As an experienced cooperative professional with over 10 years at Golden Steps Elder Care and co-founder of United Community Consulting, I would be honored to serve on the USFWC board of directors. I am always eager to learn and contribute to others, currently serving on the NYC Advocacy Council. As a first-generation college student, I understand the barriers faced by Black and Latino communities, which is why I am pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Human Services to make a difference in the world and impact vulnerable populations. I am grateful for the impact of cooperatives in my life and am excited to continue to contribute.

David is a worker-owner at CoLab Cooperative. He has been a developer, board member, and org lead there for the past 10 years. David has taken courses in both Nonviolent Communication as well as Sociocracy. Living in Huntsville, Alabama, he works with local unhoused outreach groups and acts as a street medic during protests or other sensitive events such as trans pride rallies. After university, he co-founded one of America's oldest surviving hackerspaces, which still retains its initial democratic and donation-based characteristics. David is an active member in the Patio international federation of tech worker coops, and believes worker-owned cooperatives offer the best path forward toward a post-capitalist reality. In his free time, David enjoys eating vegetarian food, especially pizza, playing D&D, and training at an MMA gym.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Mavery moved to West Virginia on a football scholarship. Although his scholarship did not fully materialize, Mavery remained in West Virginia, completed his degree, and had a career filled with ups and downs, as he candidly shares. Mavery is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), breaking the chains of poverty and creating wealth. He is a CPA by day, serving as Director of Lending for New Economy Works WV/Seed Commons, and a community organizer, a motivator, and the Financial Literacy Bootcamp (FLBC) founder by night. Through the FLBC, he teaches youth the psychology of money and financial basics. Through these efforts, he plants the seeds of collective, community wealth, and abundance.

Mavery earned the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs Trail Blazer-Pioneer Award (2020). In addition to his professional accountant certification, Mavery also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a concentration in Accounting from West Virginia State University (WVSU) and a Master’s of Science Degree with a concentration in Public Accounting from Strayer University. Additionally, Mavery is an adjunct professor of Accounting at WVSU, a guest teacher at Makeshop Design Lab, a National Society of Black Certified Public Accountants (NSBCPA) Board member, and a collaborator in All Things Workshops!

Mavery has been recognized as a Top 40 under 40 Black CPA by the NSBCPA (2021) and a Hometown Hero by WV Can’t Wait (2022). In his current role, as the Director of Lending for New Economy Works WV, he brings a passion for uplifting people and connecting them to the resources they need along their cooperative business journey.

Mavery’s essential roles are husband and father.

Hi! I’m amalia (intentionally lowercase). I was born in Guatemala and raised in St. Paul, MN. I have an undergraduate degree in History and Urban Studies, and a law degree with a concentration in social justice. I consider myself a displaced Guatemalan —and like many, I have lived in multiple countries and cities throughout my life. I’m the daughter of public school teachers and popular educators whose commitment to urban geography and literacy shaped my childhood. Over the course of my career I have worked as a labor and community organizer, movement builder, international human rights advocate, policy advocate, strategist and funder. Recently, after nearly a decade in philanthropy I transitioned to consulting, and I am now a candidate owner with Colmena Consulting. Since my early days organizing in rural Midwest communities I have witnessed the power of cooperatives and the important ways in which they built power, strengthened local economies, supported communities and advanced visions for just and equitable futures. In fact, I remember when the Inaugural USFWC conference was in Minneapolis! I am eager to join a board that values co-learning, movement building and political education. I love workshop design, facilitation, adult + popular education, strategic foresight and participatory engagement. As a potential board member I am looking for places to bring these skills and to build new relationships and opportunities for collaboration.

