Central Valley Organization
Bridging the Gap Between Food Waste and People in Need
Christina Carrillo
Department of Sociology
Fresno State
I studied a Central Valley Organization that fights food waste for a semester. My group is a student-based movement that fights food waste and hunger. They are currently working to bridge the gap between food waste and feeding people in need. They do have their own chapter in the Central Valley but belong to a National Organization as well.
I used three types of qualitative research to collect data on my group: ethnography (observations), interviews, and content analysis of printed information about my group. Through my observations, I was able to apply symbolic interaction theory to my group. Specifically, I was able to connect their interactions as group members and their interactions with the public using roles, definition of the situation, front stage and backstage, teamwork, and personal front. The interactions I observed varied with each new social context (social setting).
Immediately after concluding my observations, I already had my interviews lined up with my group. Flexibility was the key aspect in scheduling those interviews. In respect to my interviewees, I made sure that each interview location was safe, noise free, private, and comfortable. Through my interviews, I was able to apply symbolic interaction theory by asking my group members questions that related to symbolic interactionism concepts. Specifically, I was able to connect their responses to concepts of The Self, Roles, Impression Management, Identity Negotiation, and Front Stage and Backstage.
Throughout my research, I was collecting printed materials that had information on my group for the content analysis. These sources were mainly news articles, flyers, and social media accounts. While analyzing the documents of my group, I was able to connect them to Goffman's framing concepts. My group uses framing to express what they believe in, in hopes of getting others to see the world through their lens. Specifically, I was able to connect these sources to the Diagnosis Frame, Prognosis Frame, Identity Frame, Agency Frame, and Frame Bridging.
Literature Review
Symbolic Interactionism
Symbolic interactionism is the meaning we give to things based on our social interpretations. Symbolic interactionism gives us a sense of who we are based on the way respond to others. Our reality makes no difference, what matters is the meaning we attach to it. To further see how the self emerges through symbolic interactionism, we will look at other concepts that helps shape and reshape the self through different social interactions.
Symbolic interactionism dates back to George Herbert Mead. According to Mead, we are not born into the person we are today, rather that the person we are is because of our influences and social interactions (Dillon 2013:274). Mead explains that we are always facing an internal battle with ourselves, as we are always reevaluating verbal and non-verbal cues from others and deciding how to respond (Dillon 2013:275). Mead explains that the self surfaces from the interaction between the "I" and the "me." The "I" is created based on the judgement of others; the "me" is how I see "me" based on those judgements (Dillon 2013:276). Therefore, the self is always imagining what others think of them and acts accordingly to their expectations. This process is known as the looking-glass self, by Charles Horton Cooley. He explained that the "self-image" is constructed through our interactions with others; we have an emotional reaction to how we think others think of us (Dillon 2013:276). Mead explains that gestures are just as important as words when communicating. Gestures are visual cues that force us to change our behavior because we have an emotional reaction to others cues (Dillon 2013: 278). This non-verbal communication can take the form of someone looking bored, angry, or intrigued during an interaction. Mead explains that gestures are important symbols in everyday interactions because they shape our interpretations, attitudes, and behaviors (Dillon 2013:279).
Symbolic Interactionists like Herbert Blumer built on the workings of Mead and Cooley and focused on human group life and human conduct (Dillon 2013:280). Blumer recognized the importance of symbolic interactionism at the micro-level of every day encounters. Although these situations are not at the macro-level; their consequences could be just as severe (Dillon 2013:280). Blumer states that we must acknowledge three basic premises for symbolic Interactionism. First, we give meaning to things and act accordingly to those meanings. Second, the meanings that we attach to things are based on the interactions we have with others. Third, the interpretations are processed by the person who encounters these things and situations. (Dillon 2013:280). Blumer states that we are not bound to our interpretations because our social meanings change from situation to situation; instead we redefine meanings and situations with every new encounter (Dillon 2013:281). Blumer incorporates the looking-glass self because for every situation we are worried how others will judge us; so, we reevaluate and readjust ourselves according to their expectations (Dillon 2013:281). We behave differently in social environments because they involve different people and different situations. For example, we engage differently with our friends than we do our coworkers. In a job setting, we try to convey that we are professional by the way we talk and dress. In school, we uphold our titles as students as important by showing up to class on time and involving ourselves in discussion with our professors. Again, we adjust ourselves to each situation based on the meaning that we have attached to it. Blumer also reminds us that our evaluations of ourselves are influenced by our gender, race, age and other attributes we identify with (Dillon 2013:281).
Erving Goffman takes symbolic interactionism even further. He explains that we become actors on a stage through our everyday interactions. Goffman states we are actors because we use gestures, scripts, props, settings, and appearances to convey messages to our audiences (Sandstrom, Martin, and Fine 2006:108). Goffman refers to this as role performance. When we accurately engage in role performance our audience buys into the identity, we are trying to sell them (Sandstrom et al. 2006:109). Goffman's dramaturgical analysis is significant to symbolic interactionism because it is another way in which we seek approval from our audience. Goffman says when we control a situation and persuade our audience to think favorably of us, we are engaging in impression management (Sandstrom et al. 2006:109). Through impression management we put our best foot forward; while concealing other identities that make us look less desirable to our audiences. Goffman clarifies that we are not impostors in doing so, but that we find ourselves in situations where impression management is needed to convey our positive characteristics (Sandstrom et al. 2006:110). Through impression management we seek self-validation through the acceptance of our audiences. When we fail to control the impression we have on our audience it results in a negative self-image (Sandstrom et al. 2006:110). Goffman states that in order for the performer to effectively persuade their audience, they must define a situation correctly (Dillon 2013:284). Therefore, the performer must establish the definition of the situation on the initial encounter with their audience. Goffman reminds us that first impressions last and the performer will face detrimental consequences if he/she misidentifies a situation (Dillon 2013:284). Individuals control the definition of a situation by the personal front they put forward in social interactions (Dillon 2013:284). Goffman says that we rely on our personal front to help communicate who we are to our audience; we use three defining aspects: setting, appearance, and manner (Sandstrom et al. 2006:110). The setting is the actual space where the interaction takes place between the performer and their audience. Goffman says the performer can also manipulate the setting or stage for a more positive reaction from their audience. Appearance refers to not only the visible things that identify us, but also how well we carry ourselves. Goffman says that our appearance is important because it give cues about our persona. Manner is the behavior that we put forward as an actor. We show manner by the way in which engage with people. The manner we set forward with our audience is the basis of the foundation for future interactions. If we engage in a welcoming way, our audience will expect positive encounters with us. If we engage in an unwelcoming way, they will expect negative encounters (Sandstrom et al. 2006:110).
