Political economy foundations collapse due to billionaire influence and austerity, prompting leaders to seek structural transformation. There is a recognized need for new economic models based on cooperation and community control. However, building these structures presents challenges as capitalism persists. While some advocate for improved representation among leaders from diverse backgrounds, stewardship differs from strategic vision. Additionally, external forces impose timelines on movements, which can hinder the building of values-aligned institutions. The UN's declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives emphasizes the growing attention to co-op development, currently showing promising growth in the US.
Even modest investments in the co-op field have led to a tripling in the number of US worker co-ops in the past decade, yet that number remains far from what's needed to transform our economy.
Movement timelines are dictated by external forces like electoral cycles and grant deadlines rather than the actual time it takes to build values-aligned institutions. This mismatch sets us up for failure.
Many movement leaders have long understood the need for a new economic architecture that's grounded in cooperation, mutualism, and community control.
While representation matters, we have too often conflated stewardship with strategy. Black stewardship and Black visionary strategy are not the same.
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