April 25, 2025Vernon interviews Michelle Roth, Senior Director of Governmental Affairs for the League of Southeastern Credit Unions (LSCU). Vernon and Michelle discuss LSCU's Advocacy, and Alabama's most recent legislative session.In the role as Senior Director of Governmental Affairs Michelle Roth directs the League’s lobbying and advocacy efforts…

April 18, 2024Vernon interviews Stacey Sutton Ph.D., Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Sutton and Vernon will discuss her research on Real Black Utopias, and the Chicago Community Wealth Building Ecosystem (CCWBE).Stacey Sutton is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago in the Department of Urban Pl…

April 11, 2024Micha Josephy, Executive Director, Carolyn Edsell-Vetter, Program Director, and Johan Matthews, Ecosystem Strategy Manager of the Cooperative Fund of the Northeast (CFNE) discuss CFNE's initiatives and programs.As Executive Director, Micha Josephy is responsible for executive leadership, program development, capitalization, and operat…

April 4, 2024 Vernon interviews Malik Kenyatta Yakini, Director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN), and Lanay Gilbert-Williams, Board President of the Detroit People’s Food Co-op. Vernon and his guests discuss the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network and the Grand Opening of the Detroit Food Commons. Malik Ken…

March 28, 2024 In honor of the 2024 Women's History Month theme of “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” Everything Co-op concludes its commemoration with an interview with Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Ph.D., Professor at John Jay College, and social justice advocate. Dr. Gordon Nembhard and Vernon recognize women cooperators who ar…

March 21, 2024In honor of the 2024 Women's History Month theme of “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” Vernon interviews Renée Sattiewhite, President and CEO of the African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC). Vernon and Renee discuss the role AACUC plays in creating bridges between community-based organizations and consume…

March 14, 2024In honor of the 2024 Women's History Month theme of “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” Vernon interviews Attorney Renee C. Hatcher. Vernon and Renee discuss how she has used the law to address issues related to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.Renee Hatcher is a solidarity economy lawyer. She is an Assistant Prof…

March 7, 2024 In honor of Women's History Month's 2024 theme of "Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion," Everything Co-op in collaboration with Co-op Leaders pay Tribute to a dear friend, Elizabeth (Liz) Carolyn Allen Bailey, who recently made her transition January 25, 2024. Liz Bailey, a native of Chippewa Falls, WI, grew up in a…

February 29, 2024In honor of the 2024 Black History Month theme of African Americans and The Arts, Vernon interviews Lauren Ruffin, Director and Lead Strategist of the Art Program at Michigan Central. Vernon and Lauren will discuss her cooperative journey, and her feelings about how "African Americans and The Arts" impacts lives and history.Lauren …

February 22, 2024 In honor of the 2024 Black History Month theme of African Americans and the Arts, Vernon interviews Janet Bennett-Cox, Board member of Ebony Care Cooperative. Vernon and Janet discuss a program being sponsored by Ebony Care Cooperative, that brings elders and youth together to learn the art of Batik making, and how she feels this …

January 4, 2024As the Cooperative Hall of Fame approaches the celebration of its 50th Anniversary in 2024, we at Everything Co-op celebrate our very own host, Vernon Oakes, who will be amongst this year’s inductees. Team members Justin Franks, Rob McClinton and Pat Thornton, share their thoughts about Vernon Oakes, including those shared with the C…

1-4-2024Elizabeth Carolyn Allen Bailey pays tribute to Vernon Oakes, on the occasion of the announcement of his induction into the Cooperative Hall of Fame.For much of her professional career, Liz held leadership positions with the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International, including Interim CEO, VP for Public Policy & Cooperati…

2-15-2024In honor of the 2024 Black History Month theme of African Americans and the Arts, Vernon interviews Ashley Walden, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Unlock Creative. Vernon and Ashley will discuss the purpose and objective of In honor of the 2024 Black History Month theme of African Americans and the Arts, Vernon interviews Ashley Wal…

