Solidarity and Racial Equity

Diversity, Solidarity  & Healing Institutional Oppression

We understand that we live embedded inside a vast history and present condition of institutionalized racism, sexism, violence, genocide, ecocide, slavery and economic oppression. We see that any effort like Cooperate WNC cannot pretend to be "colorblind" or otherwise neutral regarding  these traumatic truths, because we are then simply ignoring the realities around access to power, money and knowledge. 

Given this context, we recognize how important it is to 1) prioritize diverse participation in Cooperate WNC at all levels, and 2) build solidarity across differences within and among the communities we work with. We recognize how destructive tokenism can be, and we instead seek deep collaboration based on authentic relationships that are rooted in trust, mutual care, and a shared commitment to collective liberation. 

Cooperate WNC’s founding group was white, and our existing networks are primarily white. Given that people of color and other marginalized groups have the most historical experience with mutual aid organizing in the US, and because CWNC seeks to learn from this experience in order to nurture a broad, multiracial mutual aid network across WNC, we recognize that we have a responsibility to address racial inequity and actively create justice directly in the development of our organization. To fail to take up this task and maintain accountability for this important aspect of our work would be to contribute to the cycles of hierarchical oppression rather than liberation. 

Our Work

So, we are on a journey of humble learning and self-examination, relationship-making and organizational development. Our staff have been and continue to pursue training, mentorship, and feedback around racial justice, we are reaching out to advisers and consultants for wisdom on inclusive organizational development and appropriate ways to approach diverse communities, and we are seeking respectful pathways into organic friendship, collaboration, and partnership with a more diverse network.

Our goal is that in the near to mid-term this attitude and approach will engage people from diverse backgrounds to participate in our leadership, staff, board and volunteer positions as well as participation in Cooperate WNC programs and the emergence of a regional mutual aid network.

We welcome any feedback, suggestions, and collaboration on this work. Please fill out the following form, which you’re welcome to do anonymously if you prefer.