Friday, May 2, 2014 Greetings: Welcome to the Jackson Rising: New conomies !

on"erence 2014 here in the #henomenal city o" Jackson, Mississi##i$ %he #rimary o&'ecti(e o" the !on"erence is to ed)cate and mo&ili*e the #eo#le o" Jackson to meet the economic and s)staina&ility needs o" o)r comm)nity+ Mississi##i was a center o" the !i(il Rights Mo(ement, and s)ccess")lly ca#t)red the national stage #artic)larly in 1,-., 1,-4 and 1,--+ /)ring that time, se(eral acti(ists "ormed the !o)ncil o" Federated 0rgani*ations 1!0F02, to coordinate acti(ities in (oter registration and to ed)cate the ci(il rights gro)#s in Mississi##i incl)ding the !ongress o" Racial 3)ality 1!0R 2, the National 4ssociation "or the 4d(ancement o" !olored 5eo#le 1N44!52, the 6o)thern !hristian 7eadershi# !on"erence 16!7!2, and the 6t)dent Non(iolent !oordinating !ommittee 16N!!2+ 8n 1,-. !0F0 organi*ed a Freedom 9ote in Mississi##i to demonstrate the desire o" :lack Mississi##ians to (ote+ More than ;0,000 #eo#le 3)ickly registered and (oted in mock elections, which #ositioned candidates "rom the <Freedom 5arty< against the o""icial state /emocratic 5arty candidates+ %his hel#ed to grow a sense o" sel" determination in the Freedom Mo(ement+ Following this, the "amo)s =March 4gainst Fear> c)lminated in Jackson, M6 in J)ne 1,--, when 6tokely !armichael 1?wame %o)re2 deli(ered his "amo)s =:lack 5ower> s#eech stating, Now we are engaged in a psychological struggle in this country, and that is whether or not Black people will have the right to use the words they want to use without white people giving their sanction to it. And we gonna use the word Black Power. 6tanding "or h)man rights o"ten res)lted in the loss o" ho)sing, #ro#erty, 'o&s and e(en li(es+ %o o(ercome these attacks and create s#aces o" a)tonomo)s #ower, a n)m&er o" coo#erati(e and li"e a""irming instit)tions were &)ilt &y :lack #eo#le in Jackson and thro)gho)t the 6o)th+ We stand "irmly on the sho)lders o" these traditions and o" those who came &e"ore )s+ We aim to &)ild new initiati(es that #osit Jackson as a center and e@am#le o" economic democracy+ 4s a res)lt o" e@#anding the disc)ssion a&o)t alternati(e economic models and systems that con"ront the harsh economic realities im#acting lowAincome and im#o(erished comm)nities, we ho#e to &)ild strong coo#erati(es and "inancial instit)tions that will create 'o&s with dignity, sta&ility, li(ing wages, and 3)ality &ene"its+ We are so glad yo) ha(e 'oined )s "or this disc)ssion+ 4gain, we welcome yo) to Jackson Rising: New conomies !on"erence 2014, and look "orward to e@changing ideas and to esta&lishing the means to create economic democracy in Jackson and &eyond$ With lo(e and res#ect, Jackson Rising 0rgani*ing !ommittee

Contents
Jackson City Council Resolution Supporting the Jackson Rising: New Economies Conference......................2 Welcome Letter............................................................................................... !a"le of Contents............................................................................................# Jackson Rising an$ the %nternational &eca$e of Cooperati'es...................( Jackson State )ni'ersity Campus *ap..........................................................+ Logistical %nformation....................................................................................., Community Norms............................................................................................rogram /t / 0lance.......................................................................................1 2ull .rogram...........................................................................................3# 4 2 Case Stu$ies an$ Networking Sessions......................................................

Jackson Rising and the International Decade of Cooperatives The International Decade of Cooperatives was established by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) in 2010, to address the decade spannin 2011 thro! h 2020" In 2012, the ICA prod!ced the #l!eprint for a Co-op Decade, to !ide the activities of the decade and serve as a strate ic plan for the lobal co-operative $ove$ent" The basic ai$s of the #l!eprint are to% 1) &levate participation within $e$bership and overnance to a new level" 2) 'osition co-operatives as b!ilders of s!stainability" () #!ild the co-operative $essa e and sec!re the co-operative identity" )) &ns!re s!pportive le al fra$ewor*s for co-operative rowth" +) ,ec!re reliable co-operative capital while !aranteein $e$ber control" At the heart of this bl!eprint is the -2020 challen e- which intends to ta*e the cooperative way of doin b!siness to a new level" The intention is that by 2020, cooperatives will be ac*nowled ed as a leader in econo$ic, social and environ$ental s!stainability, and will beco$e the preferred b!siness $odel by people thro! ho!t the world, and lastly, beco$e the fastest rowin for$ of econo$ic enterprise and e.chan e" /ac*son, 0ississippi has the opport!nity of playin a $a1or role in f!lfillin this bl!eprint" ,ocial $ove$ents in /ac*son are beco$in deeply en a ed in str! les to transfor$ how the econo$y f!nctions, chan in whose interests it serves, and whose ri hts its !pholds and protects" Cooperation /ac*son, the 0alcol$ 2 3rassroots 0ove$ent, and the /ac*son 'eople4s Asse$bly and their allies in the ,o!thern 3rassroots &cono$ies 'ro1ect to create econo$ic de$ocracy and a solidarity econo$y are developin a lon -ter$ strate y of coordinated social action led by wor*in people by developin an e.tensive networ* of cooperative enterprises in the city of /ac*son by 2020" The /ac*son 5isin % 6ew &cono$ies Conference honors the Decade and is pro!d to be to serve as a vehicle towards its f!lfill$ent"

