Saturday at 12 PM – 4 PM
Cleveland Public Library Lorain Branch
8216 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44102
Have you ever wanted to live in co-housing? To own a share in a community solar garden? How about to redirect the mission of a local credit union so it focuses on supporting black- and brown-owned local businesses? To actively join in building the alternative economic system we urgently need?
On Saturday, December 1st from noon to 4 pm at the Lorain branch of CPL, we’ll meet to discuss those options and more (see below for initial list).
We’ll select our project for the Solidarity Economy Committee in 2019 and develop a strategy for achieving our goals.
For the past few months, we’ve studied worker cooperatives, economic development policy, community-owned housing, and other elements of the solidarity economy. Dec 1 is when we bring together all we’ve learned. Please bring your ideas for how you’d like to build a solidarity economy in Cleveland. Prior to the session join us at the nearby Water Garden Cafe at 10am. Brunch will be provided. 7646 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102
Here’s an initial list of potential projects we’ll discuss during the session. Please add more to this list!
• Promote city policies around solidarity economy. (e.g, write a policy paper, protest newest subsidies to downtown real estate)
• Take over a credit union. (e.g., join a credit union, get enough support to get elected to the board, promote a slate of consumer policies and investment policies that will promote solidarity economy, such as a commitment to lend to black owned enterprises)
• Build a community solar garden that individual members of DSA and community members co-own. This will involve lobbying CPP to change its policies.
• Develop a plan to defeat digital redlining. (municipal broadband)
Find a derelict apartment building, form an LREC to buy it, renovate it, and live in its apartments.