — from the early community conversations highlighting the need for food access and entrepreneurship opportunities in South King County to starting a single farm stand that has grown into a bustling farmers market to opening the doors of Spice Bridge. I remember a team meeting in the winter of 2020 when we talked about the “many mothers” of Spice Bridge. Little did we know at the time just how necessary this village of mothers would prove to be — from the very onset of the COVID-19 pandemic they have cooked up COVID-19 thousands of meals made with love. It has been an honor to be part of FIN and its work in building an equitable food system with community.
In community, Kara Martin