Logistical Information
REGISTRATION: Registration opens at the following times: Friday, May ! "#am and will $lose at %pm Sat&rday, May ' ! (am and will $lose at )pm S&nday, May * ! (am and will $lose at pm +O,ATIONS: Registration and plenaries are at the -alter .ayton ,enter/ -or0shops and Networ0ing Sessions will ta0e pla$e in the 1ollye M/ E/ Ro2inson 3&ilding and the ,ollege of 3&siness/ S45TT+ES: If yo& $annot find the 6an, please $all 7ames at 89#": )*#;'#)#/ -e will 2e pro6iding airport sh&ttle ser6i$e three times per ea$h day/ Th&rsday, May " ! " noon, )pm < %pm Friday, May ! " noon, *pm < (pm S&nday, May ' ! %am, " :'#pm < ':'#pm Sh&ttles will 2e a6aila2le to pi$0 &p and drop off parti$ipants at the following designated $onferen$e hotels: ,a2ot +odge Millsaps = morning pi$0;&p at >:'#am 4oliday Inn E?press 7a$0son;,olise&m = morning pi$0;&p at >:*)pm 4ilton Garden Inn 7a$0son 1owntown 8@ing Edward: = morning pi$0;&p at >:'#am Sleep Inn < S&ites 1owntown = morning pi$0;&p at >:*)am

1RIAING AN1 .AR@ING: .lease a6oid the -estside of $amp&s/ 1&e to $ommen$ement on Friday, May nd, please a6oid &sing the Ellis A6e e?it off of 4ighway # and &se the 5ni6ersity 3l6d e?it instead/ +yn$h Street sho&ld 2e a6oided d&e to hea6y traffi$/ ,ONTA,T N5M3ERS: General Information ; Shel2y .arsons %"9/ "'/"(#* Media ,onta$t ; Ma$y R&ssell 9#"/ " /9)"' Transportation ; 7ames .ar0er 9#"/)*#/'#)# 4o&sing: Sara @ershnar )"#/9()/)'*>

Community Norms 1. Respect the Agenda 2. Respect the Facilitator and Facilitation 3. Step Back/Step Up 4. Regulate Yourself Be !indful of "arious points of pri"ilege #ou !a# ha"e and ho$ !uch ti!e #ou spend talking. %. Frank e&changes of different "ie$s are $elco!ed' (ut shall not (e done in a disrespectful and unco!radel# !anner. Respect (et$een those $ith co!peting ideas is necessar# for constructi"e de(ate. ). Attacks on indi"iduals and organi*ations that go (e#ond the scope of o(+ecti"e and principled criticis! shall not (e $elco!ed' and shall (e called out. ,. -ro!otions of !ale supre!ac# and ho!opho(ia shall not (e $elco!ed in this conference' and shall (e called out. .. /hildren are $elco!e in all conference spaces

Jackson Rising: New Economies Conference

PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
Friday, May 2nd 10 am Registration begins 1 4 pm Volunteer Orientation 5:30 inner !egins " # $ pm Opening %lenary &el'ome From M()s # *ya)Falola Omobola and +ongo ,isen#Martin -reetings .rom Mayor -ayle M'-laug/lin ,stablis/ing t/e (onte0t: %rodu'ing 1ustainable &ealt/ and 2obs 3it/ 2usti'e in 2a'4son # 5ali 64uno and ,d &/it.ield +elling Our 1tory: +/e 7istory o. !la'4 (ooperati8e e8elopment # 2essi'a -ordon 9emb/ard, &endell %aris, and (ornelius !landing (on.eren'e O8er8ie3 and (losing M()s 1aturday, May 3rd !rea4.ast :; am $ pm< 1ession 1 1aturday Morning :$ 11 am< +rainings and &or4s/ops +itle (oop 101: *ntrodu'tion to (ooperati8es :2a'4son Fo'used< (oop 101: *ntrodu'tion to (ooperati8es :1out/ern Regional Fo'us< (oop 101: *ntrodu'tion to (ooperati8es :9ational Fo'us< Mondragon @nion (o#ops: O8er'oming t/e ,'onomi's o. *neAuality -reen &or4er (ooperati8es Organi=ations 1> Federation o. 1out/ern (ooperati8es 2> Federation o. 1out/ern (ooperati8es 3> Federation o. 1out/ern (ooperati8es 1> 1out/ern -rassroots ,'onomies %ro?e't 2> 1out/ern -rassroots ,'onomies %ro?e't 3> 1out/ern -rassroots ,'onomies %ro?e't 1> @1 Federation o. &or4er (ooperati8es 2> @1 Federation o. &or4er (ooperati8es 3> @1 Federation o. &or4er (ooperati8es Mondragon @16, (in'innati @nion#(oop *nitiati8e and @F(& *nternational -reen &or4er (ooperati8es

RuralB@rban (oop (onne'tions !uilding a (ooperati8e (ommunity 6d8an'ing a (ommon 1trategy .or &or4ers Rig/ts in t/e 1out/ 6d8an'ing %ubli' %oli'y to 1upport (ooperati8es and &or4ers Rig/ts 6bolis/ (orporate (onstitutional Rig/ts Finan'ing (ooperati8es and t/e (ooperati8e Mo8ement !ottom @p (o#Op)s: +/e (risis, t/e +a4e, and t/e &or4er O3ners/ip 1olution Mapping t/e 1olidarity ,'onomy (ommunal +erritories in Vene=uela: Redesigning (ommunities +/roug/ %arti'ipatory %lanning

Federation o. 1out/ern (ooperati8es (ooperati8e (ommunity o. 9e3 &est 2a'4son 6FC#(*O and !la'4 &or4ers .or 2usti'e (oalition .or a %rosperous Mississippi, Mississippi One Voi'e and 1out/ern -rassroots ,'onomies %ro?e't Mo8e to 6mend Fund .or emo'rati' (ommunities and t/e &or4ing &orld Rosa Cu0emburg Foundation, (in'innati @nion#(oop *nitiati8e, Far Ro'4a3ayBO''upy 1andy, -reen &or4er (ooperati8es @1 1olidarity ,'onomy 9et3or4 and t/e 7ig/lander Resear'/ and ,du'ation (enter Omar 1ierra, eputy (onsul -eneral o. Vene=uela in !oston, Vene=uela

