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Amrita Wassan: Shifting Power Towards the Solidarity Economy

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There are many names that we give a brighter future and a more equitable world, but whatever you call it, the process to get there and build it is not a hurried one. Amrita Wassan joins us on the show today to talk about their philosophy and experiences working towards shifting power and finding real solutions to the problems we face. Amrita is the Director of Programs at The Center of Economic Democracy and is an educator, organizer, and solidarity economy practitioner. 

In our chat, we cover Amrita's thoughts on what the transition to a better world could look like, and why they are accepting of the slow and iterative process that is necessary for real change. Our guest explains ideas of meeting the demands of the moment, using impact investing to redirect power, and why we have to be very clear when identifying false solutions.  

One of the most potent ideas that Amrita shares are our need for long-term strategies devised between the social movements of today, and this message of unity and togetherness is something that Amrita remains steadfastly committed to. Listen in to catch all of these inspiring and illuminating pieces of wisdom from today's important guest.

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Key Points From This Episode:

  • The biggest factors that drew Amrita to their work. [0:01:19]

  • Unpacking the vision at The Center for Economic Democracy. [0:04:40]

  • Describing the solidarity economy and how it operates. [0:06:49]

  • Points of progress that have Amrita particularly excited right now. [0:13:58]

  • Advice for initiating increased participatory budgeting. [0:20:08]

  • Amrita talks about the powerful idea of corporate co-determination. [0:22:01]

  • The challenges of sharing economic risk in today's climate. [0:25:13]

  • A vision for a post-capitalist world; what Amrita sees in the future. [0:30:18]

  • Joining the conversation and aiding Amrita's work. [0:36:04]

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Tweetables:

“At The Center for Economic Democracy we are really just trying to create containers and spaces for democratic practice.” — Amrita Wassan [0:04:50]

“I think that part of our job in movements now is to really start to get to more complex conversations.” — Amrita Wassan [0:12:18]

“Is our current system meeting our needs?” — Amrita Wassan [0:13:10]

“The piece I am most excited about is the idea of co-determination, which is the norm in places like Germany, where you require large companies to have employees with full rights on corporate boards.” — Amrita Wassan [0:23:23]

“Right now, the majority of economic risk is being taken by folks who have the least amount of income and the most to lose.” — Amrita Wassan [0:27:30]

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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Amrita Wassan: https://www.datanyze.com/people/Amrita-Wassan/6561876547

The Center for Economic Democracy: https://www.economicdemocracy.us/

Amir Khusro: https://allpoetry.com/Amir-Khusro

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