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This week we’re talking about fights for public ownership of the internet in the United States, seeds in Japan, housing in Berlin and much more.
Stories From the Field
Internet for All: 750 municipalities in the United States have already created their own internet service according to NEC Member Institute for Local Self Reliance. What would it take to do more? As the country chatters about breaking up tech giants, read about the potential for internet as a public utility.
Don’t Tell Me About Your Priorities, Show Me Your Budget: Trump may still be hiding his tax returns, but the proposed Federal Budget is out for all to see — and it’s not pretty. NEC Members Institute for Policy Studies and the National Priorities Project weigh in.
Go Home To Your 'Dying' Hometown: If injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere, what does it mean to leave the place you grew up and take your justice seeking elsewhere? With unprecedented numbers streaming to urban hubs, Michele Alexander went home to rural Minnesota and found herself more involved in social and racial justice, economic development and feminism than ever before. Read the New York Times homecoming piece from the Program Director of NEC Member Springboard for the Arts.
Solidarity Economies Abroad
Berlin Builds the Foundation of a Housing Revolution: With 85% of its housing stock rented by tenants, Berlin’s increasing affordability crisis has sparked a total rehaul of how housing is managed. CityLab has the breakdown from rights of first refusal to a spike in publicly owned units.
Saving Japan’s seed heritage from “free trade”: Masahiko Yamada, Japan’s former Minister of Agriculture, talks about how the privatization of the very seeds that grow the food we eat leaves the public benefit of food in peril in Japan and worldwide. See what NEC Member Local Futures learned about Japan's strategies to combat concentrated ownership of seeds.
Why We Need A Next System
In a speech at the Bioneers Conference, Gar Alperovitz, co-founder of NEC Member The Democracy Collaborative and co-chair of its The Next System Project, shows how we can begin to build together for the systemic change we need to save both democracy and the planet. Check out the full speech here.
Grist 50! 2019 Features 3 NEC Members
Each year, Grist assembles a list of 50 leaders, “cooking up the boldest, most innovative solutions you haven’t yet heard of to fix the biggest challenges that face our globe.” We’re proud to say that three, count ‘em T-H-R-E-E grace the staffs of NEC Member Organizations with their work. Congratulations to Adrien Salazar – Campaign Strategist for Climate Equity of Demos; Nsombi A. Lambright – Executive Director of One Voice; and Akilah Sanders-Reed – Oil Free Organizer for Power Shift Network. Read more about our NEC representatives and other inspiring leaders on the Grist 50! 2019 list!
Local Futures Video Series Completed
Throughout early 2019, NEC Member Local Futures has been sharing short films that feature local food and farming projects around the world — with a particular focus on projects started by young people. Eating local food is a powerful solution-multiplier — it reduces our carbon footprint, pollution and waste, while creating dignified livelihood opportunities, strengthening communities and local economies and strengthening our bodies with healthy fresh food in the process. The last part of the seven-week series was just released this week. Check out the wealth of local food stories here.
Movement News
- How Liberatory Philanthropy and Restorative Investing Can Remake the Economy
- Cars are killing us. Within 10 years, we must phase them out
- Anand Giridharadas: 'What wealthy people do is rig the discourse'
- Noam Chomsky: 'In a couple of generations, organized human society may not survive.'
- Residents Sue Washington D.C. For Racist Gentrification Practices
- Adults failed to take climate action. Meet the young activists stepping up
- Houston plan to expand affordable housing will rely on land trust, subsidies
- Enough “Free Trade.” We Need Solidarity Economies and Reparations
- New York AG Letitia James announces funding for new and expanding below-market housing
- New Maps Show Alarming Pattern of Dollar Stores’ Spread in U.S. Cities
- Podcast: People Love Local Food. Yet Local Farmers are Disappearing. What’s Going On?
- Consider An ESOP As Your First, Not Last, Resort
- Empowering a New Generation of Employees through Shared Ownership
- Southwest Virginia awarded grants for innovative coal mine reclamation projects
- Food, Climate, and the Green New Deal: A Social Contract for Justice?
- How a Project in Boston is Mixing Philanthropy and Investments to Reimagine Capitalism
- ILSR Statement on Sen. Warren’s proposal to Break Up Big Tech
- Democratize Finance, Euthanize the Fossil Fuel Industry
- The Green New Deal is a chance to address big banks who are financing climate destruction and mass incarceration
- Out to Win! LeftRoots Journal Published
NEC on The Gram
Follow NEC on Instagram – @NewEconomyCoalition – where we’re lifting up the events and systems visioning that our members are carrying out in powerful and creative ways.
Forge Fellowship, Roosevelt Institute (Application Due Tomorrow 3/15)
Community and Ally Outreach Coordinator, Harvard Law School's International Human Rights Clinic and MSI Integrity
Campaign Coordinator: Real Meals Campaign, HEAL Food Alliance
Associate: Outreach, Membership, and Development, Center on Wisconsin Strategy University of Wisconsin
Communications Manager, Southerners on New Ground
Jefferson County Organizer, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth
Executive Director, Power Shift Network
Various Positions, Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED)
Humane Resources Coordinator, AORTA
Various Positions, North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO)
Various Positions, Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP)
Various Positions, Better Future Project
Digital Engagement Organizer, Corporate Accountability
Staff Director, Northern Plains Resource Council
Development Director, United for a Fair Economy
"The Future of Work is Now” Cohort, Transform Finance
Program Director – Harmony Initiative, Justice Funders
Campaign Fellow, Movement School
Program Director, Coro New York Leadership Center
Various Positions, Allied Media Project
Various Positions, Energy Justice Network
Executive Director, Cooperative Fund of New England
Storytelling Director, Mijente
Various Positions, Race Forward
Digital Coordinator, Resource Generation
Loan Administrator, Shared Capital Cooperative
Communications & Cooperative Developer, Center for Family Life
Northwest/Central Vermont Housing Cooperative Specialist, Cooperative Development Institute
Communications Director, New Florida Majority
Executive Director, Power Shift Network
Program Director, San Francisco Rising
Cultural Organizer, Highlander Center
Member Services Manager, Riverton Community Housing
Co-Coordinator, Liberation School South
Assistant Editor, Economics Hub, openDemocracy
Policy Director, Gund Institute for Environment at the University of Vermont
Development Director, Rethink
Upcoming Events
Another World Is Here: Worker Co-ops and the Solidarity Economy in MA
This two day statewide convening will focus on the advancement of a worker ownership movement as well as the broader solidarity economy in Massachusetts.
