Written by Lab Leader Laura Nash, photos by Nica Guerrero
To successfully transform our economy so that all of us are thriving, we need to make the solidarity economy movement wildly popular.
This was just one of the takeaways from the New Economy Coalition’s Solidarity Economy Assembly (SEA2026), which took place in Durham, North Carolina at the end of July. And in that space, with 150+ representatives from solidarity economy projects across North America, all passionate about transforming our economy, it felt not only possible but probable.
We represented cooperatives, land trusts, time banks, movement-building organizations, and more. And we were all excited to compare notes and nerd out about the ways we’re collectively advancing an economy that works better for people and the planet.
Themes
These are some of the themes that came up over and over again throughout the Assembly.
We need to prioritize community stewardship of land.
As panelist and founding member of Handèwa Farms Anna Jeffries said, “We steward the land, and the land stewards us.”
Land is the foundation of shelter, food security, environmental stewardship, water access, physical space for building relationships, wealth, and more. Our communities thrive and become less reliant on private industries and fickle government safety nets when we return land to Indigenous communities and steward land for farming, housing, establishing community-owned businesses, etc.
One beautiful example of this is the People’s Solidarity Hub in Durham, which is made up of adjacent properties that were purchased by the Southern Vision Alliance and transformed into an accessible cultural space and central hub for activists and organizers to build collective power. The property includes event space, kitchens, childcare rooms, an art gallery, a lending library, an outdoor pavilion, and garden. It’s been used to host organizing meetings, skill shares, birthday parties, and so much more.
We are all struggling with funding, but we’re eager to find solutions together.
Fundraising to support solidarity economy projects is not easy. And with the current federal administration in power, it’s gotten even harder. Philanthropy and governments are much more likely to support workforce development, first-time homebuyer programs, and individual financial education than they are to support collective ownership and community-controlled finance.
New Economy Coalition member organizations are eager to work together to find collaborative solutions to our funding problem, and the NEC Movement Resourcing Working Group is coming out with a report that compiles all of our ideas for collective resourcing soon.
We want to build stronger regional connections.
Some areas of the country were really well represented at the Solidarity Economy Assembly. When we split into regional breakouts, the attendees representing the Northeast had to split into two groups, because they were so well represented. In contrast, I joined a breakout group that was made up of one person representing a Washington-based organization (me), one person representing Oregon, one person from Canada, and a handful of Californians (mostly based in the Bay Area).
This isn’t because we don’t have plenty of solidarity economy and economic democracy projects on the West Coast, or even in the Pacific Northwest. We do. We just aren’t as well networked and represented in national spaces.
The West Coast breakout group (lovingly nicknamed Salmon Nation) agreed that we need to organize a regional gathering to get more connected and aligned, and build collective power for regional transformation.
To build a successful movement, we need to make the solidarity economy wildly popular.
There is so much incredible work happening in the U.S. and around the world to resist the economic systems that are harming us and build systems that support us all to thrive. We know the solidarity economy is effective at achieving well-being for all kinds of people and the environments we live in, because we’ve already put it into action. But it is so antithetical to our dominant economy, that most people don’t even realize the solidarity economy is an option.
In order to grow the solidarity economy, we have to make it more visible and desirable to mass audiences. That means partnering with artists and media makers and leaning into cultural and narrative change.
More about NEC and SEA2026
New Economy Coalition is “a coalition of 170+ organizations building the solidarity economy in the U.S. and showing that another world is not only possible — it’s already happening.” People’s Economy Lab has been a member of NEC since 2020. We’ve participated virtually in NEC’s work groups, made person-to-person connections and discovered valuable resources through NEC’s network listserv. But this was the first time we had the opportunity to attend one of their gatherings in person.
With support from strategic consulting agency The Nest, New Economy Coalition created a welcoming and vibrant space that exemplified what the solidarity economy is all about. They fed us. They provided childcare. They created a rest space and paid local healers to provide treatments for attendees. They required everyone to take COVID tests every morning and wear masks indoors. They gave everyone handheld electric fans to help us weather Durham’s hot, humid climate. And then when it rained and the AC gave us all the shivers, they brought us cozy blankets to keep us warm.
The week’s program included a panel and keynote featuring local Black and Indigenous organizers and community leaders, member-led breakout sessions, community visits, and an assembly where we discussed the future of New Economy Coalition and the work we intend to do together. Work sessions were punctuated by creativity and joy, with a backdrop of beautiful visual art, live music, a song circle, storytelling, movement, and play.
What comes next?
It was affirming to meet people doing similar work across the continent and hear that so many of them are facing the same struggles and pursuing similar solutions. I left NEC’s Solidarity Economy Assembly feeling that the solidarity economy movement is on solid footing. Despite waning funding and disconnected efforts, it’s clear that the energy and will to advance economic democracy exist, and we’re largely aligned on the steps we need to take to strengthen our movement.
At People’s Economy Lab, we look forward to staying involved in the New Economy Coalition and putting more of our own energy toward creating a local network of solidarity economy practitioners and community-led economic projects.
