Dear John,

Like many of you, I’ve always found December to be a wonderful month to reflect.

As I look back on this year, one of the things I am most grateful for is the opportunity to learn with you all on Friday afternoons.

We started this series in April as a way to stay connected and to provide a space to learn together. From carbon pricing to birding to a virtual decolonized walking tour of Portland, we’ve learned so much together.

It has been my honor to plan the Lunch & Learns for you and I am  excited for December’s programs. Together, I hope we can reflect on a piece of Maine’s history we didn’t learn and why; consider what investments we need to make to ensure a bright digital future for the State; and examine what changes we should consider making to how and what we eat. 

As we end the year, please consider giving back to Maine’s environment with a donation that will forward MCV’s work protecting the special people and treasured places of our great state. If you are able, I invite you to make a contribution while registering for one of our Lunch & Learn sessions in December. Your gift is entirely optional - please join us either way - and very much appreciated!

Here’s our line-up for December. We hope to see you at one or all of our Lunch & Learns this month!

Friday, December 4th, 12-1pm: Treading On Its Dragon’s Teeth: Maine and the Slave Trade

• Discover the little-known connections between Maine and global slavery. Dr. Kate McMahon, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, will discuss the importance of Maine’s role in the global slave trade and the importance of new research and exploration into this history. Dr. McMahon will explore how African Americans in Maine resisted slavery and the slave trade and fought for their freedom. Register here!

Friday, December 11th, 12-1pm: The Fight to Connect Maine 

• The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted how essential reliable broadband internet is and yet many Mainers are still without access. Nick Battista, Senior Policy Officer for the Island Institute, and chair of the ConnectMaine Authority Board, will join us to discuss why advocates in all sectors should care about broadband access, what is being done to ensure connectivity across the State, and how you can help ensure a bright, reliable, accessible, and affordable digital future for Maine. Register here!

Friday, December 18th, 12-1pm: Sustainable Eating and Maine’s Fishery

• What role do fisheries play in making food production more sustainable for the health of our planet? Kyle Foley, senior program manager of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute's Sustainable Seafood Program, will join us to discuss her work, local seafood, and what you can do to eat more sustainably. Register here!

As 2020 comes to an end, thank you from the entire team at Maine Conservation Voters and Maine Conservation Alliance for all you do for Maine’s environment.

--Will