February 8. 2024Allen Kwabena Frimpong, Co-founder and principal cultural designer with ZEAL,, discusses Cooperative Economic Alternatives that Enable Artists and Creatives to Thrive.Allen Kwabena Frimpong is a cooperative entrepreneur, cultural designer, and conceptual artist. In addition to being a co-founder of Zeal, he is a founder of several p…

February 1, 2024In honor of the 2024 Black History Month theme of African Americans and the Arts, Vernon interviews Kali Akuno, co-founder and Director and Cooperation Jackson. Vernon and Kali discuss new initiatives of Cooperation Jackson, and how the organization has used "the Arts" to inform and promote co-ops.Kali Akuno is an organizer, educato…

January 25, 2024 Vernon interviews Devin Fuhrman, Chief Agriculture and Sponsor Relations Officer at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Vernon and Devin discuss the evolution of Nationwide, from its beginning as a part of the Farm Bureau through its partnerships and innovation techniques it relies on today, to maintain its commitment to be a "Cus…

January 18, 2024Doug O’Brien, President and CEO of the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA) discusses his cooperative journey, and the 2024 initiatives for NCBA CLUSA.Doug O'Brien works with the cooperative community, both domestically and internationally, to deepen their impact and influence. NCBA CLUSA is the…

December 14, 2023Everything Co-op continues to feature finalist from its Inaugural 2023 Holiday List, a thoughtfully curated list of products and services from the cooperative community. In this 3rd installment, Vernon will introduces his listeners to two of his picks for the "Body" & "Community". Nate Chittenden, Member/Owner at Cabot Creamery Coo…

12.7.2023Christina Jennings, Christina Clamp. Michael Peck & Kevin O'Brien Share Products & Services for the Mind from Everything Co-op's 2023 Co-op Holiday List.Everything Co-op continues its Inaugural 2023 Holiday List, a thoughtfully curated list of products and services from the cooperative community. In this 2nd installment Vernon introduces l…

LaKeisha Wolf, Executive Director of Ujamaa Collective discusses how Ujamaa has used the collective cooperative business model to address Community problems, and create generational wealth. This interview features selections from Everything Co-op's 2023 Holiday List, a thoughtfully curated list of products and services from the cooperative communit…

November 16, 2023Everything Co-op continues its observance of National American Indian Heritage Month, with an interview of Josephine Foo, executive director of Indian Country Grassroots Support, and project attorney with the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project, and Raymond Deal traditional counselor with Diné Bá Álchíní Yił Ádaaní Navajo Family Voices. Vernon…

November 9, 2023Everything Co-op's kicks off its observance of National American Indian Heritage Month, with an interview of Eva Seidelman, associate at Chestnut Law Offices, and Kevin J. Fort, Executive Director and CFO of Regenerative Business Institute (RBI). Vernon and his guests will discuss the role Lawyers and accountants play in representin…

October 12, 2023Vernon interviews Angela Marie Sayles, CEO of Little Africa Food Collaborative. Angela. Vernon will discuss her efforts to address land and food rights, and the topic of Rethinking Market Studies for Black Led Cooperatives.Angela holds the position of CEO for the Little Africa Food Cooperative. She advocates for local food systems a…

Everything Co-op features four Cooperative Leaders and Scholars who are participating in the 2023 IMPACT Conference. Vernon will discuss the co-op sectors they are involved with, and they will share their cooperative journey. Adrián Román is a Co-op Organizer at BCCO parallel to his work as a mediator and mindfulness instructor. His work as a co-op…

September 28, 2023 Sheldon C. Petersen retired governor and CEO of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), discusses his co-op journey, and projections about the future of the cooperative movement. Sheldon Petersen served as Governor/CEO of CFC for 26 years from 1995 until his retirement in 2021. He began his career in t…

