At CDI, we believe that democracy isn’t something everyone should experience only once every four years. It’s the very foundation of our communities and a practice we should instill into our daily lives. From farms to grocery stores, workplaces, and housing communities – we’re making democracy work for everyone. And those accomplishments are receiving increasing recognition.
Our very own Jeremiah Ward, Housing Program Officer and Cooperative Development Specialist, recently sat down for an informative interview with Cooperative Vermont to discuss CDI’s work in starting resident-owned communities throughout the Northeast. Watch Jeremiah below!
The successful conversion of three businesses into the Island Employee Cooperative (IEC)in small town Maine continues to make waves. And CDI’s Business Ownership Solution (BOS) program played a pivotal role in turning this co-op dream into a reality. Today, the workers are striving to raise their pay while investing in health care. On top of that, they’ve already struck a collaboration with the Maine Community College System to facilitate on-site classes to improve the workers’ business skills, since they are now also the owners. Read more about the IEC in this great report from the Democracy Collaborative.
Resources and events
Collective Courage is the new book from Jessica Gordon Nembhard, and it is making quite the impact across the cooperative community. And deservedly so. The book details the strong, lengthy history of African-Americans building the cooperative movement in order to achieve civil rights and economic equality. Give it a read, share it with your friends, and let us know what you think.
The International Summit of Cooperatives is a biennial gathering where leaders of cooperative and mutualist enterprises get together to discuss their concerns about the current and future business challenges they all share. It’s taking place in Quebec. Will you be attending?
You can also discover more cooperative events happening in the Northeast and across the globe on CDI’s co-op calendar.
Recommended reading
At CDI, we love the work we do. So much so, that we thought we’d share the reasons why with you! Our own Rob Brown, Cooperative Development Specialist and the Director of CDI’s Business Ownership Solutions (BOS) program, said that he values the work of building a culture of democratic ownership. Check out what more he has to say about working at CDI.
The worker co-op movement continues to make it into the national spotlight, this time with the article, “When Workers Own Their Companies, Everyone Wins.” We couldn’t agree more. This was also one of our most popular posts on social media this past month, so make sure to give it a read.
Get in touch
It’s time to take the leap. Let’s work together. Fill out our Request Assistance form if you’re part of a co-op trying to get off the ground or an existing co-op looking to improve what you do. If you’re a part of another organization striving to build the cooperative economy, shoot us a message or give us a call!
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