Although most of the time people get the best version of us through our personal front; Goffman recognized that our personal front cannot be on all the time. For this reason, Goffman recognized the importance of regions in between our performances. He referred to these regions as front stage and backstage (Sandstrom et al. 2006:112). The front stage is where we are performing and upholding an appearance for our audience; the backstage is the region where we abandon our appearance and engage in behaviors that would go against our front stage performance (Sandstrom et al. 2006:112). To distinguish the two, we can look at the example of a cashier working in a retail store. In the front stage the cashier is pleasant and attentive to his/her customers. In the backstage like the employee breakroom, the cashier might complain of how annoying customers are. The back stage is important and critical to impression management because it allows performers to disguise behaviors that would otherwise be deemed as unacceptable to their audiences (Sandstrom et al. 2006:112). The backstage should not be viewed as the negative region, but a place where performers can regulate themselves. Goffman explains that back stage is necessary for performers because it allows them to unwind, to be in their natural state, and to prepare for front stage performances (Sandstrom et al. 2006:113).
Since every situation has a different meaning, Goffman said it is important to establish what identities the individual and his/her audience will occupy when interacting (Sandstrom et al. 2006:113). This process is known as identity negotiation. To further explain this concept, we could look at the different identities in our educational institution. The professor to the student or student colleague to student colleague. Identity negotiation is important because it allows us to see ourselves and others as social objects and determines how we will engage with one another (Sandstrom et al. 2006:113). In addition, we have situated identities that are specific to locations. These identities are the basis for our presentation of self. The presentation of self is the way we manipulate our audience and the definition of the situation to obtain a favorable outcome (Sandstrom et al. 2006:114). The objective of the performer is to seek acceptance from his/her audience with little question of their performed role (Sandstrom et al. 2006:114). Individuals want to be seen as good and authentic. We know that we have achieved this when people think well of us.
Symbolic interaction theory gives a sense of self based on the way we respond to others. Through the monumental workings of Mead, Cooley, Blumer, and Goffman we recognize how the self emerges and reemerges through social interactions. Our social interpretations and meanings derive from how others see us, not how we see ourselves. Our reality makes no difference, what matters is how we interpret it. Our sense of self consistently resolves around pleasing others.
Observation Summary
Ethnographic research is based on verbal communication and interactions with people in a particular setting (Warren and Karner 2014:53). In choosing an appropriate setting, the researcher should take into consideration accessibility, geographical proximity, interest of group, and the time constraints (Warren and Karner 2014:58). Also, the researcher must not put themselves in an ethical dilemma by studying the protected population (Warren and Karner 2014:60). Ethnography is not very different from everyday interactions. Goffman's presentation of self surfaces when the researcher enters a setting and joins an interaction (Warren and Karner 2014:62). The researcher must have a presentable appearance (dress, demeanor, props) or manipulate their appearance to give off a positive impression to be accepted by the desired study group (Warren and Karner 2014:62). It is important to learn who your gatekeepers and key informants are in your study group because they are the ones likely to let you in and connect you to who and what you need (Warren and Karner 2014:71)
Once the researcher is accepted into the study group, they will now conduct the ethnography. The field researcher enters a setting as a field researcher; however, other members may assign the researcher to some other role based on embodiment (Warren and Karner 2014:77). Race, age, appearance, demeanor, and gender are all attributes that determine how the researcher is incorporated into the field (Warren and Karner 2014:77). If female researchers are treated as mascots, sexual objects, or a "dancing daughter" they are not taken seriously (Warren and Karner 2014:80). Male researchers are usually treated as apprentices. Where they are accepted and treated like a member (Warren and Karner 2014:81). Sometimes field researchers are seen as spies when they are let into the group by a key informant or gate keeper (Warren and Karner 2014:81). Doing field work can bring out emotional aspects. The researcher must remember the goal is to understand their setting from the inside (Warren and Karner 2014:900. The field researcher must also know when to cut ties with their study group. If they are no longer receiving new or interesting information, or are endangered, it is time to part ways (Warren and Karner 2014:96).
Field notes are the data of ethnographic research (Warren and Karner 2014:101). This is the observation of the study group. Field notes should be "thick" meaning that they contain as much detail as possible (Warren and Karner 2014:104). This means writing down everything you see, smell, hear in an environment (Warren and Karner 2014:104). Jotted notes can be very helpful with time and memory. The researcher should not have their head down in a notebook because they will be missing important observation details (Warren and Karner 2014:106). Recording devices could also be beneficial depending on the setting of the observation, in addition to jotted notes (Warren and Karner 2014:106). In order to make conceptual connections the researcher must take thickly descriptive field notes (Warren and Karner 2014:115).
Interview Summary
Qualitative interviews differ from job interviews, medical interviews, or interviews we see in the media (Warren and Karner 2014:109). They both serve the purpose of becoming acquainted with the interviewee; however, research interviews are about uncovering conceptual and theoretical knowledge (Warren and Karner 2014:109). Research interviews differ from other interviews because the dialogue is surrounding a general or multiple research questions (Warren and Karner 2014:123). It is important to draft an interview guide before meeting with your interviewee so that the conversation does not steer away from the main focus. In order to build rapport an interviewer must never ask anything controversial, intrusive, or bully an interviewee (Warren and Karner 2014:127). Setting up interviews should be done at the convenience of the interviewee. Quiet public places with little to no distraction are the most desirable for recorded interviews (Warren and Karner 2014:138). The goal is to make the interviewee comfortable and the interviewer achieves this by being an active listener, empathetic, non-judgmental, and respectful (Warren and Karner 2014:139).
The interview should be a social interaction. It would be exploitative if the interviewer was only interested in collecting data (Warren and Karner 2014:144). The outcome of the interview relies heavily on the back and forth questioning and answering (Warren and Karner 2014:145). The interview is a process and it is important for the interviewer to build trust and rapport for successful interviews (Warren and Karner 2014:156). The interviewer must be prepared for emotional reactions even if they presume the questions to be non-stressful (Warren and Karner 2014:158). If the interview becomes too overwhelming, the interview must end (Warren and Karner 2014:159). The interview does not necessarily end after the last question. If the interviewee keeps talking, ask if you can keep recording because the information could be valuable (Warren and Karner 2014:159).
Content Analysis Summary
Data analysis is not something a researcher can rush through. Analysis can become overwhelming as it is time-consuming and detail oriented (Warren and Karner 2014:210). The first step for the researcher is to organize their data. They will go through the data to find common patterns and themes. This process is called "open coding" (Warren and Karner 2014:212). The second step is to choose whether you will be manually hand coding (printing original documents, cutting out theme strips, highlighting, or using colored pencils) or using an electronic device (computer and programs) to code (Warren and Karner 2014:215). Once your field notes, interviews, documents, and images have been transcribed and coded, it is time to apply theoretical concepts to your analysis (themes or patterns). Ethnographers apply theoretical concepts to explain social relationships and behavior (Warren and Karner 2014:231). In order to develop concepts and themes, the ethnographer must provide examples that further illustrate them (Warren and Karner 2014:234). Codes need to be labeled with the theoretical concept (i.e. Diagnosis Frame) and directly underneath should be a quote from the original transcribed documents (Warren and Karner 2014:235).
