[Imc-alternatives] Solidarity Economy Network launched

[Tribal Scribal]

>From: "WMass Jobs With Justice" <wmjwj at wmjwj.org>
>Reply-To: AriseAction at yahoogroups.com
>To: "WMass Jobs With Justice" <wmjwj at wmjwj.org>,"'SAGE List'" 
><SAGE at lists.gaiahost.coop>
>Subject: [AriseAction] [Solidarity Calendar] Solidarity Economy Network 
>launched
>Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:54:08 -0400
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Emily Kawano [mailto:emily at populareconomics.org]
>
>
>
>
>Announcing the launch of the
>
>U.S. Solidarity Economy Network (SEN-US)
>
>
>
>We are excited to announce the launch of the U.S. Solidarity Economy
>Network. The decision to launch was taken at the end of a series of 
>meetings
>that were held at the U.S. Social Forum. The time is ripe for this
>initiative, given the explosive growth of the solidarity economy and
>representative networks virtually everywhere else in the world. In the 
>U.S.,
>not only is there no such network to support existing solidarity economy
>practices and policies, but the term and framework is practically unknown.
>
>
>
>What, then, is the solidarity economy?
>
>·       The Solidarity Economy offers an alternative economic framework to
>that of neoliberal globalization - one that is grounded in solidarity and
>cooperation, rather than the pursuit of narrow, individual self-interest.
>
>·       It promotes social and economic democracy, equity in all dimensions
>(e.g. race, class, gender...) and sustainability.
>
>·       It is  pluralist and organic in its approach, allowing for 
>different
>forms and strategies in different contexts, and is open to continual change
>driven from the bottom up whether in civil society or the marketplace.
>
>
>
>What does a solidarity economy look like? Here are just a few examples:
>
>·       cooperatives – worker, producer, consumer, housing, financial
>
>·       local exchange systems, complementary currencies
>
>·       fair trade & solidarity finance
>
>·       social enterprises
>
>·       ‘high road’ locally owned businesses
>
>·       reclaim the commons movement
>
>·       social investment funds, worker controlled pension funds and credit
>unions
>
>·       land trusts
>
>·       co-housing, eco-villages
>
>·       consumer supported agriculture
>
>·       green technology and ecological production
>
>·       open source movement (e.g. Linux, wikipedia, YouTube)
>
>·       unpaid care labor & volunteer labor
>
>·       participatory budgeting
>
>·       collective kitchens in Latin America, tontines – collective health
>programs in Africa
>
>·       community-based services in France, social cooperatives in Italy
>
>
>
>Why a solidarity economy network?
>
>There are serious cracks in the dominant neoliberal economic model and 
>there
>is a historic opening to create and push for a new framework for social and
>economic development.  The solidarity economy builds on the grassroots
>innovations of people, moved by desperation, practicality, values, or
>vision, who are building economic alternatives to provide jobs, food,
>housing, social services, healthier communities and money, as well as
>advancing economic democracy and more just economic policies. Taken
>together, they offer stepping stones toward a new way of organizing our
>economy. Creating a network to foster a common sense of identity and 
>purpose
>has been powerful in other countries. To take one example, in Canada, the
>social solidarity economy network has forged a comprehensive national 
>policy
>framework and has leveraged $132 million in government funding for
>investment, capacity building, research and training.
>
>
>
>What are the aims of  the SEN?
>
>We have yet to hammer out a mission statement, but here are some 
>preliminary
>ideas:
>
>·       To develop a structure and vision that can promote a common 
>identity
>and agenda among the currently isolated elements of the solidarity economy.
>
>·       To contribute to new theories of economic development informed by
>the dynamism and innovative practices within the solidarity economy.
>
>·       To raise the visibility, legitimacy and public support for
>solidarity economy practices,
>
>·       To link up with regional and international solidarity economy
>networks such as NANSE and RIPESS.
>
>·       To promote public policies and leverage resources for the support 
>of
>the solidarity economy.
>
>·       To facilitate research on the benefits of the solidarity economy,
>best practices, opportunities for synergistic cooperation, and the
>development of training and technical support resources.
>
>·       To build the movement for transformative social and economic
>justice.
>
>
>
>Next steps
>
>The SEN Coordinating Committee is in the process of:
>
>1) Mission statement and structure: we are developing a provisional mission
>statement and structure proposal which will be circulated for wider
>discussion.
>
>2) Membership: We anticipate putting out an invitation to organizations and
>individuals to join in approximately a month’s time.
>
>3) Development: We are exploring funding opportunities. The Center for
>Popular Economics will provide fiscal sponsorship as well as staffing,
>provisional upon funding in the start-up stage of the network formation.
>
>4)  Action plan and timeline: as we build a broad representative
>coordinating committee and membership we will prioritize our objectives and
>seek resources to achieve them.
>
>5) Resource development: collect and publish a book of the presentations in
>the Economic Alternatives & the Social/Solidarity Economy track at the U.S.
>Social Forum. Develop a SEN-US website.
>
>
>
>We hope that you find this initiative as exciting and inspiring as we do.
>Join us in building the Solidarity Economy Network. Spread the word, and
>sign on to the SEN listserve to keep up with developments. Send a message
>to: ssecaucus-subscribe at lists.riseup.net
>
>
>
>On behalf of the SEN Coordinating Committee,
>
>
>
>Emily Kawano, Center for Popular Economics
>
>Phone: (413) 545-0743           e-mail: emily at populareconomics.org
>
>
>
>SEN Coordinating Committee
>
>Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Grassroots Economic Organizing
>
>Melissa Hoover, U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives
>
>Emily Kawano, Center for Popular Economics
>
>Julie Matthaei, Guramylay
>
>Ethan Miller, Grassroots Economic Organizing (GEO)
>
>Michael Menser, Amer. Fed. of Teachers, CUNY
>
>Heather Schoonover, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
>
>Dan Swinney, Center for Labor and Community Research
>
>
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>

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