Cun'/ !rea4 :11 am 1 pm, 3it/ %lenary< %lenary D2 :11:15 am 12:45 pm< !uilding (ooperati8es, &or4er emo'ra'y, and (ommunity &ealt/: 9ational Cessons 1> 2> 3> 4> 5> "> Omar Freilla, -reen &or4er (ooperati8es 1te8e ubb, emo'ra'y (ollaborati8e Mi'/ael %e'4, Mondragon @16 Mel8in ERi'4yF Ma'lin, 9e3 ,ra &indo3s and oors 1aladin Mu/ammad, !la'4 &or4ers .or 2usti'e Mary!e M'Millian, 1e'retaryB+reasurer, 9ort/ (arolina, 6FC#(*O 1ession 2 # 1aturday 6.ternoon :1 3 pm< +rainings and &or4s/ops +itle 1tarting a (ooperati8e in 2a'4son 1tarting a (ooperati8e in t/e 1out/ Organi=ations 1> Federation o. 1out/ern (ooperati8es 2> Federation o. 1out/ern (ooperati8es 3> Federation o. 1out/ern (ooperati8es 1> 1out/ern -rassroots ,'onomies %ro?e't 2> 1out/ern -rassroots ,'onomies %ro?e't 3> 1out/ern -rassroots ,'onomies %ro?e't

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1tarting a (ooperati8e e8eloping %arti'ipatory emo'ra'y to ad8an'e ,'onomi' emo'ra'y Cand +rustsB(oop 7ousing &or4er Organi=ation, &or4er O3ners/ip, and &or4er 1el.# Management From e.ensi8e to O..ensi8e 1trategies .or ,'onomi' 2usti'e Cegislati8e promotion and support o. (ooperati8es and (ooperati8e e8elopment !uilding (ommunity &ealt/ by Organi=ing 6n'/or *nstitutions (onne'ting t/e ots, -ro3ing (o#Op)s: Regional (ooperati8e *nitiati8es 6round t/e &orld (ooperati8e e8elopment and (ommunity ,'onomi' e8elopment @?amaa: 21st (entury (ooperati8e ,'onomi's !uilding +ies .or Cand 6utonomy !uilding a 1out/ern &or4er (oop Mo8ement %oliti'al ,du'ation .or %opular ,'onomi's

1> @1 Federation o. &or4er (ooperati8es 2> @1 Federation o. &or4er (ooperati8es 3> @1 Federation o. &or4er (ooperati8es Mal'olm G -rassroots Mo8ement and t/e 2a'4son %eople)s 6ssembly udley 1t> *nitiati8e, +a4e !a'4 t/e Cand and Rig/t to t/e (ity 6llian'e !la'4 Ce.t @nity 9et3or4 @1 1o'ial Forum Mississippi Representati8e 2ames ,8ans emo'ra'y (ollaborati8e Rosa Cu0emburg Foundation, Huebe' (/antier, *talian 1olidarity %ur'/ase -roups, Mondragon @16 and *nternational Cabor Organi=ation Fund .or emo'rati' (ommunities @s Ci.ting @s ,'onomi' e8elopment (ooperati8e, CC(> 6.ro# es'endant (ommunity (oun'il o. Ca +oma, (au'a, (olombia 1out/ern -rassroots ,'onomies %ro?e't @1 1olidarity ,'onomy 9et3or4, 7ig/lander Resear'/ and ,du'ation (enter and (ooperation +e0as

1ession 3 1aturday 6.ternoon :3:15 5:15< (ooperati8e ,nterprise (ase 1tudies and 9et3or4ing (on8ersations *ndustry &aste Management :Re'y'ling and (omposting< 14illed and @ns4illed Cabor @rban Farming, Food 1er8i'e, %ro'essing and Manu.a'turing 7ealt/ (are (/ild (are 6uto (are Fa'ilitator 5ali 64uno Calit (lar4son 9ia @mo?a 6do.o Min4a 1a'a?a3ea 7all +ongo ,isen#Martin

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Cand +rust, Cand !an4, 7ousing !an4, (redit @nion, Finan'ial *nstitution 6rts and (ultural %rodu'tion Caundry

brandon 4ing r> emetri Mars/al *ya)Falola Omobola 9ina (armi'/ael

inner !rea4 :5:30 ":30 pm< %lenary D3 :":30 $ pm< !uilding t/e 1olidarity ,'onomy, ,'onomi' emo'ra'y, and %arti'ipatory emo'ra'y: *nternational Cessons and ,0amples 1pe'ial +ribute to Mayor (/o43e Cumumba # (/o43e 6ntar Cumumba 1> Fran'ois Vermette, (/antier, Huebe' 2> %ierre CaCiberte, *nternational Cabor Organi=ation, 13it=erland 3> Ma=ibu4o 2ara, 6mandlaI Maga=ine and 6lternati8e and *n.ormation and e8elopment (entre, 1out/ 6.ri'a 4> ,lbart Ving3e, Organi=ation o. (olle'ti8e (ooperati8es in Jimbab3e 5> Omar 1ierra, eputy (onsul -eneral o. Vene=uela in !oston, Vene=uela "> 2an8ie8e &illiams#(omrie, -reen &or4er (ooperati8es, @nited 1tates 1unday, May 4t/ !rea4.ast :; am $ am< 1ession D4 :$ 11 am< 6pplying Our Cessons: 9et3or4ing 1essions (ooperation 2a'4son and (ooperati8e (ommunity o. 9e3 &est 2a'4son # 9e0t 1teps .or building a Federation o. (ooperati8es in 2a'4son, M1 1out/ern -rassroots ,'onomies %ro?e't: !uilding a 1out/ern &or4er (ooperati8e Mo8ement @1 Federation o. &or4er (ooperati8es, @1 1olidarity ,'onomy 9et3or4 and Rosa Cu0emburg Foundation: !uilding 9ational and *nternational 1upport .or t/e (ooperati8e Mo8ement in 2a'4son and t/e 1out/ern Region o. t/e @nited 1tates Fund .or emo'rati' (ommunities and t/e &or4ing &orld: Resour'ing (ooperati8es in 2a'4son and t/e 1out/ern Region 1ession D5 :11:15 am 12:30 pm< -oing For3ard> (olle'ti8e 1/aring and 9et3or4ing 1ession Cun'/ 12:30 1:30 pm