Once the data is collected and the analysis is completed, it is time to write the final paper. The writer must now explain how the data and concepts fit together (Warren and Karner 2014:240). Qualitative writing must be free go grammatical errors, well organized, and incorporate principals. In addition, it is a cognitive process, the writer must decide how to convey their best ideas to their reader (Warren and Karner 2014:241). The most important aspect of writing the final paper is to give yourself enough time (Warren and Karner 2014:242). Another key aspect for the writer is organization. If data needs to be retrieved, it can be found faster if the writer is organized (Warren and Karner 2014:248). Qualitative research papers include an introduction, literature review, methods section, analysis section, and a conclusion (Warren and Karner 2014:251). The analysis section is the most important part of the paper. Here is where the writer will present data and connect it to conceptual ideas (Warren and Karner 2014:264). Quotes will be placed in this section, at least a minimum of three. (Warren and Karner 2014:266). The quotes will come directly from field notes, interviews, documents, and images you collected (Warren and Karner 2014:266). An effective writer will allow themselves time to edit and re-write (Warren and Karner 2014:269). Start with a rough draft then begin editing to make sure your writing is clear, and arguments are logical (Warren and Karner 2014:269).
Methods
Ethnography Methods
The most vital part to my observations was recognizing and remembering my role as the "Martian." This was important because I have been a member of my group for a year and a half. My role as a member is very routine, therefore I had to step out of that role to become an outsider. Learning my new role as the "Martian" was beneficial to my research because it allowed me to eliminate my own biases about my group and fully engage in my observations. I knew I had mastered my role as the "Martian" when I was started to self-talk. I asked myself if my group was really doing the things I put down in my field notes or was I just writing down what I already knew my group was suppose to be doing.
I observed my group over the time period of a week and two days. My observations were conducted between March 29, 2019 to April 7, 2019. The observations ranged from 30 minutes to 1 hour, for a total of four observations. I conducted 3 full hours of observations that involved different social settings and participants. The breakdown of my observations are as follows: on March 29, 2019 at a Central Valley Farmers Market for 1 hour (2:30-3:30pm). On April 3, 2019 at a Central Valley Plaza for 30 minutes (1:15-1:45pm). On April 5, 2019 my second observation at a Central Valley Farmers Market for 1 hour (2:30-3:30pm). On April 7, 2019 at a Residential gleaning for 30 minutes (11:30am-12:00pm). In order to keep the identity of my group, group members, and recovery sites confidential I used disguised names.
In all four of my observations I used thick description to describe each new environment. The importance of using thick description is so that the person reading my observations can feel like they are actually there, which is why I wrote down everything. The concepts that I focused on in my observations were roles, definition of the situation, front stage and backstage, teamwork, and personal front.
I gathered my data by using a note pad, pen and writing jotted notes of my observations. I used few words and keywords that would jog my memory when converting my jotted notes into fully formed sentence notes (transcripts). I uploaded my transcripts into Nvivo. Nvivo is a program used by qualitative researchers to analyze data. I used Nvivo to create 5 theoretical concept nodes to organize data from my transcripts. I placed 3 quotes under each node to show how it relates to the concepts. I also ran a word frequency query in Nvivo to create a word cloud.
I created this word cloud grouping stemmed words. The purpose of constructing the word cloud in Nvivo is to show the words I used the most in my observation transcripts. The first most frequent word I used was "box" at 2.03%. The second most frequent word I used was "vendor" at 1.81%.
Interview Methods
The most vital part to my interviews was playing the role of the "Martian." I was more comfortable playing the "Martian" role this time because I already had experience from doing my observations. Once again, I had to remove my personal ties to the group and become a nonmember. In order for me to conduct good interviews, I had to separate any preexisting information about my members. Therefore, I had to treat each interview as if it was our first encounter.
I conducted my interviews over a ten-day period. My interviews were conducted between April 13, 2019 to April 23, 2019. The interviews ranged from 14 minutes to 27 minutes. I conducted one full hour of interviews between three group members. The breakdown of my interviews are as follows: on April 13, 2019 outside an ice cream shop of a Central Valley shopping center for 27 minutes. On April 22, 2019 at a Central Valley college for 14 minutes. On April 23, 2019 also at the Central Valley college for 18 minutes. In order to protect the identity of my group, group members, and interview locations I used disguised names.
In all three of my interviews, I had each member read and sign an informed consent form. I even went one step further and asked my interviewees for a second verbal consent to be recorded before the interviews started. I created an interview guide to help guide my questions during the interviews. The concepts that I focused on in my interviews were The Self, Roles, Impression Management, Identity Negotiation, and Front Stage and Backstage.
I recorded my interviews using an app called voice recorder on my phone. I chose this app because it has an interview function that worked well in previous interview exercises. During the interviews I placed my phone in between myself and the interviewee so that the voice recorder would record the verbal interaction between us. Once I completed my three interviews, I merged the interviews into one file by using MediaEditor.tk. I decided to merge them all into one file because I wanted to use the Temi software program and you're only allowed one free transcription. I uploaded my audio file into Temi and it produced my transcripts with time stamps and speaker names. I had to edit my transcripts because Temi made some errors while they were transcribed. I had the interviews playing while I followed along word for word with the read along function. I made the corrections as needed and slowed down the speed of the interview for clarification.
Once the transcript was edited, I uploaded it into Nvivo. In Nvivo I created 5 theoretical concept nodes to organize the data from my transcripts. I placed 3 quotes under each node to show how it relates to the concepts. I also ran a word frequency query in Nvivo to create a word cloud.
I created this word cloud grouping stemmed words together. The purpose of constructing the word cloud in Nvivo is to show the frequency of the most commonly used words from my interview transcripts. The first most frequent word that was said during my interviews was "group" at 2.02%. The second most frequent word was "roles" at 1.66%.
Content Analysis Methods
I collected data on my group between the dates of March 18, 2019 to May 8, 2019. My early data collection started with the Vice President of my group sending me current flyers on our organization. A majority of my articles were found by doing a google search on the organization. The rest of the data was collected through their website and social media accounts. Most of the data collected I collected was between the years of 2013 to 2018. In order to keep the identity of my group, group members, partner programs, receiving and recovery sites confidential I used disguised names. I also hid email and contact information to further protect their identities.
Once I gathered all the data, some of the flyers and social media accounts had very little content to analyze. Therefore, I was not able to use at least six of my sources. I had to take several steps in getting the documents ready before analyzing them in Nvivo. First, I pulled up the web articles on my group and copied the text into a word document. Second, for their website and social media accounts, I used the NCapture software program to upload the information into Nvivo. I uploaded the websites as databases and PDF files. Lastly, I used I used Nvivo to create 5 theoretical concept nodes to organize my data. The concepts I focused on were Diagnosis Frame, Prognosis Frame, Identity Frame, Agency Frame, and Frame Bridging. I placed 3 quotes under each node to show how it relates to the concepts. I also ran a word frequency query in Nvivo to create a word cloud.
I created this word cloud grouping stemmed words together. The purpose of constructing the word cloud in Nvivo is to show the frequency of the most commonly used words from my data collection. The first most frequent word that came up in my content analysis documents was "food" at 4.04% and "recovery" at 1.11%.