September 21, 2023 Everything Co-op continues it's tribute to the 2023 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees, with an interview of Leslie Mead, retired Executive Director of the Cooperative Development Foundation. Leslie discusses her co-op journey, and projections about the future of the cooperative movement with Vernon. After growing up in Indiana a…

August 14, 2021 Everything Co-op continues its tribute in honor of the 2023 Cooperative Hall of Fame Inductees, with an interview of co-op housing advocate, Linda Leaks. Linda and Vernon discuss her cooperative journey, and projections for the future. Linda Leaks, affectionately known as the "Godmother of Housing Co-ops," is a Co-founder of the Ell…

September 7, 2023 Everything Co-op has dedicated the Month of September to interview the 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees. Induction into the Cooperative Hall of Fame is the highest honor that the U.S. cooperative community bestows on the extraordinary men and women who have made genuinely heroic contributions in support of the cooperative form of enter…

August 24, 2023Joanne Lechasseur, Co-founder, Program Director of the Global Innovation Cooperative Summit, and Zuraidah Hoffman, Communications Director for the Global Innovation Cooperative Summit, discuss the upcoming Global Innovation Cooperative Summit, which will occur in Montreal, September 27 – 29, 2023.Zuraidah Hoffman is an Independent In…

August 10, 2023Vernon interviews Deb Trocha, Executive Director at Indiana Cooperative Development Center (ICDC). Deb and Vernon discuss the Up & Coming Food Co-op Conference, "The River of Cooperation." The conference will be held at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront hotel, September 14 - 16, 2023. For the first time ever, the Up & Coming…

August 3, 2023Vernon interviews Minnie McMahon, Coordinator of the Greater Boston Community Land Trust Network. Vernon and Minnie discuss the role community land trusts play in retaining collective control, strengthening diverse neighborhoods, creating permanent affordability in housing, and the history of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative …

July 27, 2023Vernon interviews Dr. Dawn Carpenter, director of the Solidarity Economy Workshop. Vernon and Dawn discuss the theological nature of work and the moral responsibilities of wealth.Dr. Dawn Carpenter is an ethicist and a leading authority on the theological nature of work and the moral responsibilities of wealth. She is the founding dire…

July 20, 2023Peter Dean leads National Co-op Community Services, the national division of UHAB, in New York City. UHAB has empowered New York City tenants to create over 1,300 limited equity housing cooperatives totaling over 30,000 homes during the past 50 years. NCCS is offering incubators around the country to share the lessons UHAB has learned …

July 13, 2023 Gary Hampton, Business Growth Consultant, and Vice Chair of the Association of Cooperative Educators' (ACE) Board of Directors, discusses the upcoming Climate, Cooperatives and Resilience conference, sponsored by ACE, on August 7-10, 2023, in San Juan Puerto Rico. Gary W. Hampton is an expert on organizational development, fundraising…

June 22, 2023Vernon Interviews Mark Goehring, Manager of Columinate and Common Good Management Services (Common Good); and Alejandra Chavez, Community Service Representative at Common Good. Our host, Vernon Oakes, is a member consultant of Columinate, and has been on the Common Good development team since its inception in Fall 2018. Vernon and his …

Vernon interviews Erika Allen, Co-Founder and CEO of Operations for Urban Growers Collective. Erika discusses the Urban Growers Collective's apprenticeship program, and how the cooperative business model can be used to address food insecurity in urban areas.Erika Allen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Operations for Urban Growers Collective, President …

May 25, 2023Julian McKinley, Senior Communications Director, at Democracy At Work Institute (DAWI), discusses DAWI's work with the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives to track, measure, and support worker co-ops through research, and the launch of its bi-annual census with Robert McClinton and Pat Thornton. DAWI staff are excited, because when the…

April 6, 2023Vernon interviews Bob Allnutt, and Leslie Nordin. Vernon and his guests Bob and Leslie will discuss how co-ops are solving housing needs for their adult children with special needs, Bob and Leslie also introduce The Neighborhood of Maryland, Inc, and the Big Wave Project, two programs they have established as a vehicle for their effort…

