In today’s conversation, we delve into cooperatives as a business model and how to leverage them as drivers of change. We discuss why cooperatives have become so popular with communities, the benefits of the cooperative business model, and why sustainability is vital to building democratic workplaces. You’ll learn how the pandemic impacted Ana and Daniella’s work and perspective, exciting projects happening in the space, the biggest challenges of transforming the economy, and more. T

The Kola Nut Collaborative is Chicago’s only time-based service and skills exchange that provides an open platform for mutual aid, community organizing, and network weaving. Through practices like the Offers and Needs Market, they develop programming to support Chicago-based organizers in facilitating non-monetary exchange networks. Mike is also a program manager at Open Collective Foundation and serves on the boards of the US Solidarity Economy Network, the New Economy Coalition, and more.

Social entrepreneur Olivia Watkins shares how Black Farmer Fund is working to close the racial wealth gap and create a financial institution that people can trust.

Learn how Groupmuse helped musicians in the pandemic through job creation programs, fundraising, and facilitating a direct link between audience members and musicians during lockdown restrictions.

Through the utilization of tools such as base building and organizational development, cooperatives can combat the forces of white supremacy, patriarchy, and colonialism that have dominated our society for so long.

Karla talks about how we can truly bolster the livelihoods of indigenous communities, the challenges that seem to continually face philanthropic work, facilitating a participatory approach to change, and why she feels policy is the fundamental route to progress.