June 19, 2023

Executive Director Laura Matanah joined more than 100 other farmed animal advocates in June at the LEAD for Farmed Animals conference in Los Angeles in June. Experts trained attendees in Organizational Health and Movement Building. A scholarship from generous movement donors enabled Laura to attend. She found it to be valuable for our work due to insights, invaluable connections, and potential future partnerships she made.

Attendees delved into a myriad of topics. Laura’s course focused on fostering a healthy, inclusive, and equitable workplace. Her cohort spent time reflecting on current challenges, learning new techniques for meeting them, supporting each other in practicing how to implement the techniques.

Over the course of those transformative days, they delved into a myriad of topics, with a special emphasis on fostering a healthy, inclusive, and equitable workplace. Here are just a few highlights from the journey:

Understanding the Foundations: From Basic Needs to Equity

The conference included exploration of human basic needs, recognizing the profound impact they have on our lives and work. The pillars of belonging, improvement, choice, equity, predictability, and significance formed the bedrock of our understanding, shaping the way we strive for excellence within our organizations.

Unleashing the Power of the Mind: Brain Structures and Emotional Intelligence

They also spent time unraveling the intricate interplay between our thoughts and emotions, anchored in brain structures. They discovered that something as simple as intentional breathing can reset our emotional state—a critical precursor to fruitful discussions.

Team Empowerment: Achieving Goals Together

The conference also explored engaging teams towards shared goals. Viewing work as a four-step process—Do, Observe, Communicate (including thoughtful consideration of what to keep and change), and Hypothesize. These steps are instrumental in orchestrating seamless collaboration. They also covered the art of coaching, both ourselves and others, through the power of open-ended questions, encouraging deep thinking at each stage of the work.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Catalysts for Progress

The conference dedicated valuable time to exploring the paramount importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. They learned that true equity goes hand in hand with inclusion, and both are fundamental needs that deserve our utmost attention. By examining these elements individually and operationalizing them within our organizations, we can pave the way for an empowering work environment where everyone can thrive.

For Laura, this conference served as a catalyst for personal growth and introspection. The experience crystalized her vision, providing clear direction for her big goals:  

1. Welcoming new ideas and innovation on how to get there (includes diverse perspectives and ideas)
2. Creating a group dynamic of achievement and support
3. Building connections in the community to facilitate the work

The conference also helped forge connections with animal advocates from across the country and the globe. These newfound relationships hold potential for future collaborations and collective impact. We may include additional staff members in next year’s conference to continue moving our work for animals forward.