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(losing %lenary 12:45 3 pm Mo8ing For3ard: +rans.orming 2a'4son, +rans.orming Mississippi, +rans.orming t/e 1out/ Ralp/ %aige, Federation o. 1out/ern (ooperati8es ,d &/it.ield, Fund .or emo'rati' (ommunities ,landria &illiams, 7ig/lander ,du'ation and Resear'/ (enter Melba/ 1mit/, (oalition .or a %rosperous Mississippi 2im ,8ans, 1tate Representati8e and 6FC#(*O Representati8e 5ali 64uno, (ooperation 2a'4son

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Jackson Rising: New Economies

Conference Program Friday, May 2nd 10 am Registration begins 1 4 pm Volunteer Orientation 5:30 9 pm Dinner & Opening Plenary Walter Payton Center
Welcome From MCs: IyaFalola Omobola and Tongo EisenMartin Greetings from Mayor Gayle McGlaughlin Establishing the Context: Producing Sustainable Wealth and Jobs with Justice in Jackson - Kali Akuno and Ed Whitfield Telling Our Story: The History of Black Cooperative Development - Jessica Gordon Nembhard, Wendell Paris, and Cornelius Blanding Conference Overview and Closing MCs

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Jackson Rising: New Economies

Conference Program Saturday, May 3rd Breakfast - Saturday Morning (8 9 am) Walter Payton Center Session 1 Saturday Morning (9 11 am) Trainings and Workshops
Coop 101: Introduction to Cooperatives (Jackson Focused) Session Summary
This session provides time for people new to the cooperative movement and the language it uses up to get up to speed with folks already doing cooperative work or who are further along in the process. This session features presentations by current cooperators (members of co-op businesses). Participants will learn about different co-op models and gain basic knowledge allowing them to fully engage in the Jackson Rising: New Economies conference.

Presenters

John Zippert and Tywan Arrington, Federation of Southern Cooperatives: COB-120 Pam Madzima, Federation of Southern Cooperatives: COB-121 Myra Bryant and Savannah Hales, Federation of Southern Cooperatives: COB-122

Coop 101: Introduction to Cooperatives (Southern Regional Focus

Session Summary

This session provides time for people new to the cooperative movement and the language it uses up to get up to speed with folks already doing cooperative work or who are further along in the process. This session features presentations by current cooperators (members of co-op businesses). Participants will learn about different co-op models and gain basic knowledge allowing them to fully engage in the Jackson Rising: New Economies conference.

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Presenters

Ed Whitfield and Alyzza May Callahan, Southern Grassroots Economies Project: LIB-143 Dave Reed and Sohnie Black, Southern Grassroots Economies Project: LIB-144

Coop 101: Introduction to Cooperatives (National Regional Focus) Session Summary

This session provides time for people new to the cooperative movement and the language it uses up to get up to speed with folks already doing cooperative work or who are further along in the process. This session features presentations by current cooperators (members of co-op businesses). Participants will learn about different co-op models and gain basic knowledge allowing them to fully engage in the Jackson Rising: New Economies conference.

Presenters

Ricardo Nuez and Sushil Jacob, US Federation of Worker Cooperatives: LIB-262 Joe Rinehart and Deborah Craig, US Federation of Worker Cooperatives: LIB-263 Melissa Hoover and Steven Evans, US Federation of Worker Cooperatives: LIB-264

Mondragon Union Co-ops: Overcoming the Economics of Inequality Session Summary

Thomas Piketty, world famous economist, author of the best selling book Capital in the 21st century describes the dangerous worldwide trend toward the growth of inequality and especially in America. Are there any practical ways that inequalities of wealth, mobility and opportunity can be countered here and now? Mondragon USA and the nationwide Union co-op movement provide one solid template for fighting back. Come hear about the experience of the Cincinnati Union Co-op and the emerging interconnected network of union co-ops through 1worker1vote.org.

Presenters

Kristen Barker, President of Cincinnati Union Co-op Initiative, Co-founder: COB-148 Dennis Olson, UFCW International: COB-148 Michael Peck, North American Delegate for Mondragon, co-founder: COB-148

Green Worker Cooperatives Session Summary

A green business is accountable to its workers, its community, and the planet we share. It contributes to a healthy life, instead of taking it away. It doesnt just provide goods and services, it provides a better way of getting things done, a way that improves the quality

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of life for those whove been on the receiving end of societys waste. This workshop will highlight a bottom-up approach to cooperative development created by Green Worker Cooperatives of the Bronx that utilizes an academy-style format as the centerpiece of a training and incubation program for cooperative entrepreneurs. Participants will have the opportunity to brainstorm ways to adapt this model to their own communities.

Presenters

Omar Freilla, Green Worker Cooperatives: COB-145

Rural/ Urban Coop Connections Session Summary

The majority of cooperatives in the South are either agricultural or utility focused and situated in rural areas. In order for the worker cooperatives being envisioned for Jackson to be successful they will have to establish strong connections with the rural cooperatives in the region. This workshop will explore how strong relationships can be built between rural and urban cooperatives in Jackson and throughout the South reflecting on the experiences of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund.

Presenters

Ben Burkett and Cornelius Blanding, Federation of Southern Cooperative: COB-146

Building a Cooperative Community: The Cooperative Community of New West Jackson Session Summary
This session focuses on the Cooperative Community of New West Jackson (CCNWJ) is a grassroots neighborhood collective whose mission is to build a sustainability model neighborhood from the ground up and from the inside out that could be replicated to create a strong again community core in West Jackson. Founded in August 2013, this effort represents a first step toward reknitting the fabric of our neighborhood. The scope of the vision includes clean-up and beautification, rehab, retrofitting and building homes with green technologies, new neighbor recruitment, education and neighborhood based economic development.

