May 25, 2021 marks one year since George Floyd's murder. Over the last year, NASCO housing co-ops have stood firmly in solidarity with local and global movements for racial justice, economic transformation, and community care. Some co-ops have participated in direct action to end the pattern of unjust, abusive, and racist policing, some have contributed to mutual aid work to support their Black members and community members, and some have prioritized building safer spaces within their own homes by identifying and developing alternatives to calling police and by prioritizing anti-racist culture.
Alongside local efforts, NASCO has identified ways in which our work with housing cooperatives now and in the future can have an impact, including:
Summer internship opening for someone passionate about intentional communities and savvy with social media!
Advance a career in communications work, while supporting the Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC) through this special opportunity. The Social Media Intern will work closely with our Social Media Manager to support the ongoing management of our social media channels, including: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The position involves sourcing content from intentional communities, the media, and partner organizations.
Learn more and apply at https://www.ic.org/social-media-intern/
NASCO has compiled a Membership Profile report based on two member surveys conducted in 2020: 1) COVID-19 Economic Impacts Survey in March 2020, 2) NASCO Annual Member Survey conducted in the fall.The report offers an overview of NASCO Active Member Co-ops, member demographics, initial COVID-19 economic impacts, and anti-oppression work. Read the full report.
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Co-op Voices Archive
- February 2023 | We're Hiring, Black Co-op History, & Co-op Friendly Funders
- March 2023 | Welcoming Our Leadership Cohort, Grant Opportunity, & Upcoming Events
- April 2023 | Members in the News, Economics for Emancipation, & Projects to Support
To access an archive of newsletters from 2015-2022, please email bronwyn@nasco.coop.
NASCO Co-op Voices Archive
2021
- January | New Member Welcome, Movement News, and Upcoming Events
2020
On Friday, November 6, 2020 at NASCO Institute online, four cooperators were honored as inductees in the NASCO Cooperative Hall of Fame. The NASCO Hall of Fame, created in 1989, provides broader recognition to individuals who have made a truly significant impact within the cooperative movement. NASCO is proud to honor the 2020 inductees:
- Janelle Orsi, Leader
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Janelle Orsi is a cartoonist, lawyer, advocate, and writer focused on cooperatives, land trusts, sustainable agriculture, community-owned energy, shared housing, and the creation of a more just and equitable society. She co-founded and works for Sustainable Economies Law Center. Right now, she is deeply involved in 1) crafting legal structures to permanently remove land and housing from the speculative market (check out the Radical Real Estate Law School), 2) creating tools and organizing people to channel investments, especially retirement savings, away from Wall Street and into our local communities (check out TheNextEgg.org), and 3) creating cartoony legal education resources so that everyone can understand cooperative governance and finances.
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The North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO) and Student Co-op Homes (SCH) announce that both organizations have opted to join Cooperative Housing International (CHI), a subsidiary organization of the International Cooperative Alliance that promotes cooperative housing on a global scale.
NASCO, as a cooperative federation serving the United States and Canada, and SCH, as a cooperative federation serving the UK, each work towards the stability, strength, and growth of the student housing cooperative sectors in their respective regions.
Having recognized shared missions, NASCO and SCH adopted a Transatlantic Solidarity Agreement in September of 2019 outlining the intention to develop a mutually supportive partnership; membership in Cooperative Housing International is the first step. Through membership in CHI, NASCO and SCH acknowledge the importance of engaging in cooperation globally through information exchange, collaboration, and raising awareness.
NASCO and SCH’s stated commitment to international cooperation through CHI membership paves the way for global collaboration and the promotion of a strong and interlinked student housing cooperative movement across borders.
If you would like to learn more about SCH, please visit their website at www.studenthomes.coop.
Each year, NASCO hosts an annual election for the Board of Directors at-large positions. Elections are conducted for four of its 12 three-year seats. These directors will begin their terms at the Spring 2021 board meeting.
The NASCO Board of Directors has primary responsibility for steering the organization’s directions and setting policies while acting as a trustee of the organization. As such, board members do not represent individual co-ops but work toward the common needs of NASCO and member cooperatives. By nominating a candidate for the board your co-op helps to set the direction of the larger NASCO community–we need a strong board to keep NASCO responsive to the needs of the cooperative movement.
NASCO Active Members, Associate Members, and Individual Members have the opportunity to nominate people to fill the open seats on the Board of Directors.