Vernon Oakes interviews Ginger Rumph, Executive Director of the Douglass Community Land Trust (Douglass CLT), and Silvia Inéz Salazar, Co-president of the 1417 N Street, NW Cooperative. Together, they explore the collaboration between their organizations and share insights into their ongoing initiatives. Ginger Rumph is the founding Executive Director of the Douglass CLT, a nonprofit dedicated to racial and economic equity through community-led land ownership and permanently affordable housing. ...
Aug 15, 2025•57 min
July 3, 2025 Dr. Andre M. Perry, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and director of the Center for Community Uplift, shares his insights on how community-led approaches can drive investment into historically underfunded neighborhoods. Dr. Andre M. Perry is a nationally known and respected commentator on race, structural inequality, and education. Perry is the author of the book “Black Power Scorecard: Measuring the Racial Gap and What We Can Do to Close It,” published by Henry Holt. In 2...
Aug 14, 2025•51 min
June 26, 2025 - Michael Peck and Dr. Christina Clamp to discuss the 2nd Volume of "Humanity@Work&life-Global Diffusion of the Mondragon Cooperative Ecosystem Experience.” Michael Peck co-founded 1worker1vote in 2014, alongside ten advisory board members, to build on the 2009 United Steelworkers/Mondragon Collaboration MOU and the 2012 Union-Coop Model. He currently serves as the organization's Executive Director. In early 2015, 1worker1vote was incorporated as a New York 501(c)(3) by CUNY La...
Jul 18, 2025•54 min
March 27, 2025 Everything Co-op continues its Women’s History Month series centering on the theme “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” set by the National Women’s History Alliance. This episode features Renee Hatcher, Professor and Director of the Community Enterprise & Solidarity Economy Clinic at UIC Law. Vernon and Renee discuss the vital role of solidarity economy and cooperatives at this moment in history. Renee Hatcher is a human rights and cooperativ...
May 11, 2025•54 min
March 20, 2025 Everything Co-op continues its Women’s History Month series, that follows the theme “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations” set by the National Women’s History Alliance. This episode features E. Kim Coontz, Executive Director for the California Center for Cooperative (CCCD). Vernon and Kim discuss how her work continues to educate and inspire future generations. E. Kim Coontz is the Executive Director of the California Center for Cooperative Developm...
Apr 06, 2025•52 min
March 13. 2025 - Everything Co-op continues its Women’s History Month series with the theme “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” set by the National Women’s History Alliance. This episode features cooperative advocates Stacey Sutton Ph.D., Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, and Assata Richards, founding director of the Sankofa Research Institute. Stacey and Assata discuss the necessary components for building a solidarity economy and sha...
Mar 27, 2025•55 min
March 6, 2025 - Everything Co-op launches its Women’s History Month series. The 2025 theme, set by the National Women’s History Alliance, is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” celebrating women leaders in education and mentorship. The inaugural episode of the series features cooperative advocates Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Ph.D., Professor at John Jay College, and Ahzjah-Netjer Simons, Co-Executive Director of the Georgia Cooperative Development Center. Dr. Gor...
Mar 12, 2025•54 min
February 27, 2025 - This episode marks the conclusion of Everything Co-op's Black History Month series, focusing on the 2025 theme set by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH): "African Americans and Labor." This theme examines how different forms of labor—free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary—have shaped Black experiences throughout history. Vernon Oakes continues this discussion alongside three leaders from VOLTS (Village of Leade...
Mar 12, 2025•56 min
February 13, 2025 - Everything Co-op continues its Black History Month series, exploring the 2025 theme designated by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH): "African Americans and Labor." This theme highlights the diverse ways labor—free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary—has shaped the collective experiences of Black people. Vernon will continue his exploration of this history, shedding light on its impact and significance. In this s...
Mar 06, 2025•45 min
February 6, 2025 Everything Co-op inaugurates its Black History Month series. The theme for the 2025 Black History Month, as designated by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), is "African Americans and Labor." This theme emphasizes the significant and varied ways in which different forms of labor—both free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary—intersect with the collective experiences of Black people. Vernon begins his of African Ameri...