My name is Hilda Gehrke-Quintanilla. I am originally from Chihuahua, México. I migrated to Colorado, in the U.S., in 1997, in search of better opportunities for my daughter and myself. Like many immigrants, we arrived with lots of hopes. We faced many obstacles, but that does not stop us. In the last few years, I have had the opportunity to have a number of jobs that have allowed me to apply my leadership skills to the fullest. I got the Shipping Department Manager position at a Dish Network warehouse in the state of Colorado and, after several years in this position, I felt the need to totally change my environment, and decided to be an interpreter. I decided to open my business as an independent contractor and have worked as an interpreter in the medical, legal, school, and community fields. That opened the doors for me to engage in community work and I have been involved in several organizations as a consultant, facilitator, and coach; all with the aim of fostering leadership and potential in the Latinx community. Being part of a language cooperative introduced me to the world of cooperatives and I knew that this was what I wanted to focus on. I took several courses on co-ops, got certified as an ontological coach, and earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Regis University in Colorado. All of this professional training and the passion I have to strengthen the skills and talents of the Latinx community, specifically the immigrant community, make me a great candidate for the board of directors. I also want to mention that I am currently the only Latina that is part of the Board of Directors of the Jefferson County Health Department in Colorado, which has helped me understand the dynamics of boards of directors and the impact that this position can have in improving communities.

I am a USFWC board member, and my term is completed in November 2023. I have learned so much from my role on the board and have enjoyed participating in board and committee meetings. Currently the USFWC staff and board have been focused on strategic planning and membership engagement. It is important work that I am proud to be a part of. I would love to continue working with my board buddies, staff, and members to continue to support, shape, and strengthen the federation.

Working in my co-op is hard and deeply inspiring work. It is an honor to have on-boarded and engaged our empowered membership at CHC. I love my work. I am energetic, responsible, & committed to the opportunity to engage with the USFWC Board. I bring skills of leadership, kindness, and a desire to learn all I can and support one another. I was moved by the people I witnessed at the USFWC conference last year, it was heartening to see marginalized people uplifted into spaces as community leaders with access to resources for their communities. I continue to be a bridge between indigenous and non-native people in my community and live to uplift the voices who must be heard, supported, and acknowledged. Colonialism is a brutal force in this world. I see cooperative work as a part of the healing this world desperately needs. I am grateful for work that aligns with my values and know that we can achieve much collectively when we gather our voices and experiences together. Thank you for considering me for your USFWC Board!

I seek to join the board of the USFWC because I continue to be filled with a passion to support the growth of worker-owned cooperatives wherever I am needed and capable of serving. My ancestors and my children ask that I provide light, compassion, and patience to those leaders and visionaries practicing the sacred act of solidarity. Our humble cooperative, Mi Oh My Farms in the Bronx has provided the platform for the emergence of something new yet familiar. Any assistance in the journey that I can provide fills my heart space with more clarity and inspiration, which is all I can ask for.

After 7 years, I am still interested in continuing to serve on the USFWC Board because I have been witness to and supported the stewardship of its incredible growth and impact. While maintaining a focus on its members' needs, it has become a key player in the growth of economic democracy across the United States as well as intentionally developing international relationships that build solidarity between workers everywhere.

My personal mission is to help cultivate democratic organizations that incorporate the values, principles, and practices that will proactively liberate us from a history of exploitation, alienation, and supremacy in its many forms. I have been working with cooperatives domestically and internationally for over 14 years and also currently serve on the board of the California Center for Cooperative Development.

I’m a Staff Attorney and the Director of Economic Democracy at the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC), a worker self-directed nonprofit cultivating a new legal landscape that supports community resilience and grassroots economic empowerment.

My name is Alan Luis Ramirez and I am a cooperative developer with PODER Emma and the network of cooperatives in Buncombe County, Western North Carolina. I am running for a board position to advocate for the needs of cooperatives flourishing within the South under conditions that have created barriers for our community. My priorities and commitments to learn more about include accessing health care for workers in cooperatives. I believe that our region can be transformed through participatory governance and financial management, democratic decision making and care for our labor and leaders of cooperatives.

I will be a great asset to the board because of my experience within our community that practices language justice, ecosystem building and membership through a network model. Our focus in our community has helped us grow in our commitment for just wages and living conditions that would be exciting to share and receive support from the Federation membership and other cooperatives.

