Building Anew: a Grassroots Response to the Collapse of Empire
Presented by the Educational and Economic Resource Organizing Network
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Planet Earth faces multiple existential crises. Climate catastrophe is transforming the way people live, the War in Ukraine has us closer to nuclear war than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Global leaders seem unable to rise to solve or even adequately address these problems, and the slow motion collapse of the American empire leaves a vacuum on the world stage.
We define Empire as multiple interacting systems of domination that includes white supremacy, patriarchy, imperialism, trans and queerphobia, nationalism, capitalism, and militarism. These systems of domination, though often contradictory, reinforce and buttress each other to create a remarkably complex system of global domination.
However, the complexity of these systems makes them remarkably fragile. Any challenge to one aspect of Empire reverberates through all the interacting systems and challenges like climate change threaten its viability all together.
Climate change is not some far off notion. Virtually worldwide droughts, loss of biodiversity, and historic fires and flooding are here as predicted. Current imperial systems because of their complexity and fragility are increasingly unable to address growing cycles of natural disaster.
The arguments made in this report is that Imperial systems are in long term decline and that they are unable to adapt to a rapidly changing world because of their complexity and fragility. We argue that regular, everyday people must band together to build new systems that are resilient and just and can adequately meet the needs of our communities. As evidence of such systems, we offer The Habitual Bee, an urban apiary in Charlotte, North Carolina, Lamplight, a popular education summer camp in the Alabama Appalachians, a farmers’ market in Camp Hill, Alabama organized by Hometown Organizing Project, and The Automotive Free Clinic, a free and low cost automotive repair shop on Prattville, Alabama.
Definitions
Empire - the interaction of multiple systems of global domination
White Supremacy - a system of privileges unevenly bestowed on white-looking people as a strategy to introduce divisions into the working class.
Patriarchy - a system of violence designed to unevenly enshrine wealth and power in male-presenting people.
Trans and queer phobia - a scapegoating strategy deployed often by early fascism to blame transgender and queer people for societal ills. It is a misdirection strategy, which removes the focus from often, but not always, cis-gendered and straight people, particularly in positions of authority.
Militarism - the backbone of Empire. The use of military might to forward the global geostrategic goals of the West.
Imperialism - Global conquest
Nationalism - the drive to get people to identify personally with a particular nation-state and the rhetoric that certain political beliefs are outside the realm of that identity.
Dual power - a grassroots strategy that engages on cultural and material levels.
Capitalism - a system of wealth extraction from nature and labor.
Framework: Dual Power
In the United States, both political cultures have come to see the other as an existential threat to the nation, years of neoliberal policies have hollowed out the public sphere and public spaces, and the failure to invest in social and material infrastructure has gradually immiserated much of the population. Homelessness is on the rise and the American Dream is just that, a dream.
So what do we do?
Some would say that voting for one side or the other will ultimately solve the problem, that unipolar hegemony is preferable to bifurcated hegemony. Others argue for a viable third party or to work on harm reduction through policy reform. It is our view that both of these avenues are pipe dreams. The continued polarization of American political cultures leads nowhere but to armed conflict and harm reduction cannot work fast enough to even make a dent in the harm being done by governing institutions, often in the name of safety and security.
Our argument is that the institutions of American imperialism are collapsing under the weight of growing contradictions combined with years of divestment in social goods. Thus, we must build institutions to replace collapsing ones that can actually deliver quality social goods and services. This begins with the triage of mutual aid, but must evolve into institutions of community development. The following report will document four such institutions, Hometown Organizing Project, The Habitual Bee, The Automotive Free Clinic, and Lamplight.
These organizations all arise from the needs, visions, and wills of the communities from which they come. They all also work and exist within those communities or create space in which they and community members interact in a linear way.
We argue that movements for a sustainable future must work within existing legal structures, but must also reimagine how those legal structures can be used. Philanthropy is one such structure of Empire that we can use, but we must use it in a way that leads to liberation instead of the perpetuation of systems of domination. Other types of legal structures such as LLC’s, cooperations, sole proprietorships and the like can also be used. Since three of our four organizations are non-profits, we will focus on non-profits here.
In order for movements to grow, for change to happen, and for the Nonprofit Industrial Complex (NPIC) to be ended the world needs an opportunity to transition these organizations away from their ties to empire.
