Democratizing Law, Land, & Labor with SELC

Solidarity Economy Shorts Episode #9A collaboration with New Economy CoalitionSolidarity Economy Shorts are conversations with frontline organizations & individuals that are putting solidarity economy principles into practice. They are using different strategies to build an economic system where communities are meeting their own needs outside of capitalism. Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC) is a hub for legal education, research, advice, and advocacy that supports the transition to localized, resilient economies. Their work focuses on practices that promote justice and sharing, including cooperatives, community currencies, community enterprises, local investing, cohousing, urban agriculture, and other innovative economic strategies.In this episode I speak with Mwende Hinojosa, the director of communications and strategic storytelling at the law center. We discuss the gap the co-founders were seeing that led them to step up to be a legal resource for the solidarity economy movement, what democratizing land, labor, and law looks like in practice, cooperative models as a pathway to ownership for undocumented immigrants, the revitalization of a former Black self-sufficient community, and how organizations can show up with care and intention for immigrants in their community.Show NotesSustainable Economies Law Center WebsiteCo-op Law Website: online legal resource library supporting democratic, worker-owned businessesSELC Legal Cafe: free trainings and 1:1 legal supportMutual Aid Toolkit: FAQs from mutual aid organizers answered by SELC lawyersState by State Guide to Apprenticeships: eight states’ rules for becoming a lawyer without attending law schoolBan Land Grabs One Pager: advocating to ban for-profit, non-cooperative business entities from buying residential property in Richmond and individual mega landlordsProspera Co-op: co-creates community wealth for Latina entrepreneursAllensworth Progressive Association: community-led nonprofit dedicated to the revitalization and self-determination of Allensworth, California