Return to Reciprocity
Join Cooperate Connecticut for our second Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 24, 2026 from 10:30 am - 3:30 pm at the Meriden Public Library.
This year’s theme is “the return to reciprocity” and we’re focusing on how we can better exchange goods, services, and information between our co-ops, collectives, business, and organizations outside of the formal market.
Build community and share a meal, while we reflect on the current state of our local co-op and solidarity economy movement, and strategize about our next steps. Membership is not required and there is no pre-work! Bring yourself, an appetite, and an open mind and heart! Childcare and interpretation provided.
Learn more about our
new membership model!
Becoming an official member of Cooperate Connecticut means making a commitment to participating in the network. It is an investment in each other and in our collective future. Members are the life of the network!
Support local cooperative meetups
Between April- September of 2026, we plan to host six monthly in-person meet ups at a different location across the state. These events are a space for our members and any local residents who are “co-op curious” to network, learn, and practice mutual aid. Each meet up will be co-hosted by one or two local businesses or organizations. The content and format may vary, but could include a potluck, skill share, offers and needs market, and/or art or zine making.
Our goal is to raise broad public awareness and support for co-ops and cooperative economics, increase cooperation among cooperatives (the sixth cooperative principle), recruit members, and develop leaders.
Building an economy that meets the needs of all people and the planet over profit.
Cooperate Connecticut is a membership-based network catalyzing cooperative ownership and power on the occupied territories of the Eastern Pequot, Golden Hill Paugussett, Lenape, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Nipmuc, and Schaghticoke also known as the state of Connecticut.
We bring co-ops and supporters across the state together to grow our local cooperative ecosystem through increasing access to information, education, skill based training, technical and material support, networking, and collaboration.
THE SOIL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE SEEDS
Minneapolis-based artist and cultural organizer, Ricardo Levins Morales, reminds us that, in movement building, “the soil is more important than the seeds.” In this metaphor, we understand the soil represents the ideas, beliefs, values, and narratives that create the environment in which we work and the seeds represent the campaigns, businesses, organizations, and institutions that we want to build.
At Cooperate CT, the soil represents the collective consciousness around the principles and practices of cooperation. In addition to preparing the soil, our network aims to build the infrastructure needed to nourish and propagate local cooperative businesses and worker-centered organizations.
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email:
vksharma@resetco.org
Instagram:
@cooperate.ct
Facebook:
Cooperate Connecticut
Linkedin:
Cooperate Connecticut