If you had to take a look at how you have been running your organization and managing your business, how would you evaluate your efforts not only as a leader but as a change maker?

This summer’s series highlighted just how powerful a Community of Practice can be. Each facilitator brought forward practices and insights that sparked reflection, encouraged collaboration, and reinforced the value of building together.

On the surface, proclamations can feel ceremonial, but for the food space community, this one marks something more significant.

When we gathered for the Welcome Retreat of our 2025 Legacy Leadership Cohort, it wasn’t just about information or orientation. It was about presence and laying the groundwork for a shared journey. At its heart, this moment illustrated the intention behind welcoming each leader with care and reminding them that this space was built for them to thrive.

Universal Design isn’t just for buildings. It’s a framework for building teams where everyone can thrive.

We are proud to introduce the newest Executive cohort of the Legacy Leadership Project, a dynamic group of creative leaders and changemakers committed to furthering equity, building a legacy, and transforming leadership.

As we navigate the evolving social and political landscape, we have revisited what we truly value as a Collective. Our work has always been about more than just strategy, it is about legacy, justice, and transformation. With that in mind, we are proud to share our refined core values, the principles that will continue to guide us as we build, sustain, and grow together. 

At the SageD Collective, we’ve always known that survival depends on adaptability, connection, and collective strength. This moment demands that we deepen those commitments, that we fortify each other the way builders reinforce a structure, not by replacing it, but by strengthening what is already there.

As the days grow shorter and the pace of the year picks up, many of us find ourselves balancing the demands of leadership with the need to recharge. At SageD, we believe self-care isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for effective, sustainable leadership.

As we look toward the end of the year, I find myself reflecting on gratitude–not just as an emotion, but as a foundational part of leadership and the work we do within the Sage D Collective. I believe that gratitude shapes who we are as leaders.

As we embrace moments for reflection and opportunities for transformation this month, I am reminded of our solid foundation in the local food space.

I just returned from a journey to East Africa, particularly Kenya, and it was one that I approached with an open heart and no expectations.