Analysis
Ethnography Analysis
Thick Description. The first observation I conducted was on March 29, 2019 at a Central Valley Famers Market. The farmers market is in a public parking lot. I describe what I see as I am walking into the entrance:
At 2:30pm I arrive at a central valley farmers market to observe my group. Since this farmers market is in a parking lot there are potholes and little rocks everywhere. There are nine produce stands, five food trucks, and one information booth stand. At 2:33pm Jan and Jo message me to let me know they have arrived. I meet them at the entrance. I notice that both Jan and Jo are wearing black shirts and black pants. As we are walking in, I notice 4 orange cones that are in place to block cars from entering. Immediately I smell tacos from the food trucks and citrus from the stands.
I noticed I was paying attention in detail to the environment. I had counted the produce stands and the food trucks, instead of just saying I saw produce stands and food trucks. I usually look down occasionally where I am walking, but the fact that I noticed pot holes and rocks in the parking lot is not something I normally would not pay attention to.
As we walk further into the farmers market, I start examining and describing what I see at the vendor stands:
During this time, I notice she has pineapples displayed on the higher level of her display and underneath she has a variety of nuts and shelled peanuts, dried fruits, and strawberries to the left side.
I was amazed at how much detail I wrote about the stand. I not only described what the vendor had at their stand, but also the exact locations of where these items were located at the stand.
We approach the next stand and it appears that the vendors are getting ready to leave:
There are two gentlemen working the stand. One has curly hair and the other is wearing a hat. They are taking down the medal rods to their canopy and their van is already parked backwards with the doors open.
Through this observation I did not assume they were leaving early, but instead I wrote down their behaviors that led me to believe they were closing their stand early.
Front Stage and Backstage. For the Front Stage and Back Stage concept, I have included different social settings and different group members to show that everybody engages in both Front Stage and Back Stage behaviors. The first observation of Front Stage and Back Stage was on March 29, 2019 at a Central Valley Farmers Market with Jan and Jo:
The last stand we arrived at was the one closest to the entrance. He said, "the boxes are heavy, have the gentlemen pick them up."
Jo jokes around with Jan and says, "How does he know you could not pick up the box." Jan laughs and says, "Too bad he does not know I'm stronger than you." They both laugh.
In the Backstage the members of my group joked about being physically strong with one another because the vendor said the male volunteer should pick up the box instead of the female member because it was heavy. They did not joke in front of the vendor, they waited until they were away from the stand. They were aware of how joking about physical strength in front of the vendor was not appropriate and maintained their front stage while interacting with him.
The second observation of Front Stage and Backstage was on April 5, 2019 at a Central Valley Farmers Market with Jaz:
At 3:19pm the vendor with the red shirt and checkered apron calls out to Jaz. She said, "I have one more box for you." As she gets closer, she has another box full of eggplants. She said, "take this to the church too." Jaz said, "thank you." As the vendor walks away, Jaz said "I just finished putting the scale away." I assume she is frustrated because she throws her hands up in the air and rolls her eyes.
In the Frontstage of this scenario, Jaz thanks the vendor for her additional donation while she is in front of her. As the vendor walks away Jaz engages in Backstage behavior. She indicates that she is annoyed by rolling her eyes and throwing her hands up in there when the vendor is no longer present. She even implied that the vendor created more work for her as she already put the scale away. However, she keeps her Front Stage persona in front of the vendor because this type of behavior would not be acceptable to the vendor.
The third observation of Front Stage and Backstage was on April 7, 2019 at a residential gleaning with Jan, Jin, and Jax before they began to glean trees in a backyard:
The lady in the pink shirt says, "be careful there is dog poop back there that I have not picked up yet." The members yell out "ok." With disgusted looks on their faces they are looking down to make sure they don't step in poop when the homeowner walks inside.
In the Front Stage my group kept their professional attitudes when the homeowner advised them to watch out for poop on the ground. When she walked inside her home, they displayed their true feelings of disgust by their facial expressions. They knew it would be unprofessional to make such facial gestures if she was present.
Personal Front. I observed how my group used Personal Front to convey to their audiences who they are. In different social settings they used manner, appearance, and setting. My first observation using appearance was with Jen and Jin at a Central Valley Plaza on April 3, 2019:
As I get closer to center, I see my group members. They are sitting on a cement block waiting for me. Jen is dressed like a student. She has a black T-shirt, jeans, brown sandals, and she is wearing her black backpack. Jin is dressed a bit more professional. She has on a yellow sweater, black shirt, jeans, and black closed toed shoes.
Both of their appearances complimented the setting they were in. The Central Valley Plaza is not only a professional business setting, but also where students frequently visit. The officers of the organization used their appearances to convey to their audiences (restaurant managers) that they were professional, but also students when interacting with them.
The second observation of Personal Front was when Jen used manner to interact with staff and management at the Central Valley Plaza restaurants:
Jen asks can "I speak to your manager." The gentleman said, "our manager is actually getting ready to step out, but he will be back soon." Jen looks down at the floor and says, "ok thank you." I assume the gentleman sees the disappointment in her face as her smile changes quickly. He says, "wait let me see if you can talk to him really quick before he leaves. I cannot guarantee it, but I can see." Jen smiles and says, "that would be great, thank you."
Jen uses manner to put her best behavior forward while interacting with her audiences (staff). She thanks the gentleman several times even though she may not get the outcome she hopes for. She stays positive even though her chances of talking to the manager may not occur. By her doing so, she has set the foundation for future positive encounters with this staff member.
The third observation of Personal Front using appearance was with Jan, Jin, and Jax at a Residential gleaning on April 7, 2019:
At 11:30am I arrive at a residence to meet my group. Jan, Jin, and Jax are here today. Jan is wearing a blue school affiliated shirt and black shorts. Jin is wearing a black school affiliated shirt with khakis and a white hat. Jax has a black shirt on with jeans and a black hat.
Jan, Jin, and Jax were wearing relaxed apparel that suited the setting they would be working in. They were going to glean orange and lemon trees, so surely business attire would not be appropriate for this type of work. Jan and Jin both wore school affiliated shirts that further tied them to the setting. This let the homeowner know they were a student led organization doing community work at her residence.
Roles. For the Role concept, I observed how my group upheld their roles as professionals while interacting with the public in different social settings. The first observation of Roles was April 3, 2019 at a Central Valley Plaza with the officers of the organization Jen and Jin:
Jen introduces herself. She said "hi, I'm Jen. I am with a Central Valley Organization at Central Valley college that fights food waste. Our Organization bridges the gap between food waste and people in need. We were wondering if we would be able to recover any surplus food you have and deliver it to a local Central Valley church in need."
Jen's role as an officer requires her to be professional. She greets the person she is interacting with. She introduces herself and the organization she is with. She then goes a step further to describe what her organization does. If Jen went to straight to asking for food donations without providing this important information, she would not be accepted as professional. As an officer of the organization she must be professional when engaging in business.
As we proceeded to the next stop, I observed Jen in her professional officer role again:
Jen stood in front of Jin and started to talk first. She said "hi, I'm Jen and I am with a Central Valley Organization at Central Valley college that fights food waste. We were wondering if we could recover any excess produce from you to give to a local Central Valley Church who is need."
Jen is aware that if she does not perform her role as an officer in a professional manner she will be judged by her audience (restaurant and store managers). She is consistent in every interaction and acts according to their expectations.
