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The Vantage Point
Glenda Humiston
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Greetings from Washington, D.C., where we just wrapped up at the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching/Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities Board on Agriculture Assembly joint conference.
During these annual CARET meetings, we share success stories, metrics and impacts with our congressional representatives to demonstrate the value of UC ANR – and UC more broadly – and the exceptional return on investment of federal funds. My gratitude to Brent Hales, Anne Megaro, Helle Petersen, Dan Sanchez, Ricky Satomi, Laura Vollmer, Katharyne Mitchell, Isgouhi Kaloshian, Sarah Naumes, Bill Frost, Ish Herrera and all the great government-relations staff for joining this important trip.
I am incredibly proud to highlight all of UC ANR’s accomplishments, made possible through your efforts, support and partnership. I look forward to working with Congress to ensure we continue to expand our capacity to advance California agriculture, protect natural resources and strengthen communities throughout the state.
Closer to home, a broad spectrum of our research and extension work was showcased during World Ag Expo this month (Feb. 13-15). It was exciting to see so many people connect with UC ANR experts at our booths and hands-on exhibits and during seminars and demonstrations.
Many thanks to our UC Cooperative Extension researchers; advisors and staff research associates from Kearney and Lindcove Research and Extension Centers; UC Master Gardener staff and volunteers; and the team from The VINE. UC ANR Chief Innovation Officer Gabe Youtsey moderated a fantastic panel discussion with Western Growers and leading robotics startups during a VINE Connect meetup – part of an ongoing series of meetings aimed at building the agrifood innovation ecosystem.
Also, a special shout-out to Karmjot Randhawa and everyone at the UCCE office in Tulare County for doing a tremendous job hosting members of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture!
During the Expo, it was so energizing to feel, once again, those crucial human connections that drive our central mission of bringing together knowledge and community. In the former, we rightfully emphasize meticulous science and the foundational research of innumerable predecessors. But we should also strive to understand, with just as much rigor, the deep history and culture of the communities we hope to partner with and serve.
That’s just one reason why we convened UC ANR’s first Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Summit (Jan. 31-Feb. 1). Organized by Elizabeth Moon, ANR director of workplace inclusion and belonging, the event gathered representatives from across the organization to chart our progress since the establishment of our Principles of Community in 2016, while discussing ways we can better reach, reflect and collaborate with the many diverse communities across our state.
I always value and cherish opportunities to learn about our colleagues, whose stories illuminate not only their personal paths but also unique aspects of their cultural backgrounds. This month, our ANR community commemorated International Day of Women and Girls in Science, for which we celebrated our extraordinary colleagues through social media vignettes and blog posts.
During Black History Month, we also learned about the life journeys of Keith Nathaniel, UCCE county director in Los Angeles County, and Tamekia Wilkins, evaluation coordinator in Davis. With Keith growing up in Compton, California and Tamekia in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, they describe two dimensions of the Black experience in the U.S. by detailing their challenges, triumphs and aspirations – while bringing insightful perspectives on race relations and Black identity. Thank you, Keith and Tamekia, for sharing your stories.
I also want to recognize members of the Black and
Allied Employees Group for organizing yesterday’s webinar on Black Reconstruction and its social reverberations to this day. Their efforts to create spaces for discussion and reflection speak to the very core of our mission as an educational institution. Thank you to all who participated and continue to engage in these important conversations.
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