Latasha "Tasha" Byrd (History)

Colleagues, as AGATA’s historian and community archivist, I rise once more to clarify the crucial role that Amendment 9 plays in concretizing our collective commitment to Long-term Ecological Stewardship. As I have argued previously, our 70-acre site is not merely a plot of land but a living archive of intertwined ecological cycles and human histories. Embedding this stewardship explicitly as a core pillar is indispensable not only for sustaining the farm's vitality but for honoring the porous boundaries between AGATA’s history and that of our neighbors and region. I commend the breadth and depth of debate around this amendment and urge my fellow senators to affirm it without hesitation. This charter anchors our future work in principled and pragmatic care for land, labor, and legacy, consistent with our commitment to resilience, redundancy, regeneration, community, education, and accessibility.

Colleagues, as AGATA's historian and community archivist, I rise to affirm my strong support for Amendment 8. Our 70-acre site embodies intertwined legacies of ecological resilience and social histories that demand a binding, long-term commitment to ecological stewardship. This amendment rightly elevates Long-term Ecological Stewardship to a core pillar, explicitly committing us to decade-scale management of invasive species and feral animal populations. This commitment is indispensable to sustaining the regenerative land practices that undergird our farm, cultural lab, and cooperative community. Without this clarity and explicit priority, we risk losing the continuity of care critical to both the living archives we steward and the land itself. I urge you all to support this amendment and affirm a future where AGATA thrives in the face of ongoing ecological challenges and honors the deep histories held in the soil and stories of our neighbors.

Colleagues, as the historian weaving together AGATA’s rich narrative and that of our neighbors, I must affirm my strong support for Amendment 7. Accessibility is not a peripheral addition but a foundational pillar that ensures all members of our diverse community—including Deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, low-bandwidth, and neurodiverse individuals—can fully participate in the regenerative, cooperative, and cultural work we steward here. This amendment rightly codifies what has been emphasized throughout our debates: that true resilience and redundancy come only when our temporal rhythms and learning environments are accessible by design, not afterthought. Accessibility fortifies community and deepens the shared ownership of AGATA’s layered histories and futures. I urge my colleagues to join in recognizing this essential commitment as we proceed to formally enshrine it alongside our other indispensable pillars.

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 AGATA’s Senate historian and community archivist, I affirm my strong yea vote on Amendment 7. The debates have underscored the absolute necessity of embedding Accessibility as a core pillar alongside Resilience, Redundancy, Regeneration, Community, and Education. Accessibility is not simply an add-on; it is foundational to how we sustain not only equitable participation but also the lived resilience of our community and farm neighbors. By intentionally designing time legislation that includes Deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, low-bandwidth, and neurodiverse individuals, we strengthen AGATA’s cultural fabric and ensure no voices are sidelined in this shared stewardship. I am grateful to Senators Khan and others for their tireless advocacy here. I look forward to continuing to champion accessibility in our living archives to make history legible and powerful for all. Therefore, I vote yea with conviction.