April 27, 2023This week Vernon continues his discussion of "Humanity@Work&life-Global Diffusion of the Mondragon Cooperative Ecosystem Experience,” with an interview of contributing author, John Holdsclaw IV, President and CEO of Rochdale Capital. Vernon and John discuss the challenges and opportunities of financing worker cooperatives, and new ini…

April 13, 2023Michael Alden Peck, Co-founder/Executive Director of 1worker1vote, and Co-editor of "Humanity@Work&life-Global Diffusion of the Mondragon Cooperative Ecosystem Experience,” and contributing author, Sara Horowitz. Michael and Sara will give an overview of the book, discuss the Build Mutualism and Humanity@Work&life campaigns, and explo…

April 20, 2023Everything Co-op continues its coverage of "Humanity@Work&life-Global Diffusion of the Mondragon Cooperative Ecosystem Experience,” with co-editor Christina Clamp, Director of the Center for Co-operatives & Community Economic Development, and contributing author, Terry Lewis, CFO at the Center for Community Based Enterprise. Christina…

November 3, 2022John Holdsclaw IV, President and CEO of Rochdale Capital, discusses the founding of Rochdale Capital, the influence of Chuck Snyder and the mission and initiatives of Rochdale Capital.John Holdsclaw IV currently serves as president and CEO of Rochdale Capital, a newly formed, national non-profit community development loan fund that …

March, 30, 2023Everything Co-op concludes its Commemoration of Women's History month with Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Ph.D., Professor at John Jay College, and social justice advocate. Dr. Nembhard discusses Black women's contributions to the co-op movement, and the Cooperative Development Fund's 2023 Unsung Heroes Inductee, Halena Wilson.Author of Co…

December 1, 2022 Jason Wiener, Principal of Jason Wiener|p.c., and co-founder of the Colorado Cooperative Developers discusses employee ownership in Colorado.Jason is the Principal of a boutique law and business consulting practice and co-founder of “Colorado Cooperative Developers”. Jason's specialty is in cooperative law, shared ownership models,…

March 23. 2023Everything Co-op closes its commemoration of Women's History Month with an interview of Stacey Sutton Ph.D., Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Sutton and Vernon discuss her new body of cooperative city research, "Real Black Utopias," where she examines the infrastructure and ideology of Black-led cooperati…

March 16, 2023Everything Co-op continues its commemoration of Women's History Month, with an interview of Deb Trocha, Executive Director at Indiana Cooperative Development Center. Deb and Vernon will discuss the upcoming Housing Co-op Conference, and how the Co-op model can be used to address the current housing crisis. The hybrid conference is Fre…

March 9, 2023Everything Co-op continues its commemoration of Women's History Month, with an interview of Dina Omar, founder of the Palestinian Soap Cooperative. Vernon and Dina discuss the rich history and heritage associated with Nablus soap.Dina is currently completing her doctorate degree at Yale University in Anthropology with a joint certifica…

March 2, 2023Everything Co-op kicked off its commemoration of Women's History Month with an interview of Andria Barrett, founding member of The Banker Ladies Council. Vernon and Andria discuss the evolution, history and practical use of ROSCAs (Rotating Savings and Credit Associations, and how they can support entrepernuership.Andria Barrett is a f…

February 23, 2023Everything Co-op continues its commemoration of Black History Month with an interview of Attorney Renee C. Hatcher. Vernon and Renee discuss how she has used law as a vehicle of resistance.Renee Hatcher is a solidarity economy lawyer. She is an Assistant Professor of Law and the Director of the Community Enterprise and Solidarity E…

January 26, 2023Floran Syler-Woods, Ph.D, Director of Finance at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund (Federation), discusses the important role financial systems play in the success of organizations and businesses. She and Vernon also unravel the complexities of understanding the determinants of wealth.In the capacity of Di…