Thank you for considering my role as a part of this board and looking forward to building whatever it takes to grow our cooperative ecosystem.

As someone who came to the U.S. as a political refugee, I have always understood my work as a therapist to be linked to an understanding of how political realities shape our internal worlds. Two years ago, I co-founded a worker cooperative group therapy practice, Catalyst Cooperative Healing, because I had worked in exploitative workplaces throughout my career and saw the perceived “apolitical” stance of many of my colleagues as implicated in that exploitation. As I got to know others working in cooperative businesses, I became excited about the potential to own my own labor and create the conditions for others to do so as well. Since then, I've found this to be tremendously healing to my own mental health. I have also experienced the unique and valuable perspectives that care workers bring to the cooperative ecosystem and am eager to represent that perspective on the USFWC Board of Directors. It is my aspiration that having a mental health professional serving on the USFWC Board will invite other mental health workers to expand their imagination about what is possible in our field. As a worker-owner of a relatively new business, I also bring a fresh perspective informed by a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing worker-owners and aspiring worker-owners today.

My name is Kyle Schmolze, and I am a coop enthusiast, engineer, dog dad and music organizer currently living in Oakland, CA. I personally believe that a healthy cooperative ecosystem is a necessary component of the social and economic revolution we need in the United States, and I am very committed to serving the growth of that ecosystem. Thus far, my work has consisted primarily of movement-building at Groupmuse, a worker- and musician-owned coop that has organized thousands of living room concerts across the US and around the world, which I co-founded 10 years ago. I continually educate myself on cooperative economics, methods, and practices, and have years of facilitation experience. I am a diligent worker and a good listener, and I would be honored to serve on the USFWC Board.

I feel a strong resonance with USFWC’s mission to build a thriving ecosystem for worker-owned cooperative that power movements for racial justice and economic democracy. The mission aligns with my commitment to building community wealth and ownership; cultivating practices of collective liberation and interdependence.

I’ve been working in the solidarity economy ecosystem in a variety of roles for the past 8 years. I’m currently the Director of Political Affairs and Strategic Partnerships at NYC Network of Worker Cooperatives (NYC NOWC). In this role, I’m responsible for leading advocacy efforts on behalf of the Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative (WCBDI) as well as broader local policy efforts to build and strengthen worker-cooperative power in New York City. I hope I get the opportunity to share my skills with the ecosystem and support the Federation's mission.

Greetings fellow members of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives,

I am honored to have been nominated as a candidate for the Board of Directors, and I want to express my deep gratitude to the Solidarity Research Center for their nomination. I am excited to share with you my commitment to advancing solidarity economy organizing principles and values and my extensive experience as a Black queer Appalachian organizer.

My journey in grassroots organizing spans over two decades, dedicated to the intersection of racial and economic justice. This path led me to the Highlander Research and Education Center, where I served as the Economics and Governance program manager. In this role, I developed curriculum and provided support to grassroots groups in the South engaged in solidarity economy work. These experiences enriched my understanding of cooperative principles and reaffirmed the transformative power of collective action and alternatives.

As the co-founder of the Wild Fig Books & Coffee worker cooperative, I have firsthand experience in establishing and nurturing a grassroots generated worker cooperative. Our bookstore serves as a testament to the potential of worker ownership in addressing systemic inequities within marginalized communities and how imperative safe and sacred spaces are as part of the commons. This journey has taught me the challenges and rewards of cultivating a cooperative business model, which I am eager to share to support the growth of worker cooperatives within the USFWC network.

I am deeply invested in community transformation beyond economics. I played a pivotal role in advocating for local police accountability and transparency reforms in Lexington after the murders of Michael Brown in 2014 and Breonna Taylor in 2020. Moreover, my contributions to historic gains in Black women's representation during the 2022 election cycle highlight my dedication to breaking down barriers and promoting inclusivity in decision-making processes. My local and regional organizing has also provided me with an understanding of how communities who initially come together in times of crisis to address threats to people’s lives and wellbeing can quickly move from a place of implementing reforms to a place of building the alternatives communities need to exist beyond the white supremacist capitalist patriarchy.

