Boy, there are a lot of moving parts to planning the Café for the Community!

Sometimes I feel as though I am actually opening a real restaurant. 

Instead of building permits, structuring entities. Instead of inventory, series planning. Learning how the appliances work; ie, learning the new tools we have acquired for efficiency and productivity. Perfecting my culinary skills–reading and researching and adapting concepts for our shared use. Learning how to serve cogent courses in perfect portions–writing series that matter for a Community On The Move.

Welp.

We are indeed a going concern, as they said back in the day. 

If anyone is wondering whether or not I will be able to stay busy after my retirement from the County, worry no more. I have a task list a mile long, limited only by how many bullet points the agenda allows in Google Drive. (Short answer: unlimited. That is both a blessing and a curse. Yay! And AAAACKK!)

All to the good, though. All to the good. 

There is a distinct joy in becoming big enough, with enough heft, to need to carefully plan. There is also a sort of weight. Sometimes during staff meetings, my mind wanders (only a little) to when it was just me, at my dining room table, with strong coffee and unarticulated dreams. Planning? Who thought about planning? Long range goals? To make it to the next week. Mission? To move the needle a little bit, just a little bit. 

Welp. The Universe has certainly had more in store for me, for *us*, than I allowed myself to dream at the dining room table (or maybe the magic has been in moving to the Coronavirus Couch!) 

Now, as I approach the end of my service to the County of San Diego, Lace on Race will be my only vocation. I am so ready; I am so here for this. To have the privilege of devoting all of my time to learning, to writing, to engaging, to speaking, is a gift. And a responsibility I will never take lightly.

As we move from spring to summer to early fall, as the sky turns a deeper orange and umber than our beloved tree, I consider about this time last year when that dormant tree began to bear fruit again, after years and years. I remember just staring at the small oranges full of promise as they changed color and became nourishing. Nobody could miss that symbol, that message from the Universe. Not even me. There was and is more to do. 

I had no idea what was gestating until I held the first fruit in my hand, incredulous. There was more to that tree that I had once counted out and given up on. There is more in this noggin and this heart and this gut than the world once knew. I had almost counted myself out. But that orange burned my hand and seared my soul. 

And less than a year later, we are one of the top spaces for racial justice, according to some odd or another of those damn lists. More importantly, I have seen changes in you, individually, and as a community, that have made me weep. We have walked through hard things. And we will encounter even more Lumpy Crossings. But our steps are sure, and our eyes are fixed on our North Star. We keep walking.

With your tangible partnership, we enter this new season with eagerness, curiosity, resilience, and resolve. I thank you for accepting the oranges from my tree, and allowing me to taste your own. An orchard, We are an orchard.

Sustainers and Sustainers-In-Training who have already fulfilled your commitment, I appreciate your proaction. For those of you who have not yet, this is your gentle reminder. 

For those of you who are not yet Sustainers, but wish to be so, here you are! It is Sustainers, and Sustainers-in-Training who keep this space free-ish. As well, it enhances your walk and your engagement. Thank you in advance for your enhanced level of support. You will find the form below. If you have any questions about the Sustainer Program, drop us a message! We are happy to answer any queries you may have. 

The community’s response to the Lace on Race Mental and Emotional Health Fund last month was stunning. We walked with many women, and there are more with whom we can engage arm in arm, and eye to eye. Like last month with KK’s rent Rapid Response, we are choosing to meet the needs of these women who are still in need of rest, and succor, and self care–and joy, and release and moments to exhale. They are our community, and we will continue to serve and walk with in tangible solidarity. We will disburse funds before we receive them, confident that the community will hold them well. We will tell you about our other Community Partner in our upcoming Newsletter, and if we meet our goals, we will be able to add another Community Partner as well. That’s an exciting and audacious–and achievable–goal. We are ten thousand strong. We look outward beyond ourselves. We can do this. 

This season, we will continue to serve the takeout we have become somewhat well known for, even as we deepen our culinary skills in the Kitchen of the Lace on Race Cafe, and learn to serve visitors, no matter how problematic, in the Dining Room with compassion, competence, and our signature Kind Candor. We will rest and debate and share stew and break bread and drink good wine at the Chef’s Table. 

All Hands. We will Need All Hands. 

Thank you for your continued support of this… no longer an experiment, and certainly not an enterprise, but rather an embarkation. 

Masks on, we walk together. 

As ever, your Lace

Boy, there are a lot of moving parts to planning the Cafe for the Community!

Sometimes I feel as though I am actually opening a real restaurant. 