Presenters

Nia Umoja, Cooperative Community of New West Jackson: LIB-255

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Advancing a Common Strategy for Workers Rights in the South Session Summary
This workshop will focus on developing an understanding of the common struggles that workers are facing in a region that is overwhelmingly right to work, meaning the right to work without a union. In the south, union density is extremely low, workers are systematically exploited and their rights are not respected. It is imperative that we begin to develop a cohesive strategy that works to address the needs of working people as well as continue to advance the struggle for dignified jobs and wealth equity in a region where it has been intentionally denied.

Presenters

Charles E. Clark, Sr., Director AFL-CIO Southern Region: COB-119 Saladin Muhammad, Black Workers for Justice: COB-119

Advancing Public Policy to Support Cooperatives and Workers Rights Session Summary
This interactive session is designed to provide participants with a basic understanding of what cooperatives seek to foster in terms of a workers as owners business model. We will also examine how public policy can be advanced in support of cooperatives and workers rights. It is our hope that participants will leave this session with a deeper and enriched understanding of cooperatives as an economic development model.

Presenters

Melbah Smith, Coalition for a Prosperous Mississippi: LIB-153 Sherry Wright, Mississippi One Voice: LIB-153 Frank Figgers, Mississippi Association of Cooperatives: LIB-153 Abolish Corporate Constitutional Rights

Session Summary

We will explore how the definition of legal personhood has been a critical component of how a small ruling elite have ruled over the vast majority of this country, all the while masquerading as a democracy and confusing people (especially white folks). We will cover the links between corporate constitutional rights and capitalism, imperialism and white supremacy, and describe the MTA strategy to win a constitutional amendment to abolish the court-created and utterly illegitimate legal doctrines of corporate personhood and money equals speech.

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Presenters

David Cobb, Move to Amend: LIB-257 Jerome Scott, US Social Forum: LIB-257 Financing Cooperatives and the Cooperative Movement

Session Summary

This session is designed for people who are interested in thinking about and helping to solve a critical infrastructure challenge that has to be confronted if were serious about building a robust coop movement in the South. The basic question well be grappling with is Where will we find the capital to start large numbers of coop businesses, from small to big, and sustain the institutions that will launch and keep these movement-anchored coops connected and moving forward? Its a tough question, especially since the South is the poorest region of the US, and the communities that most need a more democratic, just, and sustainable economy dont tend to have easy access to capital! We aint Wall Street! The Southern Grassroots Economies Project (SGEP), a collective effort anchored by nine regional and national organizations that work to build the Southern coop movement, has tasked itself with finding answers to this challenge. SGEP is focused on building the coop movement in the most marginalized Southern communities, including AfricanAmericans, low income whites, immigrants, women, youth, returned veterans and the formerly incarcerated. In this session, two members of the SGEP working group on Financing Coop Economic Development in the South will outline what the group has come up with so far -- at this point an understanding of the kinds of capital pools that will need to be deployed, and a few ideas about how to start to build these pools. In our biggest dreams, we think in terns of building grant, loan, and equity financing pools totaling $500 million or more -- and thats just to get started! The role of philanthropy will be explored, as well as angel investing, self-funding (coops funding coops!), and do-it-ourselves finance. SGEP is taking a lead in confronting the capital challenge, but we need lots more people helping to solve this thorny problem, So come on in!

Presenters

Marnie Thompson, Fund for Democratic Communities: LIB-204 Brendan Martin, Working World: LIB-204

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Communal Territories In Venezuela: Redesigning Communities Through Participatory Planning Session Summary
This session will explore how communities throughout Venezuela have started to redesign and redevelop themselves since the start of the Bolivarian revolution in 1998 utilizing participatory planning and budgeting processes on municipal and state levels. The workshop will explore why these communities turned to participatory processes, how these participatory processes work, how they relate to the Federal government, and what successes they produced for communal territories throughout Venezuela.

Presenters

Omar Sierra, Deputy Consul General of Venezuela in Boston, Venezuela: LIB-145

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Bottom Up Co-ops: the Crisis, The Take, and the Worker Ownership Solution Sponsored by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Session Summary
Ten years ago, the documentary The Take examined the factory takeovers that spread throughout Argentina in the wake of a deep economic and political crisis in 200102. These takeovers gave new life to hundreds of abandoned businesses throughout the country, with former employees putting them back to work as cooperatives. The recovered businesses (or empresas recuperadas) inspired a generation of social activists to engage in cooperative economics, fighting existing injustices in conventional workplaces and in some cases even taking them over, or alternately starting new workerrun enterprises that sought to put human needs before profits. In this workshop we will learn about four case studies of cooperatives that have been inspired by Argentinas recovered businesses and other innovative cooperative initiatives from around the world. How can coops be used to support communities in the face of economic crisis and disaster capitalism? How can particular initiatives start, survive, and thrive over time? And how can they play a role in a broader vision for sustainable economies and communities for generations to come?

Presenters

Janvieve Williams: worker/owner at Ginger Moon Cooperative; co-founder of Green Worker Cooperatives: COB-123 William Swanson: worker/owner at New Era Cooperative: COB-123 Knocka: worker/owner at Far Rockaway Cab Cooperative; Occupy Sandy participant: COB-123 Mapping the Solidarity Economy

Session Summary

What is this term solidarity economy anyway? What fits and what doesnt? Come explore how co-operatives, nonprofits, businesses and government working together can boost the economy. We will create a solidarity economy map of Jackson and other towns and cities that workshop participants come from and provide information for how you can take this to the next step. Mapping the solidarity economy is the first step in building up a chain of enterprises that can transform our communities.

