solidarity economy

In this episode, I speak with Francisco Pérez about Economics for Emancipation, a free online and in-person course on "capitalism, solidarity, and how we get free.” Francisco is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Utah and senior economist at the Center for Economic Democracy. He’s the former director of the Center for Popular Economics, a nonprofit collective of political economists whose programs and publications demystify the economy and put useful economic tools in the hands of people fighting for social and economic justice. 

Follow at  Francisco Pérez (@Platanomics) on Instagram and Twitter
Follow @economics4emancipation on Instagram and @econ4freedom on Twitter

Economics for Emancipation is a course created by the Center for Economic Democracy (CED) and the Center for Popular Economics (CPE). The current version of this course is the result of many years of work first led by the CPE – a collective which was founded in 1979 by radical (or heterodox) economists out of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Since 2019, CPE has partnered with the Center for Economic Democracy (CED) to update and redesign its curriculum into “Economics for Emancipation” (E4E).  During the 2020 Covid crisis, CPE and CED worked to adapt E4E for virtual learning geared towards regional cohorts of just transition and social justice organizers, and thus was born this offering.

E4E has been shaped by decades of dialogue between progressive economists, grassroots organizers, and rank & file union workers; we hope it will strengthen your analysis, fuel your spirit and connect you to efforts challenging this economic system at its root.

COCKTAIL PAIRING:

Cuba Libre
Use a Cuban rum like Havana Club if you're able to get it (outside of the US). Probitas is a good substitute that you can find in the US.

1 1/4 oz Light rum 
3 oz cola like Coke
1/4 oz lime juice
Add all to Collins glass filled with ice. Garnish with lime wedge.

Cocktails & Capitalism is an anticapitalist labor of love, but we could use your help to make this project sustainable. If you can support with even a dollar a month, that would really help us continue to educate, agitate, and amplify the voices of those who are working to dismantle capitalism and create a better world.

https://www.patreon.com/cocktailsandcapitalism

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Episode 244 of RevolutionZ has as our guest, Kali Akuno - the co-founder and director of Cooperation Jackson. He shares with us the  story of their network, a web of worker cooperatives and solidarity economy support institutions working together to make economic democracy a reality in Jackson, Mississippi and beyond.

This show is made possible by you!  To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate  Thank you for your continued support!

What if there was a way to trade time and share skills with your neighbors in a way that met a range of needs without involving cash?

In this episode, we have an in-depth conversation with Mike Strode, the Founding Coordinator behind an innovative solution that offers just that: The Kola Nut Collaborative. 

This Chicago-based initiative, operating since 2017, stands as a beacon of the solidarity economy, promoting timebanking as a means of social and economic transformation. Timebanking, distinct from traditional bartering, targets relationship-building over wealth accumulation, providing an alternative to profit-driven capitalist systems. Part of a growing new economy coalition, The Kola Nut Collaborative forges reciprocal networks of support and encourages a sharing economy.

In a timebank, time is treated as a currency, fostering fairness and enhancing community cooperation. Timebanking reshapes the conventional economic narrative and exposes participants to new economic thinking.

This enlightening conversation reminds us that there are multiple, co-existing economies within our society which transcend the confines of capitalism.

Tune in for more on timebanking, and how it just might work in your community. 

 “The notion of the lone entrepreneur funneling out on the boat is impossible. We get together by community. So starting a time bank involves you actually being in community.” - Mike Strode

“Solidarity economy is a post-capitalist framework. Ultimately we are still in capitalism . . . so until we rest ourselves from capitalism, we will continue to be very far from the solidarity economy.” - Mike Strode

Guest:  Mike Strode, Founding Coordinator, Kola Nut Collaborative Timebank

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more to dive deeper.

Music In the Middle:  “Fill My Cup” by POSY (pronounced Pose -ee) and Markell Holmes courtesy of Bastard Jazz Records.

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The Laura Flanders Show Crew:  Laura Flanders, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller and Jeannie Hopper

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

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Description: What if there was a way to trade time and share skills with your neighbors in a way that met a range of needs without involving cash? Since 2017, the Kola Nut Collaborative has operated Chicago’s only open platform, time and skills exchange, otherwise known as a timebank. Part mutual aid and community organizing, members come together to hear each other's needs and share what they have to offer. Founding coordinator Mike Strode speaks with Laura about the changes he has seen in his community, how people are showing up for others, and what it takes to build a *solidarity economy. Tune in for more on timebanking, and how it just might work in your community.

“The notion of the lone entrepreneur funneling out on the boat is impossible. We get together by community. So starting a time bank involves you actually being in community.”

