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In this week’s roundup, we’re talking about composting capitalism, Berlin’s plan to keep private investors from buying up land, and more!
Plus, we’re celebrating a year of roundups! Help us make them better by taking this 2-minute survey. We’d love to hear your thoughts!
Stories from the Field
Radicalizing Language Access: For the Caracol Language Cooperative, addressing power dynamics, decentering English, and working to level the playing field for non-English speakers are crucial aspects of their work. They bring their interpretation skills into social justice and organizing settings where they use a number of methods to change power relationships at gatherings. Read more about how they do it here.
“Composting Capitalism”: After graduating from a New York City Co-op academy, a pair of South Bronx residents are starting their own worker-owned compost business. They say their business model will allow them to have more transparency and improve community health. Read about the academy and their work here.
Farmers Markets, For All: One Appalachian county is creating a healthy food system that supports not only nutrition, but also community life and farmers. Check out the story by one of our New Economy Reporting Project Fellows here.
Buy-Out Buyers: Fearful of gentrification and rising rents, Berlin is blocking investors from buying apartment buildings by purchasing the properties themselves. The method could set a precedent for other cities across Europe to do the same. Read more here.
Sharing Cities: As part of Amsterdam's title of europe's first "sharing city," local government has taken on the task of developing platforms that connect citizens and facillitate swaps. They range from apps that let you rent parked cars and unused storage space, to finding a home cooked meal . Studies show that the tools have not only made Amsterdam more sustainable, but friendlier too. Read about it here.
—Deyanira Del Rio, New Economy Project co-director and chair of the NYC Community Land Initiative board in The Nation.
Movement News
Food cooperatives now eligible for Small Business Administration loans
Now Comes the Uncomfortable Question: Who Gets to Rebuild After Harvey
How Norway Proves Laissez-faire Economics Is Not Just Wrong, It’s Toxic.
Worker-Owned Businesses Get More Support From D.C.
Support Grassroots Florida Organizations Helping Communities Recover and Rebuild
Don’t Be Scared About The End Of Capitalism—Be Excited To Build What Comes Next
Boston Communities Unite to Democratize Their Economy
People's Congress of Resistance
Programs Director, Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive (Remote)
Campaigns Strategist, Coworker.org (Flexible)
Multiple Positions, Lady Parts Justice League (Brooklyn, New York)
Program Manager for Local Business Conversion Initiatives, Democracy at Work Institute, (Oakland, CA)
Building the Cooperative Ecosystem
NEC members, the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI) and CooperationWorks! (CW) are teaming up to bring you a webinar to help you assess and build your community's cooperative ecosystem. The easy-to-use tool created by DAWI and Project Equity will enable you to evaluate if your community has the building blocks in place for a thriving worker cooperative ecosystem and will provide you with tools to start building it!(Online, September 20th 2-3:30pm EDT.)
Social Justice Through Economic Resistance
This conference by Pendle Hill will examine how economic resistance tools have been used successfully to achieve greater justice and equality and how they can be applied to the particular challenges of the 21st century. Together, we will create a learning community with an increased understanding of how boycotts, strikes, divestment, and similar tactics can be effectively used within our commitment to a nonviolent, spiritually grounded social change strategy. (Pennsylvania, September 21-24)
Connect with new and old friends, artists, culture bearers, and organizers from across Sacramento! Calling those interested in meeting others committed to creating moments for collective imagination, storytelling, and enacting democracy through a culture of belonging! Share a drink and share your practice with Sacramento based Citizen Artist Jesikah Maria Ross ( jesikahmariaross.com ) and the USDAC’s West Coast Regional Envoy, Katherin Canton (coming from Oakland to visit).(California, September 26)
New Economy Project 2017 Workshop Series
NEC member New Economy Project is excited to announce its 2017 Workshop Series! Our workshop series brings together community leaders and organizers from across New York City to learn from and with one another about pressing economic justice issues and explore strategies for change. This year’s sessions focus on building a just economy rooted in democracy, community self-determination, sustainability, racial justice and equity. Each session will address new economy organizing in the context of the heightened attacks on our communities. (New York, Multiple Dates)
6th Annual Sustainable Business Summit
Hundreds of business leaders who understand the interdependence of people, planet and profit convene at SustyBiz. It’s America’s leading forum for connecting Triple Bottom Line firms with policymakers on both sides of the aisle. Together, we explore how we can use public policy and market dynamics to build a more sustainable economy. Because—for humanity and the planet—there’s no alternative to sustainability! (Washington D.C., October 22-24)
The People’s Disruption: Platform Co-ops for Global Challenges
The first platform cooperativism event in 2015 popularized the idea, and the second event in 2016 brought together co-op and union leaders to push the model forward. This third event will zero in on ways that platform cooperatives can help to address some of the world’s most urgent challenges. The fairer digital economy we need is already emerging everywhere around us. (New York, November 10-11)
Broadband Communities Conference
In addition to issues of local authority, the 3-day conference will address a range of issues such as rural broadband solutions, gigabit connectivity in education and economic development, and serving MDUs. There will also be panelists from electric cooperatives, mobile broadband providers, and consultants sharing information and strategies. (Atlanta, November 7 – 9)
View all NEC member events on our website »
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