Presenters

Emily Kawano, Center for Popular Economics: COB-204 Elandria Williams, Highlander Research and Education Center: COB-204

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Lunch at 11:00 am Walter Payton Center Plenary #2 (11:30 am 12:45 pm) Walter Payton Center Building Cooperatives, Worker Democracy and Community Wealth: National Lessons
Reviewing how the education of workers to democratically participate in the workplace contributes to the foundation of cooperative functionality leading to community wealth within national restraints and understandings. Omar Freilla, Green Worker Cooperatives Steve Dubb, Democracy Collaborative Michael Peck, Mondragon USA Melvin Ricky Maclin, New Era Windows and Doors Saladin Muhammad, Black Workers for Justice Charles Clark, Sr., Southern Regional Director, National AFL-CIO

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Session 2 Saturday Afternoon (1-3 pm) Trainings and Workshops

Starting a Cooperative in Jackson Session Summary
This session focuses on the practical steps individuals need to take to establish, build, and successfully manage a cooperative enterprise. This includes basics on building a solid team of co-operators, doing a feasibility study, business plans, and fundraising. Representatives from existing co-ops will share their advice and lessons on how to start and successfully operate a cooperative enterprise. Presenters John Zippert and Tywan Arrington, Federation from Southern Cooperatives: COB-121 Melbah Smith and Pam Madzima, Federation from Southern Cooperatives: COB-121 Myra Bryant and Savannah Hales, Federation from Southern Cooperatives: COB-121

Starting a Cooperative in the South Session Summary

This session focuses on the practical steps individuals need to take to establish, build, and successfully manage a cooperative enterprise. This includes basics on building a solid team of co-operators, doing a feasibility study, business plans, and fundraising. Representatives from existing co-ops will share their advice and lessons on how to start and successfully operate a cooperative enterprise.

Presenters

Dave Reed and Alyzza May Callahan, Southern Grassroots Economies Project: LIB-144 Marnie Thompson and Sohnie Black, Southern Grassroots Economies Project: LIB-144

Starting a Cooperative Nationally Session Summary

This session focuses on the practical steps individuals need to take to establish, build, and successfully manage a cooperative enterprise. This includes basics on building a solid team of co-operators, doing a feasibility study, business plans, and fundraising. Representatives from existing co-ops will share their advice and lessons on how to start and successfully operate a cooperative enterprise.

Presenters

Ricardo and Sushil, US Federation of Worker Cooperatives: LIB-162 Joe and Deborah, US Federation of Worker Cooperatives: LIB-162 Melissa and Steven, US Federation of Worker Cooperatives: LIB-162

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Developing Participatory Democracy to Advance Economic Democracy Session Summary

This session will cover the development of participatory or direct democracy as it shapes forms of citizen participation to create opportunities for all members of a population to make meaningful contributions to decision-making around all aspects of their life. In the economic arena this power is then shifted from corporate shareholders to encompass a larger group of public stakeholders that includes workers, customers, suppliers, neighbors and the broader public in order to advance economic democracy.

Presenters

June Hardwick, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement: COB-148 Mattie Stoddard, Jackson Peoples Assembly: COB-148

Community Land Trusts/Coop Housing Session Summary

This session will explore various strategies to democratize and humanize how we utilize land for housing and other productive activities that create wealth. In particular it will look at some of the creative strategies employed throughout the country to create Community Land Trusts and Housing Cooperatives to fight gentrification and displacement and build sustainable working class communities.

Presenters

Rob Robertson, Take Back the Land: LIB-263 Rachel LaForest, Right to the City Alliances: LIB-263 Eugene Gus Newport, Founding Director of Dudley Street initiative: LIB-263

Worker Organization, Worker Ownership, and Worker Self-Management Session Summary

The workshop will focus on worker organization and building workers power in the capitalist economy as an essential feature of building a transitional and transformative solidarity economy. It will address why a solidarity economy and cooperatives must be identified with a Freedom Agenda that makes it part of the various movements for radical change.

Presenters

Saladin Muhammad, Black Workers for Justice: COB-205 Abdul AlKalimat, Professor: COB-205

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From Defensive to Offensive Strategies for Economic Justice Session Summary

This United States Social Forum PMA focuses on identifying the current economic situation and taking action to change it. We live in an urgent historical moment of crisis, danger, and opportunity. We live in a moment of deep and irreversible crisis of global capitalism, of technological revolution with the accumulation of vast wealth along with economic dispossession and poverty among huge swaths of humanity, massive social and ecological destruction, intensifying state oppression that is especially racialized and gendered. What is our vision for another society and what actions are necessary to transform the system? This means going from defensive to offensive--at the heart of our practice is moving from the defensive to the offensive.

Presenters

Walda Katz-Fishman, US Social Forum: COB-237 Jerome Scott, US Social Forum: COB-237

Legislative Promotion and Support of Cooperatives and Cooperative Development Session Summary
This workshop will explore how progressive members of the State Legislature and Senate are working to craft legislation to support cooperatives and protect and advance workers rights in the state of Mississippi.

Presenters

Mississippi Representative James Evans: COB-239 Mississippi Senator John Horhn: COB-239

Building Community Wealth by Organizing Anchor Institutions Session Summary

This workshop will provide a nuts-and-bolts description of how to use an organizing approach to develop employee-owned and community-owned enterprises that tap into the procurement budgets of universities, hospitals, and local governments. Building on The Democracy Collaboratives work with the Evergreen Cooperatives initiative in Cleveland, Ohio and similar feasibility work in other cities (including Amarillo, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Washington DC).