The third observation of how roles were played out in my group was with Jaz at a Central Valley Farmers Market on April 5, 2019:
She starts on the left side. The vendor on the left-hand side is wearing a checkered black and white sweater. He says, "I have cucumbers, tangerines, and jalapenos for you." He hands Jaz a black plastic crate. He said, "I have the cucumbers in boxes, but you will have to put the jalapenos in the crate." Jaz goes inside the stand and reaches to grab the black crate from the vendor. She is putting them in the crate fast. She is holding the crate with her left hand and grabbing the jalapenos by bunches and tossing them into the crate. After she is done. She tells the vendor "thank you" and loads the tangerines, cucumbers and jalapenos on her cart.
Jaz's role consists of her having to do more work at some produce stands than others. Some stands she greets, loads the produce, thanks the vendors then moves to the next stand. At this stand she had to pack the part of the produce herself. The vendor expects her to help pack the produce when they have not done so. Since he is donating the produce, he role as member recovering the produce is to help the vendor. If Jaz refused to do this, her role would be judged by the vendor.
Teamwork. It was important to observe my group in different settings involving different members so that I can see how well they performed as a team or if they lacked teamwork. My first observation of teamwork within my group was with Jan, Jin, and Jax at a residential gleaning on April 7, 2019:
Jan adjusts her picker to reach the higher oranges on the tree. I notice Jax struggling to extend her picker. She is trying to undue the black knob that locks the picker in place. She is squinting her face and you can see the pressure she is putting onto the picker. Her face is getting red and she is really trying to adjust the picker. Jan says, "I'll pass you the other picker that one may be stuck. Jan steps away from her orange tree. Picks up the additional picker and walks it over to Jax. She said, "try this one." Jax puts the picker she was using down and grabs the one from Jan. Jax says, "thank you" with a huge smile on her face. I watch her turn the black knob on the picker with no struggle. She did not have to ask Jan for help. Jan heard her in despair and helped fix the situation.
It is important to function as team not only in the Front Stage when people are around but also in the Backstage when nobody is watching. I witnessed that with Jan and Jax. Jan saw her teammate struggling and without hesitation went to help her distressed teammate. Her actions show true teamwork.
The second observation of teamwork was a few minutes after Jan helped Jax. This time my observation was between Jin and Jax:
Jax appears to be struggling with the lemon tree. She is having a hard time pulling off the lemons from the branches. I see the basket picker empty as she lowers it from the tree several times. She sighs and says, "these are hard to get off." Jin asks Jax "would you like to try working on the orange tree with Jan instead?" Jax says, "no it's okay I'm going to keep trying this tree is full of lemons."
Jin tries to diffuse the stressful situation for Jax. She offers to take over the lemon tree so that Jax could try working on the orange tree. Jin trying to make Jax's job easier is definitely an aspect of teamwork.
The third observation of teamwork was between Jin and Jan:
Jin goes over to look at Jan's orange tree. Jan is up against the fence trying to get to the oranges on the back of the tree. Jin also goes the back of the orange tree to help get the stubborn oranges in the back. Jin displays teamwork by going and helping Jan who is struggling with the oranges in the back of the tree.
Again, we see that one teammate goes over to another struggling teammate without being asked. Jin takes it upon herself to help Jan finish picking the orange tree. The fact they engage in teamwork when nobody is looking says how tight-knit this group is.
Definition of the Situation. When dealing with the public I seen my group members define situations using social context. By defining a situation my group members are aware of what is expected of them, who they will interact with and the purpose of their interaction. The first observation of Definition of the Situation was at a Central Valley Farmers Market on March 29, 2019 with Jan and Jo:
There is an older gentleman with grey hair and green shirt walking towards Jan and Jo with the cart they were looking for. He has 3 grey trash cans on it and says, "I'm throwing out the trash, I'll bring the cart to you guys right now." Jan and Jo wait less than a minute for him to come back. They say "thank you" as he gave them the cart.
The gentleman and the members of my group define the situation fast. He knows my group members need the cart to pick up the produce donations which is why he said he would bring it right back to them. He understands that my group members are there to interact with the vendors and their purpose is to recover donated produce.
The second observation of definition of the situation was on April 3, 2019 at a Central Valley Plaza with Jin and Jen:
They walk into the restaurant; Jen walks in first. She tells Jin "I got this one." There is a guy standing behind the counter. He is wearing a black polo shirt. The counter has a grey surface and is made of wood. He is standing a little way from the register and as Jen and Jin approach the counter, he stands in front of the register. I assume he thinks they are customers because he went to the register and put his hands on the register. Jin asks "can I speak to your manager?"
Jen takes handle of the situation when she asked to speak to the manager. It was not until then that the guy standing behind the counter of the restaurant assumed, she was a customer. By his actions of approaching the cash register and placing his hands on it, I assumed he thought they were customers. Jen defined the situation by asking for the manager because he was who she needed to interact with for organization business.
The third observation of defining a situation was on April 7, 2019 at a residential gleaning with Jan, Jin, and Jax:
Jin knocks at the door. A lady wearing a light pink shirt answers the door. She says "Hi, you guys are back." Jin said "good morning, yes we're back to finish the job." The lady said, "I'll open the side gate for you."
My group members easily defined the situation. They have arrived on a Sunday morning to finish a job they had started the previous day. The homeowner was aware of the situation without hesitation, as she stated she would open the gate for them. My group knew they had to interact with the homeowner, be respectful of her property, and their purpose was to conduct community work.
Interview Analysis
The Self. For The Self concept, I thought it was important to ask my group members how they felt others in their group life judged them. As we know the self is always imagining what others think of them, then bases their actions on those judgements. My first interview question about The Self was on April 13, 2019 outside an ice cream shop with Jin:
Okay. Positively I would say they always admire what we do. Is it you know it's a lot of work, you know Fridays weighing everything. Um, what else? I think, um, they admire also that we are trying to give, um, our community you know the food that we do recover and it's helping in a positive way. Um, cause you know, of food deserts, food insecurity is prominent, not only like um in our neighborhoods but also in college students and I think that's something they understand.
Jin believes that others in her group judge her positively because of what she gives back to her community. Jin's participation in the group is based on the admiration she receives from her group members.
The second time I asked The Self question was on April 22, 2019 at a Central Valley College with Jen:
I think that they judge me as a good member because I always communicate of like when I can go to which gleanings or what I can contribute to and what like what I can't contribute to. So there's always like clear communication of like who's doing what. And I think that's an indicator of like a good member if like we're all on the same page and communication.
Jen believes that she is judged as a good member because she has clear communication with her group about when and where she can contribute her time. Therefore, Jen's continuous communication is based on her perceived expectations of her group.
The third time I asked The Self question was on April 23, 2019 also at the Central Valley College with Jet:
Probably slightly more mentor-ish because I'm older. I think between being older and being highly organized out of need it um I kind of have like a probably a more of a mentor than a peer role sometimes.
Jet believes that her group sees her positively and specifically as a mentor to her group. Although she added that age may be a factor to why they see her as a mentor, she still sees that as a positive. Jet continues to be highly organized because she believes that to be an important aspect to her group's expectations.
