A Day in Maine to Get Organized and Energized to Sustain Local Economies

Our friends at Cooperative Maine are helping put together an inspiring one-day conference, "Creating and Sustaining Vibrant Local Economies in Maine" on March 22 (this Saturday), 9 AM-4 PM, Randall Student Center, Augusta. We like the goals for the day!

Goals for the Day

(1) What are Vibrant Local Economies in Maine now (find out what’s being done);
(2) What would vibrant local economies in Maine look like in the future (vision);
(3) Why is it important to have strong local economies?
(4) Learn the benefits of vibrant local economies;
(5) People leave at the end with action ideas/steps and energy to carry them out.

CDI staffperson Jessica Pooley will be in attendance to let people know about the work CDI is doing in Maine to strengthen local economies.

Cooperative Pedalers Wanted in Providence

The Sol Chariots Pedicab worker co-op in Providence, RI is hiring. Sounds like a fun way to stay in shape, learn some skills, see the city, and earn money. See http://solchariotspedicab.wordpress.com/2014/02/24/sol-chariots-pedicab-co-op-is-hiring/.

Maine's Newest Food Co-op is Opening in September in Portland

The Portland Food Co-op plans to open its doors this September. They currently have 1147 member-owners and need to reach 1400 to open, so are well on their way. They've had 100 new member-owners join in the past 10 days! Check out their new video: http://vimeo.com/87714644. CDI Board member and CFNE Outreach Officer Gloria LaBrecque gets the last word, talking about how the co-op is a way to strengthen the local economy.

A Chance for Youth To Make A Big Splash in the New Economy Movement

Our friends at the New Economy Coalition have launched an important initiative: A Youth and Student Grant program, of up to $5,000 per project. What's even more exciting is that the grants are on a rolling basis. That's right, there's no deadline. When you think of your idea and get it fleshed out, that's when you can apply for the opportunity. NEC explains:

There are infinite possibilities. Map the solidarity economy in your community; plan a convening on your campus about community reinvestment; develop curriculum or bring in trainers to help with starting cooperatives, time banks or land trusts in your community; envision together what it would look like for your hometown to adopt policies to support an economy based on solidarity rather than extraction.

The cooperative and new economy movements have really been exploding in youth communities and on campuses across the country, which have launched a wide range of inspiring and transformational efforts. One example is our friends at Co-Cycle, a youth-led, cross country, bike tour for the purpose of co-op promotion and education.

Are you a youth or a student with a big idea for building the new economy? Hop on this opportunity! Know any one who would be a great fit? Pass this along! For anyone interested, NEC says you should start by submitting a letter of interest.

Click here to read the entire NEC newsletter and get to know their team.

Last two episodes of My So-Called Housing Cooperative released--heart-breaking and heart-warming

This is it!  The Season Finale of My So-Called Housing Cooperative!

I decided to release episodes 5 and 6 together, and once you watch them, you will probably understand why.  Thanks for watching and please forward to anyone you think would enjoy it.

Episode 5: No Chainsaws at Group Meetings (11 minutes) Annie's axe goes missing as she begins to uncover the true secret behind the supernatural occurrences in the building.

Episode 6: Returning the Favor (9 minutes) Crushing secrets are revealed and the new members must make their most difficult decision yet.

My So-Called Housing Cooperative is the story of young adults trying to live a life of cooperation and compassion... without losing their minds. Each month's webisode features a scripted parody based upon real life at the Faire Bande à Part Housing Cooperative (Faire-Op), a 3 story apartment building in Lewiston, ME.

You can see it on the Website, Facebook, Youtube, and on The Entertainment Experiment, a web site for Maine Made web series.

March 8: AORTA Conflict Resolution Workshop in Providence, RI

save the date! March 8: AORTA Conflict Resolution Workshop in Providence Dear Providence & Boston-Area friends, We're excited to offer a public workshop facilitated by AORTA trainer Jenna Peters-Golden on March 8 in Providence! Here are the details:   Resolutions not Ruins: Conflict Resolution in Your Organization and Collective As in all communities, conflict in organizations is unavoidable. It is also uncomfortable. In working through conflict, the question shouldn’t be, “How do we prevent conflict?” but rather “How do we address conflict in ways that are healthy and build a stronger organization?” This workshop will map out how systemic power is one of the main roots in conflict, while we build skills to recognize and address how systemic oppression moves through conflict. In the process we’ll share AORTA’s conflict resolution practices and methods in order to get a jump start in developing tools and processes tailored to your own organization and lives whether you are mediating conflict or a participant in it.    Date | Time March 8, 2014 | 1 pm - 4 pm Location 186 Carpenter St., Providence RI Cost Sliding scale $10-$30; no one turned away for lack of funds. Accessibility The space has two small concrete steps leading up to it, but wide doors -- we will be able to do some wheelchair lifts into the space [you can see a picture of the steps here]. The space has an ADA bathroom. In order to create a space where folks with chemical sensitivities can participate, please refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes or other scented products (including essential oils) and smoke far away from the entrance to the space. Visit this site for info on how to support folks with multiple chemical sensitivities. RSVP Join the event on facebook, or just show up! About AORTA AORTA is a collective of educators devoted to strengthening movements for social justice and a solidarity economy. We work as consultants and facilitators to expand the capacity of cooperative, collective, and community based projects through education, training and planning. We base our work on an intersectional approach to liberation because we believe that true change requires uprooting all systems of oppression. Feel free to pass this email along to others. Contact jenna@aortacollective.org for more information. AORTA

Support "Jackson Rising" Cooperative Conference in May

On Tuesday February 25th, 2014 Mayor Chokwe Lumumba unexpectedly passed away. The Jackson Rising: New Economies Conference (May 2-4, 2014 at Jackson State University) was intended to be one of the primary initiatives and vehicles of the Lumumba administration to build a more equitable and democratic economy in Jackson, MS. The organizers intend to fulfill this mission. On February 26, 2014 (after Mayor Lumumba's death) they were successful in having the Jackson City Council pass a resolution endorsing the conference.

Help make Jackson, Mississippi, a center of economic democracy where strong cooperatives along with other forms of worker owned enterprises and financial institutions will create jobs with dignity, stability, living wages, and quality benefits.

The Indiegogo campaign has been launched! They are seeking to raise $10,000 by March 15^th. Please check out the link below and distribute it far and wide. 

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/682754/emal/6396066

Lets help them achieve or even surpass their goal. - Jessica Gordon Nembhard