The Solidarity Economy Principles and Practices generated here initially came from a series of conversations in spring and summer 2021 among people with long and deep experience working in worker cooperatives, cooperative and solidarity economy networks, and building cooperation and democracy at the grassroots in the US and Canada. These folks agreed to participate in drafting a version to circulate to our communities.

Over the course of the summer of 2021 the drafting group produced a first draft of the SE Principles and published a website in English and Spanish. Throughout the fall and winter of 2021-2022 the drafting group supported a variety of SE organizations to host workshops and presentations about the principles and practices in an effort to build collective knowledge through shared inquiry.

From September 2021 through March 2022 organizations and communities engaged in SE work were also invited to submit commentsabout the content of the website, presentations, and workshops — whether that was a critique, question, suggestion, or an ah-ha moment.

In Spring 2022, the drafting group met to incorporate the feedback from presentations and workshops and via the online form. A subcommittee reviewed this feedback and proposed edits for the larger group to discuss. The version of the principles and practices you see here was finalized in June 2022. Organizations were invited to commit to them at that time.

As of June 2022, a collective of SE organizers drawn from the original drafting group has taken up the stewarding responsibilities for this project. These responsibilities include maintaining the website, coordinating translations, responding to community inquiries, facilitating SE principles and practices workshops and learning spaces, and launching a Community of Practice.

The first convening of the Community of Practice will take place on March 19, 2023, with three more convenings anticipated through the end of the year.

Solidarity Economy Principles Project

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