Instead of building permits, structuring entities. Instead of inventory, series planning. Learning how the appliances work; ie, learning the new tools we have acquired for efficiency and productivity. Perfecting my culinary skills–reading and researching and adapting concepts for our shared use. Learning how to serve cogent courses in perfect portions–writing series that matter for a Community On The Move.

Ya. We are indeed a going concern, as they said back in the day. 

If anyone is wondering whether or not I will be able to stay busy after my retirement from the County, worry no more. I have a task list a mile long, limited only by how many bullet points the agenda allows in Google Drive. (Short answer: unlimited. That is both a blessing and a curse. Yay! And AAAACKK!)

All to the good, though. All to the good. 

There is a distinct joy in becoming big enough, with enough heft, to need to carefully plan. There is also a sort of weight. Sometimes during staff meetings, my mind wanders (only a little) to when it was just me, at my dining room table, with strong coffee and unarticulated dreams. Planning? Who thought about planning? Long range goals? To make it to the next week. Mission? To move the needle a little bit, just a little bit. 

Welp. The Universe has certainly had more in store for me, for *us*, than I allowed myself to dream at the dining room table (or maybe the magic has been in moving to the Coronavirus Couch!) 

Now, as I approach the end of my service to the County of San Diego, Lace on Race will be my only vocation. I am so ready; I am so here for this. To have the privilege of devoting all of my time to learning, to writing, to engaging, to speaking, is a gift. And a responsibility I will never take lightly.

As we move from spring to summer to early fall, as the sky turns a deeper orange and umber than our beloved tree, I consider about this time last year when that dormant tree began to bear fruit again, after years and years. I remember just staring at the small oranges full of promise as they changed color and became nourishing. Nobody could miss that symbol, that message from the Universe. Not even me. There was and is more to do. 

I had no idea what was gestating until I held the first fruit in my hand, incredulous. There was more to that tree that I had once counted out. There is more in this noggin and this heart and this gut than the world once knew. I had almost counted myself out. But that orange burned my hand and seared my soul. 

And less than a year later, we are one of the top spaces for racial justice, according to some odd or another of those damn lists. More importantly, I have seen changes in you, individually, and as a community, that have made me weep. We have walked through hard things. And we will encounter even more Lumpy Crossings. But our steps are sure, and our eyes are fixed on our North Star. We keep walking.

With your tangible partnership, we enter this new season with eagerness, curiosity, resilience, and resolve. I thank you for accepting the oranges from my tree, and allowing me to taste your own. An orchard, We are an orchard.

Sustainers and Sustainers-In-Training who have already fulfilled your commitment, I appreciate your proaction. For those of you who have not yet, this is your gentle reminder. 

For those of you who are not yet Sustainers, but wish to be so, here you are! It is Sustainers, and Sustainers-in-Training who keep this space free-ish. As well, it enhances your walk and your engagement. Thank you in advance for your enhanced level of support. You will find the form below. If you have any questions about the Sustainer Program, drop us a message! We are happy to answer any queries you may have. 

This season, we will continue to serve the takeout we have become somewhat well known for, even as we deepen our culinary skills in the Kitchen of the Lace on Race Cafe, and learn to serve visitors, no matter how problematic, in the Dining Room with compassion, competence, and our signature Kind Candor. We will rest and debate and share stew and break bread and drink good wine at the Chef’s Table. 

All Hands. We will Need All Hands. 

Thank you for your continued support of this… no longer an experiment, and certainly not an enterprise, but rather an embarkation. 

Masks on, we walk together. 

As ever, your Lace

***********
We have a NEW PAYPAL ADDRESS that we’d like everyone to start using effective immediately.  Please follow paypal.me/LaceonRace for your financial engagements going forward.

A sustainer is someone who has been consistently in the Lace on Race Community for 6 months or more and is committed to financially sustaining this space and regularly engaging in the community. Our Sustainer Circle is not about perks or access to exclusive content. Rather, it is about another level of accountability and responsibility. As a Sustainer, you have spent time in the community, practice Kind Candor, and are ready to walk consistently with fellow community members.
bit.ly/SustainerForm

If you do not meet the criteria of a Sustainer because you have not been a consistent committed community member for 6 months or more, but you are still interested in becoming a Sustainer, please fill out our Sustainer In Training form below.  Sustainers In Training of 2020, we are thankful you are committed to join us as we learn together to walk with intention, grace, and respect. As a sustainer in training, you are dedicated to monthly contributions, wrestling with deeper content, and engaging with purpose for a minimum of 6 months before signing up to be a Sustainer. We look forward to another year with you!
bit.ly/SustainerInTrainingForm