To get to the economy we need, we need to better understand why our current economy isn’t working. To create an economy that serves people, instead of people serving the economy, we need to spread knowledge about alternative economic models and build relationships to strengthen the solidarity economy movement. That’s why People’s Economy Lab, supported by funding from Communities of Opportunity, hosted an Economics for Emancipation learning cohort in King County last year.
Economics for Emancipation is “a seven-module introductory curriculum with interactive and participatory workshops” created by the Center for Economic Democracy. “It offers a deep critical dive into the current political economic system, exploration of alternative economic systems, and dynamic tools to dream and build the economy that centers care, relationship, and liberation.”
For King County, People’s Economy Lab used the Economics for Emancipation curriculum as a foundation, building on it with our unique expertise, local connections, and experiences. We facilitated a cohort of 20 community leaders, co-op enthusiasts, people working in finance and philanthropy, artists and cultural workers, government and nonprofit employees, advocates for environmental justice, and more who were eager to dive deep and grapple with difficult concepts.
Topics included:
- What is the economy?
- Use value, exchange value, surplus value
- Neoliberal capitalism, colonialism & the circuit of slavery
- Just Transition & solidarity economy
- Indigenous economics
- Community Wealth Building
- Participatory governance
- Reflection & action planning
The E4E King County learning cohort met virtually for eight popular education-style learning sessions. We also met in person twice at Angle Lake Park and E-Jae Pak Mor just to share food and get to know each other better.
Multiple participants shared that Economics for Emancipation King County gave them the language to describe their experiences. They feel jaded by the existing dominant economy, by the barriers to wealth building and even just meeting basic daily needs, and they were appreciative of the opportunity to discuss these barriers and ways to overcome them with likeminded people.
E4E King County participants were excited to hear from guest speakers, including Jackie Mena on Community Wealth Building and Demarus Tevuk on the Native Neighborhoods 2022 Community Study. One participant said, “It’s exciting to know others have been working on this, and I can come alongside that work.”
One topic participants really engaged with and expressed a desire to dive into more deeply was Indigenous economics. The Indigenous economics session emphasized that a solidarity economy isn’t a new concept. For thousands of years, Indigenous economies have revolved around reciprocity and community care. We see these roots today forming the basis for mutual aid networks, offers and needs markets, buy nothing groups, and more.
Beyond the content, participants and facilitators both felt energized by the relationships we were able to build through the learning series. We’re already finding ways to support each other’s work and to collaborate.
Thank you to our participants for their wholehearted engagement, to Center for Economic Democracy and the creators of the Economics for Emancipation curriculum, to Communities of Opportunity for funding the learning series, and to Cascadia Consulting for administrative and technical support!
If you want to learn more about the content of the Economics for Emancipation King County series, check out our recent Instagram posts.