Emi

Was excited to be able zoom out and talk about cooperation across borders, and how that differs from globalization on a panel with Susanna Collins, Christine Clark, Mohammed Zaqout, and Tom Webb: all cooperators with such depth in thinking about the cooperative potential in systems change.

The panel wouldn’t have come into being without Tara Williams, an incredible bringer of people together.

Was energizing to be part of BC Co-op Association’s Further Together, which was a masterclass in how a second tier co-op can respond to member needs.

Genuinely was so engaged and so deep in conversation at the BC Co-op Association Convening that I forgot to take any photos except for one joyful selfie.

It’s really nice to come up for air after being so “in it” with our own worker co-op.

Really happy past me prioritized attendance when present me might have felt it wasn’t “productive” enough use of my work time.

Thank goodness I’m going to be forced to reckon with P6, and why being part of a wider co-operative movement today, as a panelist!

#cooperative #bc #p6

Co-op ask: looking for examples to share about co-ops that have turned to their members to invest additional funds into the co-op in times of financial distress.

I have some examples of co-ops that have NOT done this of course… but would love more case studies to draw from that showcase co-ops leaning on their members in tough times.

Still vibing on an awesome mountain adventure just an hours drive from home…

After basking in the sunrise, we made it back in the city to catch the Vancouver Rise win in an awesome soccer match. There’s nothing like professional women’s sports to keep the good times rollin’!

I find the tension that co-ops inherently embody, and how members grapple with that tension, to be the most interesting and most challenging part of being part of a co-op.

What workers usually want: secure, stable, employment that isn’t doing harm (or better yet, aligned with values) and where you have some (or a lot) of autonomy/agency in your work day.

But as member owners, they also have to grapple with what to do when the org can’t provide that anymore.

In times of abundance, the tension is more fun to grapple with as the outcomes don’t feel as consequential. In times of scarcity, the tension feels existential.

Asking workers to trust in the decision making structures, and the operational team, even as they feel like the ship is veering towards an iceberg, feels next to impossible.

Are there any good ways to navigate through troubled waters? How can a business adapt in changing times?

Well it’s been a heckuva while since I last logged on and feeling so grateful and inspired by the stability and constancy with which this platform continues to evolve!

Some things haven’t changed (I’m still as frazzled and scattered as six months ago) but a new addition to my life has been entering dog co-ownership with a dear friend.

This is Maggie (otherwise known as Maggerdoodles). She’s awesome.

We’re working on her reactivity around other dogs (she get’s so excited and very frustrated at her leash when we see other doggos on walks).

Co-ownership is the perfect arrangement for two women living on their own in the city: I get Maggie 3 days a week, and my friend has her the rest of the week. We spell each other off if one of us is out of town.

Have a bit of a self-interested ask: the crew of incredible humans on the @SSG@social.coop team are super interested in getting to know folks at rural electric co-ops in the US.

We’ve had a few projects recently where we’ve supported utilities identify pathways to transitioning away from fossil fuels, and we feel like we could support some rural electric co-ops chart decarbonization pathways.

Here’s one such project: https://ssg.coop/project/charting-washingtons-path-to-a-clean-energy-future/

and some info about our Mid-transition Energy Planning service: https://ssg.coop/service/mid-transition-energy-planning/

To all my Canadian friends, there’s a petition and email generating campaign to protect the Federal Community Housing Initiative and Canada Community Housing Initiative that supports rental assistance for co-op housing residents.

https://nwmd.social/s/copylink/4wuEZkyLeu7MxLaPmO0=/b

I love how I’ll be absent from social.coop for months and then something will pop up that reminds me of this space and I can jump back in.

Was surprised to hear that @geosocialcoop@social.coop is falling short of fundraising goals. Even more than the publication (the newsletters are a much needed reminder that there is so much good in the world), I love all of the incredible humans that gather to make geo possible.

Does anyone know of any fun tech co-ops based in Ireland?

@samtoland@social.coop
@Matt_Noyes@social.coop