by Stephanie Ricketts, Board Member
Hello cooperative community! Welcome to September. The usual traditions of this month, like going back to school and you-pick apple season beginning, look very very different for most of us. I hope amidst the stress and uncertainty, there are still moments of joy and a chance to savor this abundant season here in Wisconsin.
STEP UP: EQUITY MATTERS
The Willy Street Co-op Board of Directors continues to participate in work with Step Up: Equity Matters, the consulting firm hired by Willy Street Co-op to help address diversity, equity, and inclusion in our Co-op. Your Board has one Board member on the team of Co-op representatives meeting with Step Up monthly. Currently, that Board member is Jeannine Bindl. We are also, as a group, participating in an Uprooting Bias challenge that has been offered to all Co-op staff, through Step Up. This challenge is intended to help Step Up evaluate the Co-op’s needs and start the work of recognizing our biases. If you are interested to learn more about Step Up: Equity Matters, they can be found at StepUpForEquity.com.
COLUMINATE ABOLITIONISTS CHALLENGE
In addition, five of the nine Board members, including myself, are participating in the Columinate Abolitionists Challenge. The Abolitionists Challenge, presented by LaDonna Sanders Redmond, is a six-month program for anyone who identifies as a cooperator and is interested in gaining an understanding of how they can commit to eliminating white supremacy in cooperative spaces and in the broader society. The program includes directed readings, self-reflection and participation by cooperators in a program to help make cooperatives more actively engaged in bringing strength in our shared work in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Participants meet monthly for a guided discussion around books that explore issues of oppression and white supremacy in America, in addition to action items assigned throughout the month. Our first meeting was on August 6th, and our first book is My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem. Learn more about The Abolitionists Challenge here: columinate.coop/events/abolitionists.
WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS
The Board has two new members to welcome from the July 2020 election cycle: Ashwini Rao and Caryn Murphy! Joining returning Board members Brian Anderson and Jeannine Bindl, all four were officially seated at the August 2020 meeting. I had the pleasure of interviewing Caryn Murphy for this Reader article, so you can get to know one of your new representatives a bit better!
MEET CARYN MURPHY
Stephanie Ricketts (SR): What was your first memory of the Willy Street Co-op?
Caryn Murphy (CM): That would go pretty far back for me. I moved to the Eastside in 2001 and so my first memory of the Co-op would be at Willy East. I remember when I first moved to the neighborhood I was hesitant to shop at the Co-op because I wasn’t sure how membership would work, if I’d even be allowed inside.
SR: How did you first learn about cooperatives, and what was the first co-op you joined?
CM: I grew up in Stevens Point, and so I think the first co-op that I ever knew about was the Stevens Point Area Co-op. I don’t think my family ever belonged to that Co-op, though. I think Group Health Cooperative here in Madison, WI, was the first cooperative I joined.
SR: What do you rely on Willy Street Co-op for?
CM: I rely on the Co-op for shopping, but also so much more than that. I look forward to getting the Reader every month. The Reader is a really good source of information, especially ideas about new products. One of my favorite sections is definitely staff picks, where I get ideas for things I want to try. I also love the customer comments, like everyone else.
The article from the June 2020 Reader about personal care when you’re wearing a mask is a super valuable resource that I’ve shared with multiple people since it was published. It’s a really detailed overview with lots of great suggestions, and it’s especially responsive to something people are worried about right now. That’s a great thing the Co-op does—it provides resources and information relevant to our community, in a timely fashion.
SR: What are your top three favorite Willy Street Co-op foods?
CM: I like the Yuppie Hill eggs, which might only be at North right now. The Co-op is my go-to place for coffee [beans], but I’m not particularly brand loyal. I’m happy to experiment with whatever is on special. Pink Lady apples, those are a highlight of the Produce section—they’re the best! I also love Sheba bars.
SR: Do you have any favorite food traditions?
CM: I don’t know if you would call it a tradition, but I have cooking habits. I like to make something over the weekend that will last into the week. In the fall and winter I love crockpot stuff, like lentil soup or veggie chili; I don’t worry about a recipe, I just toss in whatever I want (but definitely tomatoes). I like making something that is big and warm and will last for a few days. It’s something to look forward to with fall coming on.
SR: How has COVID-19 impacted your cooking, eating, or other food practices?
CM: I would say that I’ve done a lot of cooking and baking experiments in this time. Not as much in the hot summer weather, but especially in March, April, May, anytime I saw a recipe that interested me I was game to try it. I’m cooking with rice much more than before as well. I actually really feel like I’ve developed some new interest in cooking at home, whereas before I’d been more of a “isn’t it better to cook one thing that could last all week?” kind of person.
SR: Besides being a Willy Street Co-op Board member, what else do you like to do with your time?
CM: I try to get outside every day and get some exercise. In the summer I try to go kayaking at least once a week. I read a lot, and I definitely keep up with film and television. I worked at a video store for many years (approximately a decade) so I’m pretty good, if people give me a sense of what their tastes are, at recommending what they might like. For example, for Co-op Owners a recommendation would be The Biggest Little Farm, a documentary about a couple who leave their jobs to start farming in California. Another recommendation for Co-op Owners is a documentary called Honeyland, about a woman who is a beekeeper in Macedonia. Both are great documentaries for folks interested in food, sustainability, etc.
SR: What are you most excited about in being a new Board member?
CM: I am excited about participating in conversations about the future direction of the Co-op. I’ve been learning a lot about policy governance, and I’m looking forward to getting to know my fellow Board members and getting a handle on our priorities.
SR: What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges the Co-op will face over the next few years?
CM: I think that our community’s level of interest in sustainability, health, and wellness has always been good for the Co-op, and it’s a continuing opportunity. People have even more of an interest in sustainability, concern about the future, and wanting to effect positive change.
In terms of challenges, I hope it’s not going to be true for the next few years, but the current situation adapting to COVID-19 related circumstances is a big challenge. The Co-op has been a model in the community for how to adapt, adjust, and keep people safe, but it’s unclear to all of us how long this will continue. Not knowing, having no end date, is a big challenge.
SR: Is there anything else you’d like our Owners to know about you?
CM: I’m really excited to have this opportunity, and I am always interested in talking to Owners. If you see me out and about, please say hi. I’ll be ready to listen to your thoughts on the issues that Board members should be considering.