“Solidarity economy is a post-capitalist framework. Ultimately we are still in capitalism . . .  so until we rest ourselves from capitalism, we will continue to be very far from the solidarity economy.”

Guest:

Mike Strode: Founding Coordinator, Kola Nut Collaborative Timebank;  Program Manager at the Open Collective Foundation

*The U.S. Solidarity Economy Network defines a “solidarity economy” as an alternative framework for economic development grounded in practice of principles such as: solidarity and cooperation; multi-dimensional (or intersectional) equity; social and economic democracy; sustainability; pluralism; and people-planet first.

The Laura Flanders Show Crew:  Laura Flanders, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller and Jeannie Hopper

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Philosopher Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, author of the books “Reconsidering Reparations” and “Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics,” speaks with us about why future decision-making will be driven by the state of climate politics, considering the deep presence of the past within the current moment, and what a planetary “solidarity economy” could look like.

Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.

What is mutual aid? Joshua Potash helps me answer this question in an episode that connects the dots between mutual aid, capitalism and policing. We examine the anarchist origins of the term before we discuss how the practice of mutual aid can help us start to build a world outside of capitalism. 

Joshua Potash is an anticapitalist abolitionist who helped to found WSP Mutual Aid – a group that provides food, tenets, sweep defense, and other support for folks experiencing houselessness. He also works for Slow Factory, an institute that uses science, education, and regenerative design to advance climate justice and social equity. I am constantly sharing Joshua’s brilliant takes from Twitter, where he uses his following to shine light on issues like policing, activism, and the rise of fascism. 

Follow WSP Mutual Aid on Twitter & IG 
Support their work via Venmo or CashApp
Follow Joshua Potash on Twitter and Instagram

Reading list:

 Solidarity Not Charity, Dean Spade
Mutual Aid, Dean Spade
Mutual Aid: A Factor in Evolution by Peter Kropotkin
Jackson Rising

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Mutual Lemon-Aid
(spirit -free mocktail)

Makes one drink

1        Large lemon

60    ml    Juice from the one lemon

40    ml    Sugar

250    ml    Water

            small pinch of salt

            Optional: 1 cardamom pod
  

Makes approximately 2 liters of Lemonade

6        Large lemons

350    ml    Juice from the 6 lemons

250    ml    Sugar

1.5    L    Water

            large pinch of salt    

            Optional: 5 cardamom pods  

Peel lemons with a vegetable peeler, getting as much of the peel off as possible w/o much white pith. Put the peels in a container & cover with granulated sugar and massage the peels with your hands or a muddler to release the oils into the sugar. Cover & let stand for 3 to 24 hours. Periodically stir to incorporat

Cocktails & Capitalism is an anticapitalist labor of love, but we could use your help to make this project sustainable. If you can support with even a dollar a month, that would really help us continue to educate, agitate, and amplify the voices of those who are working to dismantle capitalism and create a better world.

https://www.patreon.com/cocktailsandcapitalism

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter
Some episodes on YouTube. Please like & subscribe

As a way of kicking off Module 1: (Re)Awakening -- of our Livable Future Investing Workshop, Elizabeth begins by anchoring us in Catholic Social teaching (CST) and some key principles. Felipe then shares three principles for Bold CST embodiment in our impact investing along with 12 questions for diligence. After some discussion of Risk, Returns, and Impact (an essential 3rd dimension for faith-first investors / mission-driven investors), Elizabeth shares some proposed markers on the journey towards faith-embodied investing. A CST Embodiment scorecard is offered as one potential framework.

Topics include transform finance, non-extractive finance, bold faith-embodied investing.

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The Economy of Francesco is a Vatican initiative & invitation from Pope Francis that has stirred the hearts and minds of tens of thousands of economists, entrepreneurs and change-makers over the past couple years. It’s now a global movement. Elizabeth Garlow, Felipe Witchger, Elias Crim and others steward the U.S. Hub of this Economy of Francesco – and it’s the inspiration for Elizabeth & Felipe’s creation of the “Francesco Collaborative” – and their support of a project with Elias the Founder and Editor at Ownership Matters. Felipe & Elizabeth also steward the development of FADICA’s Mission Driven Investing program. 

Worker cooperatives are worker owned and democratically controlled businesses. They have been shown to lower pay disparities and demonstrate resilience in the face of crisis. But how do they run on a day-to-day basis? How can you start one or transform an existing business into a cooperative model? What potential do cooperatives have for strengthening our economy and our food system? 

