October is National Co-op Month! For people who have been intentionally shut out of mainstream economies, cooperatives and cooperative economics present a tried and true alternative.
Our North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship provides training, education, and networking for new and emerging Black cooperative leaders, while our Shared Ownership Center provides in-depth technical assistance and resources for local worker and real estate investment cooperatives.
Nexus’ Community Wealth Building Director Nonkululeko (Nkuli) Tabata, North Star Program Manager Leanna Browne, and Cooperative Developer Christina Nicholson share what led them to cooperative work, the cooperators who’ve inspired them, and some of the key co-ops they’ve supported along the way.
What inspired you to get involved in the cooperative movement?
Nkuli
“The cooperative movement, for me, has been an evolving journey shaped by a deep desire for collective liberation and self-determination. It started with recognizing the power of unity and the potential of people coming together to create systems that reflect their values. The concept of Ubuntu, ‘I am because we are,’ has resonated with me deeply, as it speaks to the interconnectedness of our lives and struggles. This philosophy of shared humanity aligns perfectly with the cooperative principles of mutual aid, solidarity, and democratic decision-making.
My path was also deeply influenced by the work of Black cooperators and organizers who have long recognized that cooperatives offer a path to economic justice and community empowerment. From the teachings of our elders to the modern-day initiatives, I’ve seen how cooperatives can dismantle oppressive structures by redistributing power and resources in ways that honor the wisdom and strength of communities.
What inspired me most was seeing firsthand the transformative potential of cooperatives, not just as businesses, but as spaces of cultural and political resistance. It’s about more than just economic exchange—it’s about shifting our relationships with each other and with the land, and imagining a world where we can live with dignity, freedom, and equality. By embracing the cooperative model, we tap into our collective power, building a future rooted in cooperation, justice, and liberation.”
Leanna
“I’ve seen the familiarity of cooperative work in my life before I had the formal, specific language for it. My family is from Montserrat, in the Caribbean, and I’ve seen the ways family has come together to support each other. Examples include living in multi-family and multi-generational households when folks first move to new places where family already is; pooling resources; savings circles. I’ve also seen cooperative work in different artist communities I’m a part of.”
Christina
“I was first introduced to cooperatives through the Twin Cities’ natural foods cooperative scene when I moved to Minneapolis. Since that time, in my work, I have learned about the expansive global history of cooperatives, formal and informal. I have been able to study cooperative structures that value the labor, production, and creativity of the individuals involved in building their communities and how those contributions enrich the communities they serve.”
Who are the key figures or mentors that influenced your path toward cooperative work?
Nkuli
“Steve Biko and Black Consciousness Thought have been incredibly influential in shaping my path. Biko’s philosophy, which emphasizes the need for Black people to reclaim their sense of self-worth and power, aligns deeply with the cooperative movement’s focus on self-determination. His call for a radical shift in how Black people see themselves and their communities resonates with the principles of cooperatives, where we build systems that reflect our values and needs, and where collective ownership and decision-making are tools for liberation.
The leadership and courage of Harriet Tubman and Fannie Lou Hamer have also played a significant role in my thinking. Tubman’s fierce resistance to oppression and her work on the Underground Railroad are examples of how liberation requires not just fighting against systemic forces but also building alternative systems of support and care. Hamer’s tireless work for voting rights and her advocacy for economic justice, particularly for Black farmers, speak to the importance of political action and community-based economic solutions. Both women exemplified the kind of collective action and organizing that is at the heart of the cooperative movement.
The work of these figures, along with others, reminds me that cooperative work is not just about creating businesses or economic models; it’s about building movements rooted in collective action, solidarity, and the pursuit of liberation. Their legacies inspire me to continue pushing for systems that empower communities, foster agency, and challenge the structures of power that seek to keep us divided.”
Leanna
“Harriet Tubman, as well as the Black women in my family such as my Auntie Venoreen, Grandma Browne, and my mom.”
Christina
“My introduction to Fannie Lou Hamer and the Freedom Fund Cooperative while studying the history of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives in the United States, formed in 1967. The Federation was shaped by the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, and focused on both economic and policy changes that historically punished Black grassroots farming communities in the South. Since that time, the Federation has worked to leverage and pool economic access to markets as well as focusing on legislation that improves the lived experience of the farmers they serve. The Freedom Farm project was started in 1969, formed with a $10,000 grant. During the time that the Freedom Farm was in operation, it had over 1500 members and helped improve the economic lives of the participating members through taking aggregated crops to market and creating a pig bank that allowed farmers to access livestock at fair prices to grow their farm size and incomes.
I first met Professor Jessica Gordon Nembhard when I attended an event at the Capri Theatre in 2015, when she was on a book tour for her powerful and groundbreaking book, Collective Courage. It was an exciting and robust conversation that helped me to further my understanding of how the history of cooperatives has always been and continues to be multifaceted and global. I have continued to follow Dr. Gordon Nembhard’s work in emerging worker cooperatives in incarcerated spaces.
I learned about the Rochdale Pioneers while working in retail cooperatives here in the Twin Cities. My understanding of the Rochedale cooperative movement is rooted in the labor movement and the desire of the members of the cooperative to be able to buy clean products at a fair price, outside of the control of the industry barons they were controlled by. Their commitment to building a decision–making system that was democratic, transparent, and fair was a new model to me, and helped me understand that the way decisions are made in community can be an impactful counterweight to unchecked power.”
What roles have you played in the development and support of cooperatives?
Nkuli
“I’ve been deeply involved in supporting Black-led cooperatives by helping build strong leaders, sustainable models, and powerful networks. Through my work leading the North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship at Nexus, I’ve supported Black cooperative leaders with education, connections, and strategic tools to help them grow and sustain their work.
As a founding board member of the Taproot Investment Cooperative, I’ve helped shape community investment strategies, making sure Black and BIPOC communities have access to sustainable, locally driven real estate opportunities that build long-term wealth.
Beyond these roles, I’ve been hands-on in program leadership and strategy, managing and expanding cooperative fellowships to make sure they have lasting impact. I’ve also designed and facilitated curriculum on cooperative economics, helping communities understand and apply cooperative principles in real ways. And because this work is bigger than any one program, I’ve been active in policy and movement building, pushing for Black-led cooperative development on a broader scale and staying engaged with national networks to help grow the movement.”
Leanna
“I am a member of BLAQ, a dance company for Black people that is founded and led by DejaJoelle, that centers healing and liberation. I was also an artist in the first and second year programs for Body Prayers: For Artists, also led by DejaJoelle, a Poly-Realmic (RECLAIM, SURRENDER, CONJURE) practice that centralizes Black dancers and utilizes dance, healing, community collaboration, and transmission of knowledge to guide Black artists to their most powerful version of themselves and artistic voice.”
Christina
“I spent 20 years, from 1995 to 2015, in retail cooperatives here in the Twin Cities, supporting cooperative staff and organizations through a range of positions from Front–End Manager, Project Manager, Owners Representative, and General Manager. After completing my MBA, in the last five years I have been able to expand my work in the cooperative ecosystem through the development of worker-owned cooperatives, focusing on improving the economic and democratic infrastructures of locally owned businesses.”
