Another big change

Hello all,

After a couple of years on ice, I think I’m going to dig out this blog and dust it off.

I recently departed from my position with the National Cooperative Business Association, where I edited the Cooperative Business Journal. It was a really great experience to spend time with the United States’ apex organization, but I’m also excited to detach and get back into my old world of co-op writing, development and education on an independent basis.

I’m not totally freelancing, however. I’m now the team facilitator for CoFED, which helps organize food co-ops on college campuses. This is getting me back to my roots in several ways, both in dealing with food access and also organizing collectively with the goal being democratic management. It’s been fascinating already, and definitely a cultural change from the Washington office scene (NCBA HQ is two blocks from the White House and allows jeans on Fridays – on the other hand, they don’t put folks on couches while traveling for work).

I’ll be staying in DC until probably late summer, getting more into the local scene than my previous nationally-oriented job allowed. It should be a hoot.

I’m still adjusting to my new thing, which is so far the most full-time part-time job I’ve ever had. But I trust that it will calm down and I’ll have a chance to get back to my old co-op musings. Sometimes these will be posted on my blog for faith-based cooperation, Nehemian Organizing. But since I’m no longer a communications guy, I think I’m free to let loose whenever the mood strikes. It may be a few weeks yet, but I just wanted to send out a ping and let y’all know that Coopgeek is back.

Stay tuned…