We are excited to introduce Lavasha Smith, our new program associate with the Worker Ownership Initiative (WOI)! Part of Nexus’ Community Wealth Building Strategy, WOI helps retiring business owners sell their businesses to their employees and convert them into worker-owned cooperatives. Lavasha’s passion for cooperatives started when she was a member of the Nexus North
The Twin Cities BCLI is proud to announce that one of its most recent alumni, Steven Nelson was recently appointed to Public Health Community Health Services Advisory Committee (CHSAC) for Ramsey County. Steven is a graduate of the most recent cohort (#8: 2020-2021). Steven has a great lived and work experience in the areas of
Introducing Karen Quiroz! Karen is an INTJ, a Cancer, and our fearless development manager, as of late March. Throughout her work, starting at the Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy and continuing at Nexus, Karen keeps seeing connections between the ways exploitative systems concentrate wealth in fewer and whiter hands, locally and globally. In development,
Today, after 10 months of creating and learning with us, Susy and Alex are graduating from Twin Cities Public Allies! They have accomplished so much during their terms—from creating an employee handbook to facilitating community engagement trainings. It has been a real gift to work with these two brilliant and caring people. THANK YOU! “Something
When this North Star cohort started in October, it was our first virtual cohort, our first cohort organized around collective land ownership, and our first cohort where entire cooperatives participated together. In anticipation of North Star graduation this Wednesday, we will be revisiting some of the North Star sessions, what they learned, and sharing some
When this North Star cohort started in October, it was our first virtual cohort, our first cohort organized around collective land ownership, and our first cohort where entire cooperatives participated together. In anticipation of North Star graduation this Wednesday, we will be revisiting some of the North Star sessions, what they learned, and sharing some
Cooperatives are a key part of transitioning to a just economy, and cooperative finance is a crucial piece of the process. But, with banks’ and lenders’ histories of racism in lending to Black and Brown communities, applying for loans can be daunting. The North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship exists to help Black-led cooperatives navigate these
Six out of ten Minnesota business owners plan to sell in the next decade Minnesota —Today, the Minnesota Center for Employee Ownership (MNCEO) released new data that reveals twin crises from the Silver Tsunami coupled with COVID-19 for businesses across Minnesota. Developed by Project Equity, the study shows that approximately 50% of all job-creating businesses
Congratulations to the 16 graduates of the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute’s 8th cohort! On April 1st, 2021, we gathered virtually with BCLI fellows, their families, and community members to celebrate all they learned and accomplished in the past 7 months. These graduates join a community of 99 BCLI alumni. The first all-virtual BCLI cohort,
First and foremost, we ground ourselves in our love of George Floyd, his family, Black life, and Black futures. We sit in this moment with many feelings—joy, grief, anger, love, relief, tension. This is a historic conviction that comes out of months of organizing, mutual aid, collective care, protest, uprising, rebellion by people in the
Big news for a big leader at Nexus! Terri Thao is taking a sabbatical! For the past 16 years, Terri has helped shape the organization with her vision, dedication, love, warmth, 80’s ringtones, and strong Virgo vibes. For the next 3 months (April 12 – July 12), Terri will be taking time to reflect and
Huge congratulations to graduates of our 8th BCLI Cohort! It is an honor to work with such powerful people who deeply believe in community leadership, accountability, and justice. Leading up to graduation, the BCLI fellows took a deep dive into health equity. Antonia Wilcoxon, longtime community leader and former MN Dept of Human Services staff,