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This interview is part of Strange Futures, a column hosted by Willa Köerner of The Strange Foundation, which features artists and organizers who are actively creating transformation in this moment.

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"Working cooperatively is in our bones, it's in our blood. Caring for each other is part of our survival," says Steph Wiley. He stands on an industrial street in Brownsville, New York.

A new (and open) cooperativism has been proposed as a viable conceptualisation for the rapid (re)development of cooperative values and principles in grassroots movements rather than the institutions of ‘old’ (consumer-based) co-operatives.

University of North Carolina (UNC) research has documented the relentless spread of news deserts from coast to coast.

But wait—what’s that glow on the horizon?

These communities are also seen as increasingly attractive investments by the likes of private equity firms. The Private Equity Stakeholder Project estimates that they provide a reliable annual return of 4% or more, which is double the rate of real estate trust return. These businesses seek to maximise the rent fees while spending the minimum amount possible to maintain the infrastructure. A great cause of distress to the residents is often the rent increases, poor infrastructure and the threat of being priced out.

Topic: So, You Want to Build a Platform Co-Op ...

Description: Join Joesph Cureton (Obran Cooperative, U.S.A.), Juho Makkonen (Sharetribe, Finland), Hugo Pimental Felinto (Coopersystem, Brazil), and Polly Robbins (Outlandish, U.K.) for a round of practical advice on how to start building cooperative platforms. The short presentations will cover recommendations on hosting your project, models of co-op ownership, and more.

Moderated by Trebor Scholz.

As part of the RADfest series by the Platform Cooperativism Consortium.

5-Week Online Course | Starts March 11

Groups often get bogged down by their decision making and meeting process. Poorly held processes can diminish energy for the work of the group and undercuts the sense of joy and identification among members. This does not have to be the fate of your group! The secret of happy and productive groups is great facilitation. Gain the confidence and skills you’ll need to facilitate your group, team, or community towards greater effectiveness and cooperation through this online course.

Please join NYC Network of Worker Cooperatives (NYC NOWC) and its members on March 23rd for our first ever Candidate Forum.  The forum will celebrate the groundbreaking launch of NYC’s Future is Cooperative: A Policy Platform by & for Worker Cooperatives, the culmination of years of work by NYC NOWC members, partners and allies who identified the needs of worker cooperatives in NYC and how the city can effectively create an environment that supports them.  The platform explores policies that could support worker cooperatives,  related to:

CFL’s Cooperative Development Program (CDP) is a nationally-recognized leader in development of
worker-owned cooperative businesses in immigrant, low-income communities. Worker cooperatives are
wholly worker-owned and democratically-run, which means that workers set their own fair wages,
schedules, and business practices. Since 2006, we have provided tailored technical assistance and
training to 21 cooperatives representing 540 worker-owners, and trained 30+ community-based

The idea of informally helping each other through mutual aid is prized during this lockdown, but coming together through informal co-ops is not new for Black Canadians. It has always been a tradition of the Black diaspora in Canada and elsewhere. But as we live in pandemic times, informal collectivity is now valuable and viewed with respect.

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Thu, April 8, 2021

12:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET

featuring:

Kali Akuno – Executive Director, British Columbia Civil Liberties Association

Rebecca Lurie - Director, Community & Workers Ownership Project, CUNY SLU

Register for this free online seminar