Summer and Fall Events 2010

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US Social Forum 2010: Another World is Possible. Another US is Necessary.
June 22-26, Detroit, MI
The US Social Forum (USSF) is a movement building process. It is not a
 conference but it is a space to come up with the peoples’ solutions to the 
economic and ecological crisis. The USSF is the next most important step in our
 struggle to build a powerful multi-racial, multi-sectoral, inter-generational,
 diverse, inclusive, internationalist movement that transforms this country and
 changes history.

2010 ACE Institute: Crossroads: Choosing Cooperation
July 27-30, Cleveland, OH
The annual ACE Institute is the only annual conference dedicated solely to highlighting innovative programs in cooperative education. It provides a unique opportunity to network with educators across cooperative sectors as well as national boundaries. Keynote speaker David Korten will be joined by representatives from the United Steelworkers union and Mondragon Cooperative Corporation.

The Work We Do is the Solution: 2010 National Worker Cooperative Conference
August 6-8, Berkeley, CA
The theme of this year’s conference focuses on solutions. Workshops and speakers will look at worker cooperatives as a possible solution to larger social and economic problems like job loss and environmental damage. But they will also present nuts and bolts solutions for worker cooperatives — innovative approaches to common challenges our businesses face in accountability and management, financing, governance, vision and growth.

NOFA Summer Conference
August 13-15, Amherst, MA
The Northeast Organic Farming Association’s Summer Conference, now in its 36th year, features 200 workshops on organic farming, gardening and land care, homesteading, sustainability, nutrition, spirituality, food politics, activism, and more… including presentations by the Neighboring Food Co-op Association, theValley Alliance of Worker Cooperatives, and the Cooperative Fund of New England.

Common Ground Country Fair
September 24-26, Unity, ME
The Fair allows fairgoers to make connections with a rapidly expanding base of organic farms in the state of Maine. Hundreds of vendors, exhibitors and demonstrators, including Cooperative Maine, more than 1,000 volunteers, and tens of thousands of fairgoers will gather to: share knowledge about sustainable living; eat delicious, organic, Maine-grown food; buy and sell beautiful Maine crafts and useful agricultural products; compete in various activities; dance; sing and have a great time.

CooperARTive Fiesta: Celebrating Community, Creativity and Co-ops
Saturday, October 9, 2010, Willimantic, CT
In Windham County, Connecticut, artists and co-ops are working to open channels of self-expression—for their own needs, and to strengthen the ‘social fabric’ of their communities. The all-day, free festival of artists, artisans, actors, musicians and community organizations will transform downtown Willimantic, CT into a ‘Co-operARTive Fiesta’. A slate of savvy co-op members, organizers and developers from around the Northeast region is being recruited to hold informal chats focusing on how the model can help people do together what they could not do alone. Contact Jane Livingston or Jean de Smet for more information.

Vermont Cooperative Summit and Cooperative Development Conference
Thursday, October 14, Burlington, VT
Cooperative Month is an ideal time bring co-ops together to discuss how they can work together to advance the cooperative movement. The policy summit is paired with a development conference at which a wide range of knowledgeable speakers will share their expertise on the cooperative business model and the benefits of cooperatives, and will assist participants in how to recognize and assess opportunity to develop cooperatively structured business.

2010 NASCO Cooperative Education and Training Institute: Cooperative Cartography: Where People, Places, and Movements Intersect
November 5-7, Ann Arbor, MI
The 2010 Cooperative Education and Training Institute will provide a space for cooperative members from all over Canada and the US to connect through the universal language of mapping. Over 400 participants will converge in Ann Arbor, Michigan this November to share ideas, learn new skills, and look at issues affecting the cooperative movement worldwide. Since 1977, NASCO’s Cooperative Education & Training Institute has been widely recognized as one of the most important training and networking opportunities available to members, directors, staff and managers of housing cooperatives.