(March 16-17, Worcester, MA)
Responsible Business Summit New York 2019
More than 500 CEOs and other business leaders will gather to discuss the core challenges and understand the latest technologies that are shaping the future of responsible business. Hammad Atassi, CEO of NEC Member organization American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) will be a featured speaker.
(March 18 – New York, NY)
Cleaning up Power Dynamics
In this interactive webinar hosted by Roundsky Solutions, dive into a framework to analyze the power (both harmful or generative) dynamics in your team using an organizational tool: The Power Matrix. They’ll share their organizational analysis of power, discuss how power affects every facet of our work lives, and most importantly you’ll get tips you can use everyday to use collaborative power generatively through shifting power in your communications, meetings, agreements, and more!
(March 19 – Webinar)
Towards Cooperative Commonwealth: Transition in a Perilous Century
Towards Co-operative CommonWealth is a master class in movement building for a new model of political economy that is sustainable, democratic, and socially just. Offered by the Synergia Institute and Athabasca University, it sets out the practical models and pathways for meaningful systems change at multiple levels. The goal: to better secure our basic needs for land, food, livelihood, social care, energy, finance and more in these increasingly difficult times.
(March 25-July 14 – Online)
Global Advanced Messaging and Narrative Program
From conceptual metaphor theory to framing semantics, participants will practice critical examination of language – their own and others’ – towards effectively reframing the issues of our day. You’ll leave with a clear set of skills and analytic tools to further your campaigns, as well as valuable connections to practitioners around the globe who are themselves resources for better messaging, campaigning and narrative development.
(March 30 Application Deadline – Multiple Locations)
Mapping Our Futures: Economics and Governance Series
This People’s Hub participatory, popular education series on Monday nights in partnership with NEC Member the Highlander Center will help participants understand the fundamental forces of the current economic and governance systems, envision a democratic, just, and sustainable future, and strategize toward building the new solidarity economy we all deserve. This series provides an introduction to Highlander’s Mapping Our Futures and is designed for community groups to build analysis and strategy and we hope that people can take this home and share these processes locally.
(April-June – Webinar)
Taking Meaningful Action in a Time of Crisis
Join Post Carbon Institute for a lively, web-based conversation with three remarkable agents of change: Tim DeChristopher, who risked his freedom to oppose fossil fuel extraction on public lands; Nick Tilsen, who is creating a regenerative, sustainable future for his community on the Oglala Lakota Native American reservation; and Sarah Peters, an environmental engineer who won public office on a climate change platform.
(April 3rd – Webinar)
L.A. Co-op Lab Worker Co-op Jumpstart
Created by by NEC Member the L.A. Co-op Lab in collaboration with CD Tech @ Trade Tech College this workshop will prepare you to start conceptualizing developing a worker cooperative exploring topics of democratic governance and how to build a team that can create a democratic business in addition to learning about their summer intensive.
(April 6 and 13 – Los Angeles, CA)
TransitionUS Effective Collaboration Online Training
While working together in groups can be fun and exciting, it's not always easy. How can we collaborate with each other without replicating oppressive hierarchical structures or getting too bogged-down in group process?
Specifically designed for those working together towards social change, this dynamic, participatory training will provide you with everything you need to build organizational capacity and skillfully navigate the inevitable ups and downs of group life.
(April 9-May 14 – Webinar Series)
OUR ECONOMY! Economic Democracy and System Change
This conference will bring together leading academics, researchers, advocates, and practitioners for a day of discussion on how we can achieve systemic transformation and make a political economy that is equitable, democratic, and sustainable.
(April 12 – New York, NY)
Greenlining Institute 2019 Economic Summit
Each year Greenlining brings together powerful voices for change—grassroots community leaders, nationally known advocates, artists, elected officials and more—for a unique event that focuses like a laser on how to build a more equitable, just society. This is more than a conference; it’s a one-of-a-kind event where innovation, art and activism meet.
(April 26 – Oakland, CA)
People of the Global Majority in the Outdoors, Nature and Environment Conference
PGM ONE convenes emerging and established professionals of color/the global majority who work in the environmental and outdoor movement to share, learn, collaborate, heal, celebrate, build community, find support, and sharpen their analysis of racial equity in their fields. PGM ONE is a project of NEC Member, Earth Island Institute.
(May 8-10 – Philadelphia, PA)
2019 Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise
For 10 years, the Social Enterprise Council of Canada has been bringing community developers, social entrepreneurs, and policy makers together to envision how these businesses can solve our biggest problems. Join NEC Member, the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) to learn together, celebrate incredible progress, and set the stage for the next decade of social impact.
(May 8-10 – Quebec, Canada)
National Co-housing Conference
Learn how living in community can be healthier by combating loneliness. Whether you’re just starting to explore living in co-housing or have been for decades, this conference offers something for you. Courtney Martin author of The New Better Off: Reinventing the American Dream explores how people are redefining the American dream (think more fulfillment, community, and fun, less debt, status, and stuff).
(June 1-2 – Portland, OR)
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