Roles. For the Role concept, I wanted to know what statuses and roles my group members possess in their group life. Specifically, I wanted to know the expected behaviors tied to their statuses. My first interview question about Roles was on April 13, 2019 outside an ice cream shop with Jin:
Okay, so as a vice president I am the community outreach person. So with, um, [Central Valley Church], I'm their contact person. So [Church leader name hidden] the leader of like that hot meal program she contacts me if there's any problems or there's like food shortages or what else? Kind of like I said, for responsible for community outreach. So if we need more recovering places I call churches. Um, you know shelters to see if we can donate food. Uh, let's see, during group officer during meetings, I, if the president is not there, I take responsibility. If we have new members to show them what we do and you know.
Jin said she serves as the Vice President for the organization. She not only explained what is expected from her in role, but also the role that she is responsible to uphold when the President of the club is not present. In addition to her community outreach duties, she is also responsible for new members when the President is not around.
The second time I asked the Roles question was on April 22, 2019 at a Central Valley College with Jen:
MMM. I help uh recover food from locations that have like an excess of food so that we can donate it. Um, I also help make the food at um the church that we give out to people. Um, I help with like some of the events we do like to spread awareness and you know Kinda help pick up the slack where, you know, if someone can't make it to an event then I'll come step in. We kind of like trying to balance out who's doing what and like so we can all like help each other out
Um, I'm the treasurer. Um, I help with seeing like what things we, the group might need like in terms of like supplies or like the budget of like how much that's going to cost and I help get that money out of our like account to buy the supplies we need.
Jen said her role as the Treasurer requires her to oversee the budget for the club. She is responsible taking inventory on what the group needs and withdrawing the funds from their club. In addition, she also described what is expected outside of her role as Treasurer. She is responsible for helping with food recoveries, food preparations, and awareness events when the group is shorthanded.
The third time I asked the Roles question was on April 23, 2019 also at the Central Valley College with Jet:
So, I'm actually here an extra unplanned semester, so I'm no longer a treasurer. And unfortunately my class schedule hasn't allowed me to volunteer as and be a part of the group as much this semester, but they still reach out to me. So I'm like, uh, I'm a senior resource and because I'm taking a course with [Adviser name hidden] again, I'm kind of like a relay mediator at it. Keeping information between the two flowing. Um, so yeah.
Jet explained that her current position with the group is the Mediator and senior resource. In her current role she relays important information from the Advisor to the group. Although she explained that she had to exit her role as the Treasurer, she is still responsible for keeping important information flowing between the Advisor and the group.
A common theme I noticed with the member's responses is they had to exit their main roles and enter new roles depending on the needs of the group. Specifically exiting as a Vice President and entering the role of the President. Also exiting the role of the Treasurer and entering the role of a volunteer on an as needed basis.
Impression Management. For the Impression Management concept, I wanted to see how my group conducted themselves while interacting with other group members and the communities they serve. Through Impression Management we put our best foot forward while concealing other identities that would make us look less desirable to our audiences. My first interview question about Impression Management was on April 13, 2019 outside an ice cream shop with Jin:
Yeah, of course. I think, um this club since there are so many aspects to it we always have to make sure we do our best. Um, for instance when we had that problem with risk managing management, where we couldn't, it wasn't certain if we wouldn't be able to recover from new places or even keep our current recovery sites. Um, we have to make sure you know our operational statement was you know perfect. Um, we had to make sure our paperwork was done. Uh, drivers um defense certificate has to be updated. So it's always like you know we got to do our best in order to
You know [inaudible 2 seconds] In order for us to continue. And also, um, it's not just up to us. It's like since we're a community based organization where we give back to the community, it's not just us in the line. It's also on the people who are helping.
Jin explains how crucial it is for the group to put their best foot forward. She mentioned a stressful occasion for the group and how it was important for them to gather the appropriate documentation in order to keep the organization running and taking on new recovery sites. If they had not perfected their operational statement or finished defensive drivers training the organization would look less desirable and that would produce a negative image for the group.
The second time I asked the Impression Management question was on April 22, 2019 at a Central Valley College with Jen:
Yeah, I do. I always try to be the best person that I can especially when it comes to other people because I want them to view me as like a hard worker, you know, so that they can um like put in a good word for me if like someone ever asks about me like Oh, is she a hard worker? Is like, who is she as a person? So that I can always like have a positive influence on people. Maybe that can inspire other people as well.
Jen specifically explains that she puts her best foot forward because she wants to be seen as a hard worker. She also mentioned when people ask about the type of person she is, she wants to be seen as a positive influence. She makes her positive characteristics more visible and hides her less desirable characteristics because she hopes to be an inspiration to other people as well.
The third time I asked the Impression Management question was on April 23, 2019 also at the Central Valley College with Jet:
Um, yes. In particular pertaining to when I was treasurer. So there's a lot of um coordinating just our own schedules um trying to be available to everybody and accommodate, accommodate those schedules. And then also working in tandem with um one of our bigger partners is um the [Central Valley] program in the [Central Valley] area and [Central Valley] ministries. And we had, um, one of the liaisons for their group come to one of our officer meetings. And since then I've been, um I think from our group a little bit more in contact with her, I've done some volunteer hours with her organization also. So I don't know, just kind of overall keeping things together.
Jet talked about putting her best foot forward when working with partners of the organization, especially when they were present at groups meetings. She explained that coordinating schedules and making herself available shaped her favorable representation. In addition, she also volunteered with the partner organization that reinforced her positive characteristics and conveyed her commitment to her organization's mission.
Identity Negotiation. For the Identity Negotiation concept, I wanted to see how my group used their identities to engage with others. Through Identity Negotiation we see ourselves and others as social objects and that determines how we will interact with one another. My first interview question on Identity Negotiation was on April 13, 2019 outside an ice cream shop with Jin:
Yeah. Um like I stated before we even though we do have a title um if someone is unable to do their role for a certain reason. We jump in so our roles you know they change you know like maybe on a weekly basis. Where like, oh like I can't do this, but you know I volunteer I can do it. And you know it's having I think it's um nice and it takes a lot of commitment for us to actually um not commitment trust there you go trust. Because as a group, as an officer, we have to trust on each other that if one doesn't do it, one will.
Jin touches on something very important by saying that titles help negotiate identities. She differentiated her role as an officer and the role of a volunteer. She explained having to take on the identity of another officer when needed and the volunteer cannot take on those identities.
The second time I asked the Identity Negotiation question was on April 22, 2019 at a Central Valley College with Jen:
I think in some certain situations I can like say um we need to take money out to buy supplies. I can say that's more specifically my role as treasurer, but I feel like we all share a lot of the volunteer roles are all pretty similar. You know like when we go recover food, we're all like doing the same work. But then when we need to like do other like more like management things like, oh, we need to order some more baskets or we need to you know start promoting our club you know then I feel like we like separated from our more specific roles.
Again we see that titles are important for distinguishing identities and duties between the officers and volunteers. Specifically, Jen talked about sharing the role of volunteer work, but when it comes management duties, that is strictly specific to the officers of the organization. She mentioned that only the Treasurer has authority to withdrawal funds for the organization where volunteers cannot access those funds.
