Click to view the diagram at full size.
The solidarity economy includes a wide array of economic practices and initiatives but they all share common values that stand in stark contrast to the values of the dominant economy. Instead of enforcing a culture of cut-throat competition, they build cultures and communities of cooperation. Rather than isolating us from one another, they foster relationships of mutual support and solidarity. In place of centralized structures of control, they move us towards shared responsibility and democratic decision-making. Instead of imposing a single global monoculture, they strengthen the diversity of local cultures and environments. Instead of prioritizing profit over all else, they encourage a commitment to shared humanity best expressed in social, economic, and environmental justice.
The New York City solidarity economy includes many, if not all, of the practices listed above plus some we haven’t even discovered yet! It operates in the margins at the margins and rarely turns up in the news, but New Yorkers are using solidarity practices to create jobs, produce food, house their families, educate themselves, entertain their communities, access healthcare, and restore the environment. The solidarity economy isn’t a far off utopia, but is instead a force already changing lives in our communities.
Want to learn how you can support New York’s alternative economy? Visit our directory of New York’s solidarity economy. Did we miss something? Let us know at info (at) solidaritynyc (dot) org.
Want to learn more about the solidarity economy concept? Check out our resource library or the U.S. Solidarity Economy Network for papers, books, and additional resources.
Special thanks to Ethan Miller for generously donating his words.