This week, Jessica Gordon-Nembhard writes about how the first nationwide directory of worker co-ops - compiled by GEO and titled An Economy of Hope - sowed the seeds for what would eventually become the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives.
Then, Mike Hales writes about his experiences at this year's World Social Forum, which was held in Kathmandu, Nepal in February with the theme "Another World is Possible."
From “An Economy of Hope” to the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives
by Jessica Gordon-Nembhard
In 2000, GEO only found about 300 examples of worker ownership and democratic workplaces, many of them worker co-ops, in the US. Some of these democratic enterprises knew about each other, but most did not. The Network of Bay Area Worker Cooperatives (NOBAWC) had existed since 1994 and provided a model for local coalitions of worker co-ops and democratic workplaces, but there really were not any other local worker co-op networks yet.
Report from the World Social Forum 2024, Kathmandu
by Mike Hales
The big thing I brought home in my head and heart was the massive up-frontness of peasant (rural) life and survival, and marginality more broadly (for example, for low-caste peoples and for migrants). The huge majority of participants in this WSF were from the global South (specifically the Indian subcontinent) and ‘the other end’ of dynamics was powerfully present there, in contrast to what routinely presents itself in the global North.
Adaptive Organizations – Power-with + Power-within
Sociocracy for All (YouTube) — Have you tried converting your team or organization to using Sociocracy, or would like to? Implementing Sociocracy isn’t always easy! Any organizational transition comes with a natural resistance to change – even when that change is positive. That’s why Bernadette uses a holistic approach to implementing Sociocracy which includes structure, culture and capacities...
Crafting community: An artisan co–op workshop
Your way, together — In a world where mass production dominates, artisanal work is vital. This workshop is for artisans, crafters, and creatives who are passionate about preserving the integrity of handmade goods while navigating the modern business landscape. This engaging and insightful workshop will explore the logistics of creating a co-op, protecting your work, and reaching new markets...
Neurodivergent Futures Cooperative
Co-operatives First — Looking for resources and community that worked for them, a group of young, neurodivergent people came together to create a co-op – and a platform – that would help others like themselves. The group formed the Neurodivergent Futures Cooperative, which created ND Connect – an online platform that helps users to find “mentors, friends, and an authentic, supportive community that understands you and wants to help you thrive”...
New on our YouTube Channel
Interview with McKenzie Jones of Tribeworks and The Worker Place
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