This episode addresses these questions and more. Commissioner Jonnel Doris of New York City’s Department of Small Business Services provides essential tips and resources for any New Yorkers interested in starting a cooperative. Steph Wiley and Karna Ray, worker-owners at the Black-led food distribution cooperative Brooklyn Packers, share their experience operating under this model as well as their vision for a more equitable food system. 

Learn more about becoming a worker cooperative and get resources at owner2owners.nyc or call (646)363-6592.

Have a question you want answered? Email us at question@heritageradionetwork.org

This episode was produced in partnership with our friends at TD Bank. 

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

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The Lindisfarne Tapes are selected recordings of presentations and conversations at the Lindisfarne Fellows’ meetings. In March of 2013 William Thompson granted permission to the Schumacher Center for a New Economics to transfer the talks from the old reel-to-reel tapes to digital format so that they could be posted online and shared freely. In 2021, the Schumacher Center used the digital audio to create the Lindisfarne Tapes Podcast. Reposting should include acknowledgment of williamirwinthompson.org. Learn more about the Lindisfarne Tapes here.

Friend delivered this lecture in 1976 at the Lindisfarne Summer Conference, "A Light Governance for America: The Cultures and Strategies of Decentralization."

The Lindisfarne Tapes are selected recordings of presentations and conversations at the Lindisfarne Fellows’ meetings. In March of 2013 William Thompson granted permission to the Schumacher Center for a New Economics to transfer the talks from the old reel-to-reel tapes to digital format so that they could be posted online and shared freely. In 2021, the Schumacher Center used the digital audio to create the Lindisfarne Tapes Podcast. Reposting should include acknowledgment of williamirwinthompson.org. Learn more about the Lindisfarne Tapes here.

Henderson delivered this lecture in 1976 at the Lindisfarne Summer Conference, "A Light Governance for America: The Cultures and Strategies of Decentralization."

The Lindisfarne Tapes are selected recordings of presentations and conversations at the Lindisfarne Fellows’ meetings. In March of 2013 William Thompson granted permission to the Schumacher Center for a New Economics to transfer the talks from the old reel-to-reel tapes to digital format so that they could be posted online and shared freely. In 2021, the Schumacher Center used the digital audio to create the Lindisfarne Tapes Podcast. Reposting should include acknowledgment of williamirwinthompson.org. Learn more about the Lindisfarne Tapes here.

Bookchin delivered this lecture in 1976 at the Lindisfarne Spring Fellows Meeting, "Economics and the Moral Order."

You can find out more about Quipu through their website and find updates on their instagram.

And read here about the company's recent recognition in the Visa Everywhere Initiative awards, in which it won third place in Latin America and the Caribbean.

01:15 - The micro-businesses at the centre of local economies

03:11 - How COVID is both challenging and bolstering local economies

05:47 - The history of community currencies and how they can apply in Latin America today

09:08 - How Quipu uses a digital marketplace and community currency in order to build and maintain wealth locally

14:42 - Launching the Quipu platform in Baranquilla, Colombia, in the midst of a pandemic

16:10 - How micro businesses are using the Quipu platform in Baranquilla

19:07 - Co-designing the platform: What does a solidarity economy mean to you?

23:58 - Helping entrepreneurs access credit at fairer rates

28:31 - The importance of creating solidarity economies, and why its moving up the agenda now

32:06 - Next steps for Quipu

33:41 - Are we all in need of an emergency community currency?

Across the world, renters in cities are being pushed out of neighborhoods because landlords and homeowners can make more money temporarily renting out their spaces to tourists.

In 2014 thousands of people took to the streets of BCN to protest Air Bnb. Four years later with Barcelona en Comú represented in City Council the city has successfully passed legislation to limit Air BnB and lay some ground rules for tourist development.

What can be learned from the Barcelona example? What strategies do we use to re-articulate that the city is a shared space for living and not for speculative and extractive economics?

Barcelona en Comú is a part of a network of municipalist movements that calls themselves Fearless Cities. Today, on the LF Show, we will hear from people building these fearless institutions and movements with guests Debbie Bookchin, Rodrigo Cornejo, Kali Akuno, and Gala Pin.

For suggested reading, research and links to our guests and issues featured in this episode, go to: Patreon.com/theLFShow

The Laura Flanders Show Crew:  Laura Flanders, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller and Jeannie Hopper

FOLLOW The Laura Flanders Show

Twitter: twitter.com/thelfshow

TikTok:  tiktok.com/@thelfshow

Facebook: facebook.com/theLFshow

Instagram: instagram.com/thelfshow

YouTube:  youtube.com/@thelfshow

ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel