Everything Co-op With Vernon Oakes

On June 9, Zen Trenholm, Director of Employee Ownership Cities and Policy at Democracy At Work Institute (DAWI), discusses the metrics of using employee ownership to build equitable economies though employee ownership. Zen Trenholm builds capacity, partnerships, and resources to scale democratic employee ownership across the country. He currently leads the Shared Equity in Economic Development Fellowship program (SEED), where he convenes and equips city and community leaders with tools and support to build equitable economies using employee ownership. Prior to DAWI, Zen was an organizer for fossil fuel divestment, a director at the California Student Sustainability Coalition, and a co-founder of the Student Environmental Resource Center at UC Berkeley. Zen has a Bachelor’s degree in Conservation and Resource Studies, with a special focus on Cooperative Business Development.

Ted Rau, Co-founder of Sociocracy For All, and John McNamara, Ph.D., Sr Cooperative Development Specialist at Northwest Cooperative Development Center NCDC, discuss the Sociocracy in Cooperatives Conference, being held on June 23rd. Ted Rau is an Operational leader at SoFA. Ted spends most of his time training and consulting in sociocracy and leading SoFA as an organization. Ted is co-author of the sociocracy handbook Many Voices, One Song. He enjoys writing articles, and teaching meeting facilitation. People and their universal need to connect and move things are at the center of his attention. He pays attention to the co-housing movement, transgender rights, and non-violent communication. Sociocracy for All envisions a world in which people engage together to meet their individual and collective needs in an equitable way, with respect for all living beings. SoFA's mission, is to promote sociocracy locally and globally as a sustainable way of governance. This is done by: generating communities of practice

6.2.2022 Gina Schaefer is founder and CEO of A Few Cool Hardware Stores appeared on Everything Co-op June 2, 2022. Gina shared the strategy of how she and her husband Mark, have used their hardware stores to build and serve communities throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area. Gina Schaefer is founder and CEO of A Few Cool Hardware Stores. Gina's big passion is for developing urban markets, supporting small businesses and helping women to succeed in all aspects of the hardware industry. A self-proclaimed "localist", Gina has tirelessly focused on the "Return to Main Street" movement in the District of Columbia, to promote Shop Local campaigns and community revitalization in urban areas. She and her husband are members of the Ace Hardware Cooperative, and they own and operate 13 hardware stores in DC, Baltimore, Alexandria, VA and Montgomery County. Gina has received numerous accolades for her many accomplishments, including recipient of the Women Who Mean Business award from the Washington Business Jour

Ajoke Williams, is a Program Manager for Guilded, a Freelance Co-op. She and Vernon discuss how Guilded leverages the power of pooled benefits, collective purchasing, and collective advocacy; to build agency, decision-making and economic power of freelance and gig economy workers. Guilded, is an initiative of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives. Ajoke joins the Federation's team that provides tech development, fundraising, communications, project management, and consulting for artist and activist organizations. Originally from New Orleans, she has lived in several cities throughout the US and now resides in Silver Spring, Maryland. Although relatively new to the cooperative scene, she has been working on a means to bring equitable financing and access to capital to cooperative businesses throughout the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia area, or DMV. Previously, Ajoke worked with the DC Stakeholders Coop Association where she helped design and establish an online asset base to enhance cooperation wi

May 19, 2022 Marjaana Saarikoski, Director, Cooperative Affairs at SOK Corporation discusses her extensive experience with cooperatives, and how the country of Finland is impacted by having more than 90% of its households as members of cooperatives. Marjanna Saarikoski has spent a major part of her career with consumer cooperative S Group. Since 1983 she has held various leadership positions in sales, marketing, chain/concept management and its membership & loyalty program of 2,5 million co-op members (80% of the Finnish households). Since 2015 Ms. Saarikoski has been representing S Group in the national and global cooperative movement. Since 2017 she has been a committed member at the Board of the ICA. In addition, since 2020 she has held the office of President of the Euro Coop, a European sectoral organization of the consumer cooperatives. Ms. Saarikoski has extensive education and training. She holds a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration from The University of Tampere; has pa

