A vision of a community-led “solidarity economy” is capturing the attention of a new generation of progressive New Yorkers. Seeking to address the ecological, economic, and political crises of our time, local groups are reinvigorating cooperative economic models and inventing new ones, putting into action a vision for an economic system that is based on values of social and racial justice, ecological sustainability, cooperation, mutualism, and democracy. They are creating and sustaining worker cooperatives, community development credit unions, community land trusts, low-income housing and food co-ops, and community gardens -- strengthening neighborhoods, making them more resilient, and meeting community needs.
Together, these efforts offer a pragmatic vision for grassroots, community-led economic development that benefits all New Yorkers. Through democratically-structured local institutions, marginalized New Yorkers, in particular, including low-income immigrants, women, and people of color, are gaining control over their workplace, housing, finance, land use, and food. They are also building a movement, as new leaders develop democratic decision-making skills needed to challenge systemic poverty and oppression.
Read the full report from the Cooperative Economics Alliance of New York City (CEANYC) here
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