Currently, I serve as the Regenerative Economy Communities Program Manager for the Chisholm Legacy Project, furthering my commitment to cooperative ecosystem building and community empowerment and supporting Black communities to implement Regenerative Economy solutions as they work towards liberation. I am convinced that cooperatives are the way forward toward a more just and liberated world. My involvement in the Governance Council of the Southern Movement Assembly and support for Movement for Black Lives' solidarity economy efforts underscore my advocacy for collective empowerment and transformation.

If elected to the USFWC Board of Directors, I will leverage my experience as a network builder, trainer, facilitator, and convener to enhance the growth and impact of the USFWC and its members. My goal is to foster collaboration and synergy within the federation by sharing insights from grassroots work and cooperative ecosystem building. Together, we can amplify marginalized voices, create equitable economic systems, and pave the way for a more just and cooperative future.

During moments of reflection and connection with nature, I find inspiration to continue this journey with unwavering determination. I invite you to join me in the pursuit of collective liberation and cooperative transformation. Together, we can build a future rooted in justice, solidarity, and the principles of worker cooperatives.

Thank you for your consideration.

With love and solidarity,

April Taylor

I would be honored to join the leadership of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives. My goals as a Board Member and Executive Board member of the Federation's Union Co-ops Council would be to deepen the relationship between the labor movement and the worker co-op movement, building on our 11+ years of union co-op development that has resulted in 15 worker cooperatives with over 100 workers in Cincinnati. I am also excited to help build out deeper regional and industry wide connections across the worker co-op field. Over the past several years, Co-op Cincy has helped bring together co-op developers and co-ops across Ohio (OWN) and nationally in the fields of childcare and construction and we have found it extremely rewarding, resulting in practical tool kits and peer to peer mentorship opportunities. I think instituting some type of regular learning circles and/or mentorship programs between co-op developers and similar types of co-ops could be really powerful in helping folks skill up, deepen relationships, and advance our movement forward. Lastly, as one of the individuals in my organization responsible for helping raise resources, I would love to work together to figure out how more Federation members can collaborate to strategically raise more funds to support our work. In closing, I would be honored to be elected to the Board of USFWC and humbly request your support.

Peace Y'all,

Here's a little about me: Angel(a) - (she/her/they) you can call me Angela or Angel. I was born in Temple, raised in Dallas, working in Austin and living in the unceded lands of Sana and Towanka (San Marcos, Texas). My work includes youth social justice art educator, MSW from Texas State, community organizer and lover, collective member at Treasure City Thrift and worker (hoping to become worker-owner soon!) at Sustainability Solutions Group.

I've been a member of the Treasure City Collective since August 2015 where my education and practice of consensus work started. My 10 plus years of anti-racist and social justice work; collective economics and community organizing at Treasure City, consensus training for small groups and start-up collectives, anti-racist consulting, birth justice work including full-spectrum Doula care, and embodied yoga and breath work instructor for transforming and releasing trauma.

Collective economics is not THE answer to ensure a thriving world for our future generations, but it is an essential part of a sustainable and regenerative solution. My abundance mindset and history with sustainable systems engagement and creation could be an asset to further support USFWC's amazing efforts in decolonizing how we engage with economics in a sustainable manner, particularly toward our human selves, all of our relations and more than ever the Earth.

My heart and spirit both overflow with excitement and love for collective efforts toward our whole liberation. I absolutely believe my presence in USFWC's leadership is an ideal, if not perfect, space to continue alchemizing my immense energy for outcomes bigger and better than all that I am.

I enjoy learning (languages, random things, practical things, about life in the nebulas), connecting with the San Marcos River and Lands, cooking, walking, dancing, singing loudly, practicing capoeira, and reading/watching sci-fi. I'm just out here trying my best with what I have - reflecting love, cultivating joy, sharing knowledge, conjuring magic, and practicing peace .... receiving and engaging with the opportunity to live my whole best beautiful life.