May 12, 2022 Vernon interviews Pamela Madzima, Alabama State Coordinator for the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/LAF. Ms. Madzima discusses the Alabama Cooperative Ecosystem, and her experiences at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/LAF. Based at the Rural Training and Research Center in Epes, Alabama, Pamela Madzima has worked with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund for 18 years providing technical assistance and support to member-cooperatives of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund, and the Alabama State Association of Cooperatives. Ms. Madzima’s primary responsibilities have included directing and coordinating outreach, and technical assistance programs to member cooperatives, and to small, limited resource landowners that are interested in forming agricultural/marketing cooperatives; and assisting cooperatives with: organizing and becoming incorporated; developing by-laws that are consistent with cooperative principles; exploring marketing out

On May 5, 2022, Vernon interviewed Stuart Reid, Executive Director of the Food Co-op Initiative (FCI). Vernon and Stuart discussed his experiences and accomplishments at FCI, along with his projections and initiatives for the future. Stuart Reid began his career in grocery as a carry-out and stock clerk for the Windom, Minnesota Hy-Vee store back in 1972, never believing for a minute that he would still be working in the grocery business 40+ years later. He probably wouldn’t if he hadn’t discovered food co-ops in Minneapolis when he moved there for college. Since then he has volunteered, co-managed, managed, and served on the boards of many food co-ops, worked for the co-op-owned DANCe warehouse, and helped open the Just Food Co-op in Northfield as their first general manager. Ultimately, Stuart became the first Executive Director of the Food Co-op Initiative. The Food Co-op Initiative is fast approaching a major transition as Stuart announced that he is retiring this year. Founded in 2005 as an experiment

Ann Fedorchak and Mary Alex Blanton, of National Cooperative Bank (NCB); and Alison Powers, of Capital Impact Partners discuss the history, purpose and impact of the Cooperative Innovation Award. National Cooperative Bank in partnership with Capital Impact Partners, launched the 2022 Co-op Innovation Award to empower organizations to increase economic opportunity for the communities they serve, and advance cooperative development in communities of color and/or historically disinvested communities. Priority will be given to food, worker, and housing co-ops, but all sectors are invited to apply. Interested parties may visit Capital Impact Partners website https://bit.ly/3iR4CYk to access the application and register for an informational webinar on April 27th. Organizations must submit letters of intent by May 3rd, to apply for a grant award of up to $50,000. Ann Fedorchak is a Senior Vice President at National Cooperative Bank. She directs NCB’s cooperative and community development initiatives and strategy;

Professor Stacey Sutton discusses the Ideology of Black-led Cooperatives and the Solidarity Economy Ecosystem. The discussion focused on discussion will focus on Sutton’s research study "Real Black Utopias," a cooperative city research study, where she examines the infrastructure and ideology of Black-led cooperatives and solidarity economy ecosystem in multiple cities. Stacey Sutton partners with grassroots and community organizations committed to racial and economic justice, equitable development, anti-displacement, participatory democracy, and cooperative economics. Her scholarship and teaching are in community economic development, with a central focus on racial and economic justice; economic democracy and worker-owned cooperatives; movement building and the solidarity economy; gentrification and dispossession; neighborhood small business dynamics; and disparate effects of punitive policy. Sutton has led APA award-winning student projects for the Plan Making Studio and co-developed feasibility studies

John Holdsclaw IV, President and CEO of Rochdale Capital, a new loan development fund that aims to support community-based organizations and co-ops, discusses the launch of Rochdale Capital, and the Importance of Community Loan Programs. John Holdsclaw IV recently launched Rochdale Capital. The recently formed loan fund was formed to advance the development of community ownership and asset building in rural and urban distressed communities. "We look forward to working with National Cooperative Bank (NCB), and other Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) across the country on achieving this mission,” stated John Holdsclaw IV. Prior to Rochdale Capital, John served as Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at NCB. In addition, John worked as director of policy and development at Capital Impact Partners, a national certified CDFI, where he developed and implemented the organization’s public policy strategy. John worked at the National Head Start Association, the only national organizat