The third time I asked the Identity Negotiation question was on April 23, 2019 also at the Central Valley College with Jet:
Oh yea. So titles have a good a guideline for that. So besides the emails and preparation time while we're having not just the volunteer meetings, but like the officer meetings, we kind of pre delegate how we're going to do that, who's gonna do what and who might be paired with, so you might be sharing certain things. Yeah. Like for the tabling events or volunteering or the gleanings require a lot more coordinating because a lot of times we have volunteers that we don't normally have. And so it's a coordinating process and trying to reach the ultimate goal, include everybody and include and had been working in efficient way.
We see the same narrative again. Titles play an important role when it come Identity Negotiation. Jet mentioned that officers and volunteers have separate meetings for the fact that the officers must prepare and pre delegate work for the volunteers at gleaning, tabling, and volunteer events.
There is a clear distinction between the different identities of the officers and volunteers in the organization. They interact according to those identities, where the officers have more authority and the volunteers take direction from them.
Front Stage and Backstage. For the Front Stage and Backstage concept, I wanted to examine how my group prepared for their professional roles in the organization. I was not only interested in how they present themselves in the front stage, but the preparation that goes into preparing for the front stage. My first interview question about Front Stage and Backstage was on April 13, 2019 outside an ice cream shop with Jin:
So before I became a an officer that so that experiencing um personally what they went through, like seeing oh okay like if we have this problem, here's the solution. That kind of helped me now to navigate our problems we have today. Also, um you know when I became an officer, I, we do have a Google drive. So I had to prepare myself for all the hectic that we have in that Google drive like meeting times, gleaning requests um presentations and all that. So, you know I had to find that time to go through it and really prepare myself to whenever I talk to people about our club. To say, yeah, like we started back in 2013 or like how many pounds did we recover, or you know different statistics or, and all that. So I think, yeah it's finding time to go through all our documents and see what the other past officers did to get where we are now.
Jin stated something very important about her preparation for the Front Stage. She talked about how hectic things can get in backstage while preparing for her interaction with others. She mentioned the importance of going through past and present information before talking about the organization to others. She talked about having to schedule meeting times, gleaning requests, and putting presentations together. This is all activity going on in the Backstage that most people do not see.
The second time I asked the Front Stage and Backstage question was on April 22, 2019 at a Central Valley College with Jen:
I always try to, kind of and tying it back to Communication. Always having like my resources available like having you know our communication through the APP and like my phone and text message try to you know keep on top of everything that's happening in the club. Yeah. I'm making sure to respond to things even if I can't you know make it or it's not something I could do at the moment. At least, maybe I can do something else instead so I can kind of you know still contribute and be professional instead of just like ignore it or you know not reply. And still be like an active member and like try to help with whatever way I can. So it makes it seem like you know I'm here I'm ready to help not just a member. I'm like, I play a big role in this club.
Jen talked about her preparation for her role in the organization and how it is important to keep on top of everything going on with the organization. Specifically, she mentioned communicating through an organization App and through text messages even if she may not be available. She feels that this backstage communication makes her more than a member, that it prepares her for the big role she plays in the organization (Front Stage).
The third time I asked the Front Stage and Backstage question was on April 23, 2019 also at the Central Valley College with Jet:
MMM. it's a lot of little time put into just like reviewing emails. We all have access to the group email, but it's about taking the time to read through them. And if someone hasn't had a chance to see them, to just pop up and bring up some information to attention to um coordinate um that maybe we all saw the same email, but to coordinate and bring it up and make sure that somebody's actually working on responding or on the information that was being requested. Um, and then I've just in general like to put in some time as far as what's going to be covered at a meeting, prioritize the information that needs to be covered. And I'm also trying to do things for us. Like the end of last semester we did a little gift exchange and so it builds an intimacy with your officers and not just the mundane duties that we have, but to try and to bring it home a little bit. I think.
Jet mentioned how much preparation goes into reviewing emails, responding, and coordinating what is being requested from the organization. She explains how important it is to prioritize information that needs to be covered at organization meetings. In addition, Jet also creates events for the officers to engage in separately from their group work. Again, this is all preparation for the Front Stage. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing organization meetings, officer events, and email communications that is hidden in the Backstage in order to present the Professional Frontstage role.
Content Analysis
Diagnosis Frame. While analyzing my group's documents, I noticed they used the Diagnosis Frame very well to explain the injustice they are trying to combat. My group is currently trying to bridge the gap between food waste and feeding people in need. In every document I analyzed they start off by explaining the injustice. Here is the first document:
The Central Valley Organization, which became the first in the CSU system to join the national organization, is a food rescue project created by [name hidden], a sociology professor, and a group of bright and passionate students who wanted to address food insecurity in their own community and on the Central Valley campus. Their mission is "to unite students at universities to fight food waste and hunger by recovering surplus perishable food from their campuses and surrounding communities that would otherwise go to waste, and donating it to people in need."
It explains the injustice of food insecurity in Central Valley communities and a specific Central Valley Campus. In addition, it explains the group was organized to fight food waste and hunger by donating to communities and campuses in need.
The second document that states the injustice:
More than 64,000 people in the Central Valley have empty refrigerators every month. Eighty percent of them do not have enough meat, bread, fruits, or vegetables. Seventy-one percent have small children and not enough milk. Among the Central Valley County residents 16.6 percent of the population have food insecurity, not knowing how they will get their next meal.
The injustice of food insecurity is broken down by how many people and the percentage of people in the Central Valley are struggling to keep food in their refrigerators Specifically, even mentions children going without milk which is one of the key nutrients for them.
The third document that states the injustice:
The Central Valley reported above the national average on hunger at 22% of families struggling with hunger. Geographically we live in the hub of agriculture that grows enough food to feed the nation.
The injustice of food insecurity is now explained at the National level. It also brings our attention to the Central Valley being located in the hub of agriculture, yet so many families are still struggling with hunger.
Prognosis Frame. It is important to offer a solution to an injustice in order to get people involved. My group explains the actions they are taking to combat food waste to encourage others to get involved. Here is the first document where they explain their contributions to fighting food insecurity and feeding people in need:
Through meetings with the Central Valley College Dining Services and Risk Management, the Central Vally Organization was able to recover surplus food from the Dining Hall on campus, and from the Central Valley Famers Market. The Central Valley Church became a receiving site for the recovered food. The Central Valley Organization also created a hot meal program to provide dinners every Friday to feed the community and students.
The group explains how they are recovering excess food from a Central Valley University dining hall and a Central Valley Farmers Market to donate to a Central Valley church. In addition, they also organized a hot meal program to feed communities and students.
The second document where my group explains their actions to combat food insecurity:
"We make sure to meet as many local vendors as we can so they know about us," [name hidden]. "It's a community effort. They give us the food and we take it where it needs to go." "It's really important that we educate people on the reality of this situation," [name hidden] said. "Our philosophy is to do what we can with what we have," [name hidden] said. "It might not be a lot, but we are making a difference in our own way."
The group explains how they created a network with local vendors to have additional food donors. They further explain that the amount they recover from local vendors is not a large amount, but it is still making a difference on a smaller scale.