Feb 13, 2025•53 min
January 30, 2025 Patton McDowell, the founder of PMA Nonprofit Leadership, shares insights into the firm's services and core principles. PMA Nonprofit Leadership is a consulting firm dedicated to helping skilled individuals thrive in nonprofit leadership through three primary offerings: providing valuable content and resources, offering personalized coaching and training, and delivering organizational consulting in areas such as strategic planning and fundraising. Patton also serves as Director ...
Feb 12, 2025•48 min
January 23, 2025 amaha sellassie, the board president of Gem City Market and Vernon discuss the progression of of Gem City Market and the cooperative agenda of 2025, in the Year of the Co-op. amaha sellassie is a peace builder, social healer, freedom fighter, network weaver and lover of humanity. amaha is a practitioner scholar dedicated to building bridges of trust, healing historical wounds, and harnessing the unique gifts and talents of every human being as we press towards a just and equitab...
Feb 09, 2025•55 min
January 16, 2025 Malik Kenyatta Yakini, Director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN). Vernon and Malik discuss the food sovereignty movement, and the Detroit Peoples Food Co-op's progress and challenges since its opening. Malik Kenyatta Yakini is an activist and educator who is committed to freedom and justice for African people in particular, and humanity in general. Yakini is a co-founder and the Executive Director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network,...
Feb 06, 2025•56 min
January 2, 2025 Ron Hantz, Executive Director of the Network Developing Conscious Communities (NDCC), offers insights into the growth required in the co-op movement within Black communities and outlines plans for NDCC for the forthcoming year. Ron Hantz has been instrumental in advocating a new community development paradigm based on “conscious community development” He is a former Adjunct Professor, in the Africana Studies Department, at the University Maryland Baltimore County, and founded the...
Jan 30, 2025•53 min
December 26, 2024 Everything Co-op continues to highlight choices from its 2024 Holiday list. This episode features an interview with Adrian Roman, co-owner of Colmenar Cooperative Consulting (Colmenar). Adrian discusses how the Colmenar team leverages their experiences as immigrants and their skills in navigating diverse cultures, languages, systems, and life challenges to promote democratic governance and civic participation. Adrian is a cooperative organizer and believes that prioritizing the...
Jan 09, 2025•57 min
December 19. 2024 The program continues to highlight choices from its 2024 Holiday list. This episode includes an interview with Alicia Simmons, Senior Sustainability Manager at Frontier Co-op. Vernon and Alicia discuss Frontiers Co-op Market, Organic Certified Ceylon Cinnamon, and its Aura Cacia Relaxation Essential Oils Kit and Celestial Diffuser, all selections in the Holiday List. They also discuss other products and services provided by Frontier Co-op, and the many ways Frontier support its...
Jan 06, 2025•55 min
December 5, 2024 "Everything Co-op" launches showcase of selected picks from its 2024 Holiday list. The premiere episode features an interview with Kevin O'Brien, founder and general manager of Worx Printing, and Matthew Epperson, Employee Ownership domain expert. Vernon and his guests will explore the "There's A Co-Op For That!" mug and delve into the workings of and benefits of the Co-op business Model. Kevin O'Brien is the founder and general manager of the worker-owned union cooperative Worx...
Dec 22, 2024•53 min
December 12, 2024 Everything Co-op continues to highlight choices from its 2024 Holiday list. In this episode Vernon interviews Alex Keivahn Smith, the Senior Program Director at the Community Purchasing Alliance (CPA). Vernon and Alex explore how the CPA utilizes the collective purchasing power of community institutions to foster sustainability, equity, and justice. Alex’s professional journey reflects his passion for building relationships and driving change. He began in operations and strateg...
Dec 21, 2024•55 min
November 21, 2024 In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Vernon interviews Pamela Standing, Co-Executive Director of the Minnesota Indigenous Business Alliance (MNIBA). Pamela shares strategies MNIBA employs to connect Indigenous business owners with resources. Pamela Standing's experience demonstrates that Indigenous-run organizations and businesses can thrive, achieve financial growth, and succeed within the mainstream business system without sacrificing cultural values. She is comm...
