Everything Co-op with Vernon Oakes

2024 IMPACT Conference' Cooperative Leaders & Scholars Share their Stories by Everything Co-op

October 10, 2024 Following Vernon Oakes' induction into the Cooperative Hall of Fame on October 3rd, the Everything Co-op team paused to celebrate his achievements and honor his contributions. Team members Justin Franks, Rob McClinton, and Pat Thornton interviewed Vernon to reflect on his cooperative journey, and to congratulate him on his Hall of Fame induction. Additionally, several of Vernon's...

September 19, 2024 In this episode Everything Co-op continues to honor the 2024 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees, featuring an interview with Clifford (Cliff) Rosenthal. Cliff and Vernon explore his extensive contributions to the cooperative movement throughout his career. Cliff Rosenthal’s impact on community development finance spans decades. As CEO of the National Federation of Community Deve...

September 26, 2024 This episode of Everything Co-op continues the tribute to the 2024 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees. It features an interview with Tony Bedard, CEO of Frontier Co-op. Tony and Vernon discuss his significant contributions to the cooperative movement over the course of his career. Tony Bedard joined Frontier Co-op in 1991 and became CEO in 2003. He champions the co-op’s mission...

September 12, 2024 Vernon conducts live interviews with Mavery Davis, Treasurer of the Board of Directors at the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives, and Zen Trenholm, Director of Employee Ownership Cities and Policy at the Democracy At Work Institute, during the 2024 Co-op Worker Conference. They discuss the services offered by both organizations, as well as the various sessions and presenters...

September 5, 2024 Everything Co-op continues its series continue honoring the 2024 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees, featuring an interview with Christina Clamp, the retired director of the Center for Co-operatives and Community Economic Development. Christina and Vernon explore her extensive contributions to the cooperative movement throughout her journey, and the many ways cooperatives have be...

August 29, 2024 Noel Raboy, the President and CEO, along with Donna Dizon, the VP for Administration & Corporate Planning at CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative, explore the structure and benefits of Cooperative Insurance. CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative is a leading cooperative insurance organization based in the Philippines. Established in 1971, it provides life and non-l...

August 22, 2024 Everything Co-op kicks off its commemoration of the 2024 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees. As we approach the Awards Ceremony on October 3rd, Vernon interviews Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Ph. D., a professor at John Jay College and social justice advocate. Dr. Gordon Nembhard discusses Nannie Helen Burroughs, who will be posthumously inducted in the Hall of Fame as an Unsung Hero at...

Everything Co-op Broadcasts Live from the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund's 57th Annual Meeting. Vernon interviews Ben Burkette, Tremelle Sherman, and founding members John Zippert, Carol Zippert and Otis Williams. The guests discuss the Annual meeting, history and evolution of the Federation, and the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund Memorial Legacy...

August 8, 2024 This episode features an interview with Shevanthi Daniel-Rabkin, Senior Program Director of DAWI, and Theodora Rodine, Executive Assistant and Project Coordinator for the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives. They will discuss the upcoming 2024 Worker Co-op Conference (WCC24), set to take place in Chicago, IL from September 12-14. Celebrating its 20th year, the Worker Co-op Confer...

August 1, 2024 This week's episode features an interview with Monica Armster Rainge, Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Vernon and Monica explore key insights from her experience as an advocate and advisor at USDA. Monica Armster Rainge is a globally recognized agricultural lawyer, mediator, and farm advocate. She is one of the most influential female leaders in agricultu...

July 24, 2024 Vernon interviews April De Simone, founder of the Practice of Democracy (PoD). Vernon and April explore how her initiatives, particularly in affordable cooperative-mutualist housing, have expanded and influenced the broader objectives of PoD. April De Simone, the founder of the Practice of Democracy, and curator of Democracy is..., is a transdisciplinary designer who operates at the...

July 11, 2024 Vernon conducts an interview with Dr. Cynthia Pinchback-Hines, a Racial Justice Educator and Co-op Developer at Co-op Cincy. They delve into significant insights from Cynthia's work with cooperatives during the facilitation of "Power in Numbers: Black Co-op U," and discuss the experiences of the most recent graduating cohort. Dr. Cynthia Pinchback-Hines is a community activist and or...

July 4, 2024 Vernon interviews Julian Hill, an abolitionist and lawyer specializing in the solidarity economy. Vernon and Julian explore key insights from Julian's experience working with cooperatives, collectives, nonprofits, and small businesses. Julian Hill is an assistant professor at Georgia State University College of Law. Hill is a teacher, lifelong learner, community organizer, artist, and...

July 4, 2024 Vernon interviews amaha sellassie, the board president of Gem City Market. amaha discusses the development of Gem City Market and its contribution to addressing food insecurity and building community. amaha sellassie is a peace builder, social healer, freedom fighter, network weaver and lover of humanity. amaha is a practitioner scholar dedicated to building bridges of trust, healing...

June 20, 2024 Vernon Interviews Matthew Epperson, Employee Ownership Domain Expert for Zolidar. Zolidar is a startup app company that is building the “easy button” for small to medium enterprises to convert their business to employee-owned enterprises. In 2017 Matthew founded the Georgia Co-op Development Center, the only statewide technical assistance provider in Georgia to provide support for st...

June 13, 2024 On June 13, 2024, during the live Broadcast from the National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda titled "Economic Wealth: Power of Black Cooperative Enterprises,” hosted by the Network for Developing Conscious Communities, Vernon Oakes interviews Mayor Melvin Carter, Christina Nicholson and Jessica James. The conference was a continuation of the legacy work of Dr. Martin Luther K...

June 6, 2024 Vernon is host an interview with Mary Alex Blanton, Senior VP at National Cooperative Bank (NCB). During the interview Mary Alex discusses the 2024 Co-op Innovation Award. National Cooperative Bank in partnership with Capital Impact Partners, has sponsored the Co-op Innovation Award to empower organizations to increase economic opportunity for the communities they serve, and advance c...

May 30, 2024 Vernon interviews Simon Vansintjan, a programmer and organizer in Washington, DC. During the interview Simon discusses his most recent venture to develop a music platform co-op called Mirlo, and how this platform is supporting musicians. Simon Vansintjan is a programmer and mutual aid, solidarity economy, and dual power organizer in Washington, DC. In his free time, he plays soccer, g...

May 23, 2024 Vernon interviews Jamila Medley, Collective Courage Moderator at the Partnership Action Fund. During the interview Jamila shares insights from their personal cooperative journey, and discusses the Collective Courage Fund. Jamila Medley leverages experience working within the economic and racial justice movements to support organizations committed to transformational change. With a bac...

May 9, 2024 Vernon interviews Taryn Tymus and Andrea Tucker, who hold the positions of President and Vice President at the Champlain Court Cooperative (CCC) in Washington, DC. During the discussion, Taryn and Andrea delve into the cooperative’s role within their community and share insights from their own personal cooperative journey. Taryn Tymus, a 48-year-old retired hairstylist and art-based co...

4-22-2024 Ron Hantz, Executive Director of the Network for Developing Conscious Communities (NDCC), discusses the upcoming 4th Annual National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda, "Economic Wealth: Power of Black Cooperative Enterprises,” which will be held June 13 -15, 2024, at 214 4th Street E, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55101. Ron has been instrumental in advocating for a new community developme...

April 25, 2025 Vernon 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, working with the Alabama Legislature, the Gove...

April 18, 2024 Vernon 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 Planning and Policy. Dr. Sutton Co-Directs the So...

April 11, 2024 Micha 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 operations. He first joined CFNE in 2010 as a Program...