Awkwardly nestled among the frats and sororities of Seattle's University District, the Sherwood Coöperative [1] is 14-member community of students, workers, writers, activists, anarchists, queers, artists, vegetarians, meat-lovers, music-makers, hippies, hipsters, hotties and other sorts of troublemakers.
Sherwood's roots go back to the 1930s when the budding Students' Coöperative Association of the University of Washington established a women's unit called "Sherwood House". When the SCA mysteriously dissolved in the 1950s, one group wishing to carry on in the spirit of coöperativism continued, bouncing from house to house until it finally settled in Sherwood's current home which was purchased in 2001 and joined the Evergreen Land Trust [2] in 2007.
Fun fact: NASCO's own Jim Jones stayed at Sherwood during the 1962 World's Fair. He says it's the first coöp house he ever slept in!
Sherwood loves holding events and supporting projects in the community. Hosting Food Not Bombs, a Community Pantry, and regular Community Potlucks are a few of the things the coöp has been up to lately. Sherwood's annual Vegan Thanksgiving is the most lovely, joyous, and well-attended gathering of the year and draws old friends and alums. This past year Sherwood celebrated its 75th birthday with a 1930s-era mixer. They partied as if Prohibition had just been repealed.
Within the house, the coöpers participate in a mini skill-share project called the Art of Fascination where each member can offer others some fascinating new facts, skills, or experiences. Highlights have included: Deaf Culture 101, All You Need to Know About Contraception, Jamming (the fruit kind and the music kind), How to Hypnotize, and Hula Hoop Making.
The Sherwood community works to create and sustain a safe space and egalitarian environment for its members and the community at large. To this end, the Sherwoodies devote a portion of their bi-monthly meetings to discussions around privilege and oppression and interpersonal vibes and make decisions by consensus.
Anyway, if you find yourself passing through Seattle, Sherwood has a couch for you! Feel free to get in touch!
www.sherwoodcooperative.org [3]
