Our Mission
Co-op Ed Center (CEC) is a non-profit organization focused on advancing economic and racial justice by educating, training, and developing worker cooperatives in BIPOC communities. Our mission is to build worker-owned businesses in BIPOC communities across Chicagoland that abide by values of equity, cooperation, solidarity, and democracy.
Our Vision
We envision a restorative economy built through worker cooperatives and centered on education, solidarity and collective self-determination. We define a restorative economy as the process of assisting the recovery of communities that have been degraded, damaged, or excluded by the current economic system.
We plan to achieve this vision by implementing the following approaches:
- Implement a comprehensive educational program that incorporates training, practical experience, and mentorship.
- Develop a network of technical assistance providers and community organizations who collectively support worker cooperatives beyond their inception.
- Engage and bring awareness about the restorative economy and worker cooperative model to invigorate cooperation in BIPOC neighborhoods and generate awareness and support for worker cooperatives.
Click here to learn more about our approach and our program offerings.