Cooperative Community Organizing
Since 2022, I have been systematic in 'showing up' for everything co-op in Rhode Island (and sometimes beyond.)
Shortly after becoming interested in local cooperativism, I was introduced to a mutual acquaintence known for their interest in co-ops. We met, chatted, and they gave me an email introduction to three more. "Little Rhody" is a small pond, and from there it was only a few months before I knew almost everyone active in organizing for worker-ownership in RI.
The Scene
To my estimation at the time—and this holds largely true at time of writing in 2025—there were two discrete ‘interest groups’ around with a cooperative past, present, and future.
RI Worker Co-ops
The first co-op crew—which we’ll call “RI Worker Co-ops”—was anchored in a forty-person listserv created by Aaron from 3D Anatomy Studios co-op, and the group included people from nearly every worker co-op in the state, plus some co-op developers or ‘co-op curious’ community members. This group came together for irregular meetups to discuss common interests and challenges. And people would start conversational email threads—any recommendations for legal support?—and share resources useful to other co-ops.
Cannabis Co-ops
The second co-op crew—which we’ll call “Cannabis Co-ops”—was anchored in the routine of weekly Zoom meetings for the RI Cannabis Justice Coalition. I learned that the 2022 RI Cannabis Act had just passed, and had succeeded in the impossible: setting aside six of the twenty-four new Cannabis Retail Licenses for worker-owned cooperatives.
It was a golden opportunity: not just to help the most marginalized Rhode Islanders build generational wealth and independence through worker ownership, but also because of the example it would set. ‘Repairing the harm of the failed war on drugs’ was part of the legislative narrative in nearIy every state where weed was legalized, but ‘social equity’ provisions—with their slippery definitions and capitalist-friendly loopholes—was at best Failing in many states. At worst it was getting challenged in court to boot.
If Rhode Island could prove that the cooperative cannabis model works, then worker ownership and revenue sharing could spread like wildfire in this new and lucrative industry well beyond Little Rhody.
So the legislation was written. Now what? Let’s build some dispensaries!
My Contributions
Both these wings of RI cooperativism have grown and evolved tremendously thanks to the work of many people. Whenever possible, I've taken personal initiative to contribute to fill in gaps or accelerate the impact of group efforts.
2022
- Event Publicity & Tech Support. With Tripp Hopkins and the RICJC Outreach Comittee, I helped organize the first educational info-session event. I made educational fliers, and we put them up around town. I handled tech during the event, keeping everyone on the rails with their many powerpoint files, setting up AV, and running the Zoom for hybrid attendees at home.
- BTC Website Development. I handled web design, development, and copywriting for BTC, an RICJC coalition member focused on bringing cooperative business opportunities to formerly incarcerated citizens.
2023
- Materials and Media for the Building Worker Power Conference. I went with my new friends in March 2023 to Amherst MA for a conference, where we hosted a panel on cannabis co-ops. Beforehand, I designed a logo for the RICJC and worked with Camila to make it ‘pro.’ I designed and printed brochures for the RICJC and PVD Flowers, the first cannabis co-op startup. I re-designed PVD Flowers’ 1-pager ‘executive summary’ for them. I designed RICJC business cards. I filmed the entire event with a two-camera setup, and I reached out to the conference organizers to offer pro-bono videography for another key panel on Funding Co-ops.
- Co-Founding Freyo-Mind. For a year between 2023 and 2024 summers, I was on the OG founding team of Bear Sumner Sr’s Freyo-Mind dispensary cooperative. I worked on business planning, branding, and operations mostly.
- State Testimony. I have gone to several of state or municipal meetings to provide testimony on cannabis justice, the co-op dispensary model, and the unique value and needs of the working-class entrepreneurs who will be applying for these licenses.
Between August 2023 and January of 2024, I worked to organize the RI Worker Co-op Listserv/meetup group into a Real Organization. During this period, I facilitated all our full-group meetings and organizing committee meetings, created input systems/forms, and endlessly harangued people to give input.
Ultimately I synthesized nearly a dozen form responses plus months of meeting notes and secondary research into a draft “Organizing Agreement” for a new business alliance. I hosted a number of group workshops toward the goal of reaching final consensus and locking in our agreement. But I did not carry this project over the finish line. After heading to Arizona in early 2024 for my father's memorial service, I dropped off organizing for several months. Other brilliant and capable cooperators took the reins and reached consensus on a final Organizing Agreement, got over twenty sign-ons for membership, and landed on a name—the RI Worker Co-op Alliance, RIWCA. In November 2024, we launched.
This story represents one of the most gratifying and instructive experiences I have had as an organizer. I saw how my own energic, systematic approach could make a big change in a few months. And I saw what happens when I reach my personal limits: collaborators stepped up to fill the gap, then, months later, welcome me back into the fold when I was ready to participate again.
2024
- Crowdfunding Video for PVD Flowers. I supported the videographer, and handled post-production with help from a Commonplace intern.
- The Cooperathon. Organized a full-day marathon of workshops and activities centered around themes of cooperation and commons.
- Co-op Rhody Website. I served as project manager & UX/UI designer on the development of Co-op Rhody's website.
- Event Photography. I handled photography for the launch events of RIWCA & Co-op Rhody.
References
Steve Ahlquist