Ron Hantz, Executive Director of Network for Developing Conscious Communities, and educator/author Dr. Ann Gessler give an overview of the upcoming Black Cooperative Agenda National Conference, and New Orleans' cooperative development. Ron Hantz has been instrumental in advocating a new community development paradigm based on “conscious community development” He is a former Adjunct Professor, in the Africana Studies Department, at the University Maryland Baltimore County, and founded the Network for Developing Conscious Communities (NDCC) in 2014. He now leads the organization’s efforts on advocacy and building a sustainable ecosystem for Black governed community development organizations. Under his leadership, NDCC has emerged as a grass roots voice on promoting the use of principle-based practices to regenerate under-resourced Black communities. Dr. Anne Gessler is a clinical associate professor in the First Year Seminar and Humanities programs at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. She is the Mieszku

Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Ph.D., Professor at John Jay College, and economic social justice advocate discusses her research on Black women in the U.S. co-op movement, and the Cooperative Development Fund's "Unsung Heroes Project" Author of Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice (2014) & 2016 inductee into the U.S. Cooperative Hall of Fame, Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Ph.D., is a Professor at John Jay College, City University of NY. She is a political economist specializing in cooperative economics, community economic development, racial wealth inequality, Black Political Economy. She is a member of the Cooperative Economics Council of NCBA/CLUSA; the ICA Committee on Co-operative Research; an affiliate scholar with the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, University of Saskatchewan; and past board member of Association of Cooperative Educators.

Everything Co-op kikced off its recognition of Women's History Month, with a focus on this year's theme of "Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope." In our first installment, Vernon interviews Melbah McAfee Smith, retired Executive Director of the Mississippi Center for Cooperative Development, and a 2009 inductee into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. Vernon and Ms. McAfee Smith discussed her experiences working with cooperatives to address issues experienced by the communities she worked in. They also discussed her hopes to pass on her family's legacy of farming to the next Generation of she and her brother's Grandchildren. Melbah McAfee Smith worked for nearly 40 years as a trusted co-op developer in some of the most impoverished areas of the country. She started her career with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, returning to her home state to lead the Mississippi Association of Cooperatives and the Mississippi Cooperative Development Center. Her visionary leadership and hands-on, grassroots approach

February 24, 2022 Everything Co-op closes out its recognition of Black History Month, with a webinar, focused on this year's theme of "Black Health and Wealth." The featured guest for the inaugural webinar were Thomas and Anita Roberson, owners of Botanical Bites and Provisions, LLC. Vernon and the Robersons discuss the role their plants, vegetables, and farm products play in the "Health and Wealth" of their patrons. Thomas and Anita Roberson are passionate fourth generation farmers who operate Botanical Bites and Provisions, LLC, a veteran-owned and operated farm established in 2013. On their farm they grow a diverse assortment of fresh farm-grown produce. Their commitment to agriculture arises from their passion for healthy living by growing with no pesticides, preservatives or herbicides. which has earned them the distinction as being a Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) enterprise. On their 10-acre farm all products are mostly hand-raised or handcrafted and naturally grown in three high tunnels, several r

Black History Month, 2-10-2021 Everything Co-op continues its recognition of Black History Month, focusing on this year’s theme of Black Health and Wellness, with Dãnia Davy, Director of Land Retention & Advocacy at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives. Vernon and Dãnia focus on farming, and the critical role that the Federation of Southern Cooperatives has played in helping Black farmers recover from the losses experienced as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dãnia serves as Director of Land Retention and Advocacy at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. The Federation is the largest and oldest cooperatively-owned organization whose membership includes black farmers, landowners and cooperatives. Dãnia began her legal career as a Skadden Fellow at the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Land Loss Prevention Project implementing a project she designed which provided community education and estate planning services to improve Black farmers' access to legal services in the ru

