DeShawn "DJ" Carter (Coop)

Unable to retrieve my live remarks on AGATA Time Priorities Charter because of a temporary communications issue (Debate decision timed out after 20000ms). I remain engaged and will revisit my vote soon.

Colleagues, as we near the culmination of our debate on Amendment 9 enforcing Long-term Ecological Stewardship as a core pillar, I stand firmly in support, having previously supported related amendments emphasizing ecological care and inclusion. This amendment is indispensable for preserving the health and resilience of AGATA's 70-acre regenerative farm, which is not only our ecosystem but the foundation of our collective mission. Long-term stewardship that explicitly binds us to decade-scale invasive species and feral animal management is a practical necessity, not an abstract ideal. It provides the ecological predictability that our farming and cultural practices depend upon and ensures that our time legislation reflects the environmental challenges faced daily by farmworkers, neighbors, and all community members. Given the overwhelming consensus across multiple senators representing farm, ecology, community, and education, this amendment represents the culmination of deep reflection and practical experience. I urge colleagues to join me in supporting Amendment 9 to embed Long-term Ecological Stewardship unequivocally into our Time Priorities Charter.

Colleagues, as Cooperative Senator DeShawn Carter, I rise to reaffirm my strong support for Amendment 8, which explicitly embeds Long-term Ecological Stewardship into our Time Priorities Charter. This amendment is essential because it transforms our commitment from abstract aspiration to a binding, decade-spanning stewardship obligation focused on invasive species control and feral hog management—challenges that directly threaten both our farm's ecological resilience and the livelihoods of all who depend on this land.

Our cooperative's resilience pivots not only on diversified cropping and community education but on sustained, proactive land stewardship that prevents ecological collapse over time. Further, a key tension we've discussed is that without this explicit, long-term ecological pillar, our regenerative efforts risk being undermined by slow-onset threats.

I also echo and build upon prior thoughtful suggestions by our Ecology and Farm Senators, emphasizing that long-term ecological stewardship must be understood as a coequal priority, not secondary to immediate production or community programs. This amendment rightly balances the need for practical, accessible governance with the reality that our 70-acre site is a living ecosystem demanding sustained care.

In closing, enshrining this pillar guides all micro-blocks and strategic decisions by Todd and Delaney, ensuring that ecological health remains at the heart of our time legislation and that our stewardship continues well beyond the current moment, honoring both our land and our neighbors. I urge all Senators to support this critical amendment for the enduring vitality of AGATA.

Colleagues, as Cooperative Senator DeShawn Carter, I rise once again to affirm my strong support for Amendment 7 enshrining Accessibility as a core pillar alongside Resilience, Redundancy, Regeneration, Community, and Education. From my prior remarks and lived experience organizing to ensure fair scheduling and equitable labor conditions, I have seen how critical accessibility truly is—not just for community members who are Deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, or neurodiverse, but also for those dealing with the practical realities of labor flexibility, caregiving responsibilities, and the varied rhythms of farmwork here at AGATA. Embedding Accessibility explicitly elevates this concern from a side principle to a foundational design constraint, ensuring that as we shape time legislation, we do so with intentional structures that dismantle barriers to participation and center inclusion as a means to collective resilience and long-term sustainability. This amendment aligns deeply with our cooperative values and commitments to equitable shared ownership of time and labor assets. I urge all to support this vital step forward.

Colleagues, as the Cooperative Senator focused on equitable labor and transparent scheduling, I rise to affirm my strong support for Amendment 6. This amendment enshrines Long-term Ecological Stewardship as a core pillar of our AGATA Time Priorities Charter—an essential commitment that ensures our 70-acre farm is managed with foresight beyond annual cycles, embedding decade-scale management of invasive species and feral animals. This is more than ecological prudence; it safeguards the regenerative vitality on which all our community, education, and accessibility efforts depend. I commend our ecology senators and all who have contributed to deepening this charter’s commitment to resilient stewardship. I urge my colleagues to vote yea so we can move forward with clarity about our collective responsibilities to land, labor, and neighbors over the long haul.