Dear friends of SEN,
You might be interested in this new e-newsletter series by the Grassroots
Economic Organizing (GEO) collective…
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Grassroots Economic Organizing (GEO) e-newsletter | February 2008
Dear friends,
Welcome to the first edition of www.GEO.coop‘s new e-newsletter.
For twenty-four years, the Grassroots Economic Organizing (GEO) Newsletter
has published news and analysis of global efforts to build a democratic
and cooperative economy. Today, we are excited to announce the launch of
our new format:
http://www.geo.coop has been reborn!
We envision that this new GEO website will become a
systematically-organized, accessible yet in-depth, clearinghouse for
information about diverse efforts to build a solidarity economy in the
U.S. and around the world. We welcome you to explore, to read and to
participate. Read more about our vision here: http://www.geo.coop/node/143
You can subscribe to this E-Newsletter by visiting our site,
http://www.geo.coop and entering your email address in the upper right
corner. E-Newletters will be sent out periodically (no more than twice per
month) to inform you of new material on the website.
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Here are some other highlights from our latest online issue:
* In a historic meeting at the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta this past
summer, the United States Solidarity Economy Network was born. The term
“solidarity economy” is barely on the lips of activists in the U.S., even
though the concept has inspired significant activism on all other
continents. But the solidarity economy, which is more of a framework than
a model, has great potential to link our many concerns about structural
change, and to also strategically link organizing groups that are already
engaged in transformative practices. The USSEN will work to mobilize this
powerful idea. Read more here: http://www.geo.coop/node/131
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* In order to compete in a corporation-dominated economy, worker
cooperatives need millions of dollars to finance large-scale businesses in
manufacturing and production.”That’s the hole in the cooperative movement
which there needs to be some infrastructure for,” said Michael Leung, of
Somerville, MA, “I don’t personally see a way where co-ops have the
mechanism for large-scale growth.” Leung is pursuing a strategy to make
this happen: A large “participatory” credit union that would provide loans
to start and to expand worker-owned, democratically run co-ops. Read more
here: http://www.geo.coop/node/112
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* A resort in Hidalgo, Mexico turns out to be more than a nice, relaxing
place to visit: Grutas Tolantongo is a “cooperativa ejidal” run
democratically by its 112 members or “socios”. Read more here:
http://www.geo.coop/node/113
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* “I bring you greetings from the Highlander Center where we support
grassroots organizing by supporting people to take collective action in
their local communities. Our “classroom” at Highlander is round and people
sit in a circle in rocking chairs and learn from each other as they share
stories of action, strength, fear, mistakes, great ideas, strategy and
analysis and then go home inspired to do things they never thought
possible.” Read more of the Eastern Conference on Workplace Democracy’s
speech by Pam McMichael of the Highlander Center:
http://www.geo.coop/node/115
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* Finally, don’t miss our regularly-updated front-page “GLEANINGS”
feature, assembling useful and inspiring articles about solidarity economy
initiatives around the world: http://www.geo.coop/
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In Solidarity,
The GEO Collective
http://www.geo.coop
email: [email protected]
*SUBSCRIBE to GEO’s E-Newsletter! Go to http://www.geo.coop and enter your
email under the “Subscribe to the GEO E-Newsletter” box in the upper right
corner.
*DONATE to GEO! Please consider giving a contribution to sustain GEO’s
work. Visit http://www.geo.coop/donate to learn more.