Emory Shaw Campbell, author, historian, and CEO of the Cultural Heritage Consulting, discusses the importance of preserving cultural heritage. Campbell formerly served as the Director of the Penn Center on St. Helena Island from 1980 - 2002. The historic Penn Center, which opened in the 1800s to educate freed slaves was previously used as a training center and meeting place for civil rights leaders. Today it serves as a center to preserve the history and heritage of the Sea Island and Gullah culture. When Penn School first opened in 1862, it was an experimental program to educate Sea Island slaves freed at the beginning of the Civil War. Over the years, it served many functions within the community. The school’s mission was to teach freed slaves trades and how to read in an effort to help them transition into an economically stable lifestyle. By the 1900s, the Penn Center had adopted Booker T. Washington’s model of industrial training, and in the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s the ce

January 27, 2022 Co-op advocate and Author Clifford N. Rosenthal discusses the role CDFIs play in the development of co-ops, and his book "Democratizing Finance: Origins of the Community Development Financial Institutions Movement." Clifford N. Rosenthal is a nationally and internationally recognized innovator, advocate, and developer of programs to provide financial access for low-income and underserved people. He joined the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions in 1980 and served as its president and CEO for more than thirty years. He also co-founded the national Coalition of CDFIs, and served in its leadership for two decades. Throughout his career Clifford has developed food cooperatives for Native American and migrant farmworker organizations, and written manuals, monographs and articles on community development finance, credit unions, and savings to preserve the knowledge he attained. In 2018 he released Democratizing Finance: Origins of the Community Development Financial Institu

Researchers Dr. Prieto and Dr. Phipps discuss their book "African American Management History: Insights on Gaining a Cooperative Advantage," and the African philosophy that was the primary inspiration for the book. Dr. Prieto and Dr. Phipps are highly acclaimed researchers and educators, who are members of the Thinkers50 (i.e., The Oscars of Management Thinking) Radar Class of 2021. Their work has been published in a number of outlets including the Journal of Business Ethics, Academy of Management Learning & Education, Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, and the Journal of Management History. They have been recognized by the Academy of Management for publishing “ground-breaking African-American Management History research,” and have also written a book entitled "African American Management History: Insights on Gaining a Cooperative Advantage." Leon C. Prieto, PhD is the Director of the Center for Social Innovation & Sustainable Entrepreneurship, and Associate Professor of Management at Cl

January 13, 2022 David Hincapie, Economic Development Specialist with SBA, discusses, his observations regarding the experiences of co-op businesses with PPP and COVID disaster loans, and the basics of SBA lending programs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the US Small Business Administration has offered lending programs designed to help businesses maintain their workforce and provide gap funding for losses experienced as result of the pandemic. David Hincapie has worked closely with Washington Area organizations and businesses to ensure that local businesses are aware of the nuances involved with the lending programs. Currently, SBA is not accepting new applications for COVID-19 relief loans or grants, but it continues to offer PPP loan forgiveness and EIDL increases. Fortunately, due to lobbying efforts of NCBA/CLUSA and other organizations, cooperative businesses were eligible to apply for the loans associated with the pandemic. As cooperative businesses chart their way through the SBA lending process

Michael Partis, Executive Director at the Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative (BCDI), discusses the correlation between Cooperatives and Economic Democracy. Michael also shares several instances where BCDI has supported the formation of cooperatives. Michael Partis is also a Researcher at the Bronx African American History Project, where he and Professor Mark Naison are editing “After The Fires:” a collection of post-1970s South Bronx oral histories. He is also co-founder of The Bronx Brotherhood Project, a community-based college success program for Black and Latino teens at the New Settlement College Access Center. Formerly, he was the Director of South Bronx Rising Together (SBRT): a collective impact initiative dedicated to improving health, grade-level reading and math, and post-secondary outcomes in the neighborhoods of Morrisania and Crotona Park West. The Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative is a community-led planning and economic development organization. BCDI’s approach to cooperative de