Dec 21, 2024•54 min
November 14, 2024 In this episode, an interview with Mike Houston, General Manager of the Takoma Park Silver Spring Food Co-op (TPSS), is featured. Mike discusses the complete remodeling process of TPSS, detailing how cooperative priorities were leveraged to preserve jobs, support the community, and enhance the modernization and efficiency of the space without resorting to loans. Mike Houston has 14 years of experience in the natural food industry, managing independently owned community stores. ...
Nov 19, 2024•54 min
November 7, 2024 This episode features Doug O'Brien, President & CEO of the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA). Vernon and Doug delve into election results and the implications for cooperatives. Doug O'Brien is the President & CEO National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA) He works with the cooperative community, both domestically and internationally, to deepen their impact and influence. NCBA CLUSA is the primary vo...
Nov 17, 2024•53 min
October 31, 2024 This episode includes an interview with Dr. Diane Kern, a psychotherapist, and Valarie E. Davis, JD, who are both ardent advocates for social justice. Vernon and his guests explore the development of Being Well While Black, an initiative established at the onset of the COVID pandemic to offer resources aiding the community in coping with COVID, and its progression to create the Nonpartisan 2024 Black Voter Guides for the Washington Metro Area. Dr. Diane Kern, a licensed psycholo...
Nov 14, 2024•55 min
October 24, 2024 Vernon Oakes, the host of Everything Co-op, conducts a comparative analysis of the cooperative values and principles of the presidential candidates.
Nov 13, 2024•43 min
October 17, 2024 Nathan Schneider, a media studies professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, explores the significant role cooperatives have in restoring our belief in a creative and robust democracy. As a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, Nathan Schneider leads the Media Economies Design Lab and is deeply involved with his students. He is an author on subjects like online democracy, cooperative businesses, the Occupy movement, and spirituality, and has edited publications ...
Nov 08, 2024•56 min
2024 IMPACT Conference' Cooperative Leaders & Scholars Share their Stories by Everything Co-op
Oct 27, 2024•50 min
October 10, 2024 Following Vernon Oakes' induction into the Cooperative Hall of Fame on October 3rd, the Everything Co-op team paused to celebrate his achievements and honor his contributions. Team members Justin Franks, Rob McClinton, and Pat Thornton interviewed Vernon to reflect on his cooperative journey, and to congratulate him on his Hall of Fame induction. Additionally, several of Vernon's friends called in to offer their congratulations. Vernon Oakes is a consummate advocate for cooperat...
Oct 26, 2024•52 min
September 19, 2024 In this episode Everything Co-op continues to honor the 2024 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees, featuring an interview with Clifford (Cliff) Rosenthal. Cliff and Vernon explore his extensive contributions to the cooperative movement throughout his career. Cliff Rosenthal’s impact on community development finance spans decades. As CEO of the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (now Inclusiv) from 1980 to 2012, he championed financial empowerment. His ori...
Oct 03, 2024•56 min
September 26, 2024 This episode of Everything Co-op continues the tribute to the 2024 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees. It features an interview with Tony Bedard, CEO of Frontier Co-op. Tony and Vernon discuss his significant contributions to the cooperative movement over the course of his career. Tony Bedard joined Frontier Co-op in 1991 and became CEO in 2003. He champions the co-op’s mission to nourish people and the planet, believing that “Doing Good, Works.” Tony has led initiatives like ...
Oct 01, 2024•56 min
September 12, 2024 Vernon conducts live interviews with Mavery Davis, Treasurer of the Board of Directors at the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives, and Zen Trenholm, Director of Employee Ownership Cities and Policy at the Democracy At Work Institute, during the 2024 Co-op Worker Conference. They discuss the services offered by both organizations, as well as the various sessions and presenters at the conference. The Worker Co-op Conference is the only national event where worker-owners from ...
Sep 22, 2024•55 min
September 5, 2024 Everything Co-op continues its series continue honoring the 2024 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees, featuring an interview with Christina Clamp, the retired director of the Center for Co-operatives and Community Economic Development. Christina and Vernon explore her extensive contributions to the cooperative movement throughout her journey, and the many ways cooperatives have been used to solve community problems. Christina Clamp recently retired after 42 years at Southern New...
Sep 21, 2024•54 min