Presenters

Steve Dubb, Democracy Collaborative: LIB-154

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Connecting the Dots, Growing Co-ops: Regional Cooperative Initiatives around the World
Sponsored by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation

Session Summary

Inspired by the examples of Mondragona federation of worker cooperatives formed in 1956, which now has 80,000 worker-owners and is the 7th largest company in Spainand Emilia-Romagnaa region in Northern Italy with over 8,000 coopsregional cooperative and solidarity economy initiatives have in recent years been taking off around the world. While the best known of these cases are based in Europe, similar work is increasingly being undertaken across North America. The Canadian province of Quebec recently passed a framework legislation that requires all government departments to integrate support for the social solidarity economy into all aspects of their work. Meanwhile, initiatives in cities like Cincinnati and Cleveland are building networks of related worker coops based on the Mondragon modelin some cases with actual help from Mondragon officials. What can Jackson learn from successful examplesold and youngfrom around the world? How do we go about building networks of cooperatives that support and draw strength from each other, and how can we link solidarity economy initiatives to the state in a meaningful and mutually beneficial fashion? This panel brings together experts from Quebec, Mondragon, Emilia-Romagna and the International Labor Organization to discuss regional cooperative initiatives in the Jackson context.

Presenters

Featured Speakers: Franois Vermette, director of development for Quebec Chantier: COB-119 Cristina Grasseni, researcher and professor at Bergamo and Harvard University; member of the Italian Solidarity Purchase Groups: COB-119 Michael Peck, North American delegate representing the Mondragon Cooperative Corporation: COB-119 Pierre Lalibert, researcher at the International Labor Organization: COB-119

Cooperative Development and Community Economic Development Session Summary

In this workshop, we will explore the theory and practice of appealing to governmental bodies to consider cooperatives for incentives, given their proven performance in job creation and local community development. Incentives are used with private businesses to help guarantee the profitability of businesses that are not otherwise attractive enough for individual and corporate entrepreneurs to develop. We will explore the arguments to

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be made and the potential for winning local, state governments to begin to use incentive programs to support cooperative efforts.

Presenters

Ed Whitfield, Co-Managing Director of Fund for Democratic Communities, Former Chairman of Greensboro Redevelopment Commission: LIB-204

Ujamaa: 21st Century Cooperative Economics Session Summary

The presentation will introduce prospective members to the ULU process, its culture as well as goals and objectives for the organization. It will be facilitated via powerpoint with Q and A upon conclusion.

Presenters

DJ Jordan and Chinyere Norman, Us Lifting Us Economic Development Cooperative, LLC: LIB-265

Building Ties for Land Autonomy Session Summary

The session will give a brief overview about land claims and political autonomy gains by black communities in Latin America with an eye for comparing past and present challenges and gains regarding land for black communities in the US.

Presenters

Manuel Matos, Afro-Descendant Community Council of La Toma, Cauca, Colombia: LIB254

Building a Southern Worker Coop Movement Session Summary

Since 2011, the Southern Grassroots Economies Project (SGEP) has been holding yearly gatherings for networking and training about building a Southern economy rooted in self-reliance, solidarity, community ownership and meeting human needs rather than maximizing profit. SGEP seeks to build a movement of and for those people most affected by the economic crises and least impacted by recovery efforts: These include African-Americans, low income whites, immigrants, women, youth, returned veterans and the formerly incarcerated. The first gathering of SGEP was held at Highlander Research and Education Center in New Market Tennessee, and the two subsequent gatherings called CoopEcon were held in Epes, Alabama at the Rural Training Center of the Federation of Southern

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Cooperatives. SGEP organizational members include core members: The Federation of Southern Cooperatives, Highlander Research and Education Center, Florida Farmworkers Association, Cooperation Texas, the Jackson Mississippi branch of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and the Fund For Democratic Communities (F4DC). Joining these core members are affiliated members: Grassroots Economic Organizing (GEO), The Working World, and the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives. In addition to the CoopEcon gatherings, SGEP is also involved in analyzing the policies of governmental and financial institutions to understand the policy obstacles that must be removed for developing worker cooperatives as part of a solidarity economy in the South. There is also a finance and funding thrust looking develop the appropriate strategy to assemble the needed money resources to build this new economy. This workshop will describe these efforts and offer an opportunity for participants to ask questions about ways to be involved in this South-wide effort.

Presenters

Jessica Gordon Nembhard, GEO Collective and lifetime member of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives: LIB-264

Political Education for Popular Economics Session Summary

Social and economic justice are inseparable from labor organizing to Civil Rights, from environmental justice to globalized trade to cooperative development. Explore what popular and economics education is, how its being used in current organizing work around sustainable economies, and ways to incorporate it into your work.

Presenters

Emily Kawano, Center for Popular Economics: COB-145 Elandria Williams, Highlander Research and Education Center: COB-145 Carlos Perez de Alejo, Cooperation Texas: COB-145

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Session 3 Saturday Afternoon (3:15 5:15) Cooperative Enterprise Case Studies and Networking Conversations
These sessions are being facilitated by members or supporters of Cooperation Jackson. They will be supported by various Cooperators with experience in these respective fields. This session will be an opportunity to move forward on creating a co-op that will exist in the federation of co-ops of Cooperation Jackson. The purpose of this session is not just to begin planning the co-op that will address the identified need, but also to understand the context of this work that we are doing to build a solidarity economy in Jackson. This is not about one trade, one product, one service, or even one industry that we are going to put in the hands of the people; this is about putting the entire economy in the hands of the people. These Network sessions were developed as a result of needs identified by Cooperation Jackson through its outreach work and its study of the economy and the forces that presently control it. Waste Management (Recycling and Composting) Kali Akuno - LIB204 Skilled and Unskilled Labor Lalit Clarkson - LIB-264 Urban Farming, Food Service, Processing and Manufacturing Nia Umoja - LIB-263 Health Care Adofo Minka - LIB-143 Child Care - Sacajawea Hall - LIB-155 Auto Care - Tongo Eisen-Martin - LIB-262 Land Trust, Land Bank, Housing - brandon king - LIB-155 Bank, Credit Union, Financial Institution - Dr. Demetri Marshall - LIB154 Arts and Cultural Production Iyafalola H. Omobola - LIB-153 Laundry - Nina Carmichael - LIB-257 Dinner Break (5:30 6:30 pm) - Walter Payton Center

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Plenary #3 (6:30 9 pm) Walter Payton Center