The third document explains the actions others can take to combat food insecurity:
The biggest ways that you can help are to spread awareness of the lack of food security at the Central Valley College and to give support to the Central Valley Organization. Talk to friends, family, professors, administrators, community members, and businesses; everyone you know! We want to spread the word about the prevalence of food insecurity and to spread the notion that people should not be embarrassed to get the help they need. Services are there to help with no shame required.
The group not only explains what they are doing to combat food insecurity, but what others can do to get involved. They explain simply spreading prevalence about food insecurity is important because there are services (like my group) to help.
Identity Frame. The Identity Frame explains who the group is and the audience they are trying to reach. The Identity Frame also explains what it means to be a member of a particular group and how people can change things. Here is the first document that explains who the members of the group are:
Our student volunteers come from all sorts of majors and backgrounds. Together, we reduce food waste and feed the hungry in the Central Valley. Through hours and hours of working together, our team has become a close-knit family trying to make positive changes in the world.
The group encourages all students from different majors and backgrounds to join their organization. They convince their audiences by describing themselves as more than an organization, they see themselves as a family working together to make change.
The second document that explains who the members of the group are:
I have been volunteering at the Friday night dinners since they began this past summer. They require a lot of work; we have anywhere from 50-80 dinner guests per week! As I've volunteered, I have gained a lot of experience with food preparation, as well as learned more and more about the issue of food insecurity in our valley, and in the Central Valley area.
One group member specifically states how she sacrifices her Friday nights to prepare hot meals for a community in need. In turn, she also has gained experience in preparing food. In serving 50-80 people every Friday she sees the difference she is making to fight food insecurity.
The third document that explains who the members of the group are:
[name hidden] understands the severity of this crisis because of a personal connection to the cause."I came from a food-unstable household," [name hidden] said. "We never knew where our next meal was coming from, and it makes me cry seeing so much food go to waste."
For this member being a part of this group has a special meaning. Experiencing food insecurity created an immediate bond to the organization. He wants to decrease food waste and feed people in need because he once suffered from hunger. He is probably not the only person who has faced food insecurity, which is why his voice is important to reach out to others like him. Having such personal ties to this social injustice is what makes him work hard as a member.
Agency Frame. The Agency Frame is important because it creates empowerment and motivates people to join organizations. Success stories not only explain, but show others that change can be made. In addition, sometimes people need incentives to get involved. They may really want to join an organization, but for whatever reason are on the fence about joining. Incentives motivate others to join. Here is the first document that shows how someone might be motivated to join:
To keep the food rescue project sustainable, the sociology faculty advisers incorporated the food recovery project in their service-learning courses and offered semester credits for participation in the Central Valley Organization. The Agriculture Department incorporated the project to teach logistics, planning techniques, event coordination, and risk management.
Incorporating service-learning credits with the food recovery project would definitely be an incentive for someone who wanted to join the organization, but was worried about the time it might take away from other classes.
In this second document my group showcases success stories to empower people to join:
The Central Valley Organization is proud to say we have recovered over 38,674 pounds of food to date.
The group showcases the pounds of food they have recovered to help combat food waste. This is a success story used to motivate people to join. They are saying they have recovered this amount of food, so surely more can recovered to continue fighting food waste and hunger.
This third document is another success story from my group:
Another successful recovery yesterday, recovering and distributing more than 780lbs of food!
Recovering 780 pounds of food in just one day is another success story. My group is visually empowering others to join by showing the amount of food collected in just one day's work.
Frame Bridging. Frame Bridging is important because it brings people together. Specifically, for an organization trying to combat food insecurity, it's about networking with others who believe in the organization's vision. Here is the first document that shows how my group has networked with others:
Our adviser contacted our Central Valley Food Bank to orchestrate pickup services. We knew we would be gleaning hundreds of pounds of fruit, and the Central Valley food bank was able to deliver large bins on palettes, pick them up, transport, and disperse the fruit.
The Central Valley Food Back works with the Central Valley Organization on gleaning recoveries. They share the same mission of feeding people in need. They assist in the whole process from the delivery of bins, pick up, and the dispersing of the fruit to people in need.
The second document that shows how my group has networked with others to fight food waste:
Our very own Central Valley Students have jumped on board and have become a chapter for the Central Valley Organization. Now partnering with the Central Valley University Dinning Hall, local restaurants, and farmer's markets
The University Dining Hall, local restaurants, and farmers markets donate excess food to the Central Valley Organization so that it could be dispersed to where it is needed. The Central Valley Organization orchestrates a suitable time for the businesses, and they pick up the food at no extra cost to the business. These businesses believe in fighting food waste, which is why they donate to the surplus food to my group.
The third document that shows how my group has networked with others to fight food waste:
Partner Program is a community food partnership created by a Central Valley church that works to fight against food insecurity and environmental issues. The project was inspired by the Central Valley Organization model where students volunteer to recover surplus, edible food that would otherwise go to waste and donate it to people in need in their community.
In addition to networking with others, my group also inspired our partner organization to adopt the same food waste model to fight against food insecurity. So not only do they believe in the vision of the Central Valley Organization, they implement the same model in their weekly operations. They also donate to the same Central Valley Church on Fridays so that there is enough food for the dinner guests.
When I first started my observations and interviews, it was hard to play the "Martian" role in a group that I had such strong ties to. However, I noticed that once I embraced my role as the "Martian" I was able to take better notes and really observe my group instead of writing what I knew about them. In my interviews, I had to do the same. I had to rid any knowledge of their titles, roles, and what I knew of them as members. Through both my observations and interviews, I found that my group uses symbolic interaction theory in their day to day operations for their organization. Specifically, through observations and interviews, I saw how they interacted with each other and the public. I was able to connect my interviewees responses to symbolic interactionism by asking questions surrounding issues of theory. I was able to connect their interactions and responses to theoretical concepts such as: Frontstage and Backstage, Personal Front, Roles, Teamwork, Definition of the situation, The Self, Impression Management, and Identity Negotiation
In reviewing the printed materials on my group, I found that my group uses Goffman's framing concepts. They want the world to see the injustice of food waste through their lens. They use the Diagnosis Frame to describe the injustice of food insecurity, food waste, and people suffering from hunger. They use the Prognosis Frame to describe the solutions that can be taken to help combat this injustice. Through the Identity Frame, they explain who they are and their specific stories that tie them to their group. Specifically, in the flyers, I saw how my group used the Agency Frame to capture the attention of their audiences. They talked about their success stories to empower others to join their organization. They used Frame Bridging to explain how they came together with other organizations that believed in their vision to fight food waste and feed people in need.
References
Dillon, Michele. 2013. Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts, and Their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. Retrieved March 6, 2019 (https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csufresno/detail.action?docID=1566387).
Sandstrom, Kent, Daniel Martin, and Gary Alan Fine. 2006. The Nature and Significance of the Self. Chapter 4. Symbols Selves and Social Reality 2nd.ed. Retrieved March 7, 2019 (https://fresnostate.app.box.com/file/408800769118).
Warren, Carol A. B., and Tracy Xavia Karner. 2014. Discovering Qualitative Methods. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press.
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