Building the Solidarity Economy, Economic Democracy, and Participatory Democracy: International Lessons and Examples Exploration of the ways in which economics have been molded into a tool for the cooperative community to enhance collective understanding in decisionmaking processes internationally. Special Tribute to Mayor Chokwe Lumumba - Chokwe Antar Lumumba Pierre LaLiberte, International Labor Organization, Switzerland Mazibuko Jara, Amandla! Magazine and Alternative and Information and Development Centre, South Africa Elbart Vingwe, Organization of Collective Cooperatives in Zimbabwe Omar Sierra, Deputy Consul General of Venezuela in Boston, Venezuela Janvieve Williams-Comrie, Green Worker Cooperatives, United States

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Jackson Rising: New Economies

Conference Program Sunday, May 4th Breakfast - Sunday Morning (8 9 am) Walter Payton Center Session #4 (9 11 am) Applying Our Lessons: Networking Sessions
Cooperation Jackson and Cooperative Community of New West Jackson - Next Steps for building a Federation of Cooperatives in Jackson, MS - LIB-204 Southern Grassroots Economies Project: Building a Southern Worker Cooperative Movement - LIB-262 US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, US Solidarity Economy Network and Rosa Luxemburg Foundation: Building National and International Support for the Cooperative Movement in Jackson and the Southern Region of the United States - LIB-263 Fund for Democratic Communities and the Working World: Resourcing Cooperatives in Jackson and the Southern Region LIB-264
Human Rights Testimony: Dollye Robinson Liberal Arts Building (LIB 157) Saturday, May 3rd 9 am 6 pm Sunday, May 4th 9 am - 1:30 pm Share your Testimony regarding how your economic, social, and cultural rights have been denied or unfulfilled where you work, receive health services, education, and live by the government or private sources of authority (employers, doctors, educators, etc.). Your testimonies will be compiled and shared at the United Nations (UN) as part of a report the US Human Rights Network will be sharing with the Committee to Eliminate All forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), which will be reviewing the United States governments record of compliance with International Law in August 2014. For more information on the US Human Rights Network see http://www.ushrnetwork.org/.

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Session #5 (11:15 am 12:30 pm) Going Forward. Collective Sharing and Networking Session Walter Payton Center Lunch 12:30 1:30 pm Walter Payton Center Closing Plenary 12:45 3 pm Walter Payton Center
Moving Forward: Transforming Jackson Transforming Mississippi, Transforming the South This plenary will address how we collectively move forward after the Jackson Rising Conference to build a united network and movement that serves the interest of Jackson, the South, the United States and the world. Ralph Paige, Federation of Southern Cooperatives Ed Whitfield, Fund for Democratic Communities Elandria Williams, Highlander Education and Research Center Melbah Smith, Coalition for a Prosperous Mississippi Jim Evans, State Representative and AFL-CIO Representative Kali Akuno, Cooperation Jackson

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Case Studies and Networking Sessions

Purpose
This session will be an opportunity to move forward on creating a co-op that will exist in the federation of co-ops of Cooperation Jackson. The purpose of this session is not just to begin planning the co-op that will address the identified need, but also to understand the context of this work that we are doing to build a solidarity economy in Jackson. This is not about one trade, one product, one service, or even one industry that we are going to put in the hands of the people this is about putting the entire economy in the hands of the people. These !etwork sessions were developed as a result of needs identified by Cooperation Jackson through its outreach work and its study of the economy and the forces that presently control it.

Working Questions
". The number one goal in creating the co-op is how can we build co-op that takes care of its members, our families, and our communities. #ow do we build this co-op to achieve this goal$ %. &hat resources, human and material, do we need for this co-op$ '. &hat goods and services can we provide, keeping in mind that it is time to re-imagine the economy$ &e are no longer constrained by only doing what makes money. &hat innovations can we bring to the field$ (. &hat is wrong with the field under the current system and how can we correct it with the co-op model$ ). &hat can we put into place to train people who join the co-op$

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Thank you to those who contributed and helped us reach out goal for the Indiegogo Campaign: Help Jackson Rise, Give $25. Andrew DeLeeuw Angelo Williams Benjamin Blackshear Brandon King burke Stansbury chasinggarza Cindy Wiesner Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. Cynthia Newhall Djibril Toure Elizabeth Whittaker Evelyn Davis Helena Wong j.deutsch Jan Flora Kamm Howard Kate Shapiro Kenny Nero Kyle Powell Laureen Adams Malika Harris Marcie Hawkins Smith Maria Fernandez Mary Hoyer Mary Ratcliff Meron Wondwosen Mia Henry Michael Hachey Michael Siegel Omolade R. Roddy Peter Evans Rosa Clemente rrai1 Sandra Rivers Steven Pitts Sundiata42 Susan Shurtleff Tammy Luu Terry Hardin Toussaint Losier Tyler Tarwater Ukali Mwendo Vernalia Randall Walda Katz-Fishman Will Emmons

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HE JACKSON RISING: NEW ECONOMIES CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON HOW TO DEVELOP COOPERATIVES AND WORKER-OWNED ENTERPRISES BASED UPON SOCIAL SOLIDARITY, PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY, AND ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EQUITY IN THE CITY OF JACKSON.

With visionary leadership and strong community support, not only can we diversify and grow Jacksons economy, but we can make Jackson a model center of cooperative development in the United States. The Jackson Rising conference will launch this development process by:

1. Providing education on what Cooperatives are, what they do and how they benefit their members and community by highlighting existing models and best practices from existing Cooperatives in Mississippi, the Southeast region and throughout the country. The objective is to foster an interest in Cooperatives.

2. Providing space to engage in public discussion and strategy development on creating the public policy infrastructure necessary in Jackson and the state of Mississippi to support various types of Cooperatives.

3. Providing space to explore, better support and resource the existing Cooperatives and Credit Unions in Jackson, strengthen emerging Cooperative development initiatives, and foster the development of new Cooperatives in the city.

www.JacksonRising.com JacksonRising@gmail.com 601.208.0090 Facebook.com/JacksonRising Twitter:@JacksonRising #JXNRising