The foundation and non-profit system could be a lynch-pin in mitigation and adaptation to climate change and a buttress against collapsing social and economic institutions. However, historically, it has never served this role.
Since the beginning of tax exempt donations in 1917, the laws and attitudes surrounding so-called philanthropy have intentionally worked to benefit the wealthy elite. The earliest beneficiaries were the “titans” of industry of the early 20th century who in doing so were able to evade taxes and provide only to causes, universities, and cultural sites which benefited their own.
Further, even in today's Not-For-Profit(NFP) industry there is a great deal of corruption and a strong relationship to the very structures and actors which we are supposed to be working against.
The lives of workers who are poor, Black, queer, trans, disabled, or otherwise of an experience which is considered outside the idealized white, affluent, chrstian, cisgender, heteroseuxal, binary, able-bodied way of being are not valued.
Black women for example have higher than the already high average turnover rate in Not For Profits due in part to the way their persons and labor are valued compared to that of others.
How can we be institutions and organizations situated towards the liberation of everyone and especially for certain targeted collectives and also not value those people when they work for us?
Corporations have done everything they can to co-opt the language and values of Not For Profits and the movements therein. And many not for profits have allowed and encouraged this co-optation. Because doing so ensures large donations. But, it also allows wealthy elites to utilize their very limited charitable giving as a shield for the destruction which they have wrought to the environment, the lives of community members across the planet, and their own exploited workers.
Further, it incentivizes their continued wrong-doing and leaves the organizations at the behest of many of the individuals, groups, structures, etc they were created to work against.
This does not mean that Not For Profits as a whole are a defunct and corrupt concept with no ability to contribute to change.
Quite the opposite in fact, migrating from a Capitalist society and economic system to one centered around a Not For Profit market is a reasonable and logical middle step to a free and empowered world.
So what does Not For Profit mean in this context? It simply means an organization whose funds and work are dedicated to a particular mission or cause and not to constant growth, extraction of resources, accumulation of capital, and the satisfaction of investors, shareholders, etc.
The work which we are engaged in and further embarking on is underappreciated and underrepresented in current social movements.
This largely because of the Non Profit Industrial Complex which incentives nonprofits to stay in business forever. Without this push for perpetuity organizations and groups currently called nonprofits could focus on their goal and endgame and ultimately become something else.
There are a lot of differing views about the feasibility and the methods used to reach sustained change.
It is the belief of these organizations that in order for that goal or those goals to be reached we must believe it is possible and apply ourselves to creating the desired outcome.
Belief does not build a world but what it does is offer us a place to suspend everything we have been conditioned to believe about the world and the inevitability of its tyranny.
By using our minds and imagining what we want the world to look like and doing so with our imagining rooted in where we are, we can construct a material path away from where we are towards where we want to be.
In the case of the collected organizations the path is one which begins with triage and then unfolds to the process of building and ultimately sustaining alternative systems of order and well being.
These systems would be composed of various parts and would work to help move away from and eventually replace existing systems which manage (however poorly) the lives and well being of our society and those within it.
The work which these organizations are doing are proof that not only is this work feasible but it is capable of sustaining itself . When an organization or organizations is/are committed to taking the long journey for this to be realized then such an organization can pioneer new methods and ideas for sustainability and income production.
By doing so, they no longer rely on outdated methods which are out of alignment with the Anti-Capitalist portion of this work and open brave new horizons for our monetary interactions.
We cannot remove capitalism or any other portion of Empire in an instant. Nor can we instantly remove the necessity of or reliance on empire and its networks of and methods for supplying and managing food, shelter, utilities, and other such goods and services. Nor can we leave the people without the support they need to make this transition.
Each of these organizations is a physical manifestation of the possibilities for change and transformation. They are all acting as much needed transitional support for their communities and for society as a whole. Modeling the change we wish to see would be an opportunity to invite and inspire others to join and learn from and with us while also beginning that process.
This work is and should be more flexible and capable of evolution than the existing structures and organizations are. By allowing and encouraging organic growth within these projects and the structures which we are building from them we are more able to honor the needs of our constituent communities.
We are at a time when there is little room for the same repetitive, untrusted appeals and methods of operating. In recognition of this these organizations are utilizing their teams, skills, and resources to create palpable and meaningful change in their communities in a respectful, parallel, and mutual way.
These organizations are a minority in the world of nonprofits. They find themselves on the fringes because their work is not centered around the best budget or the highest compensation for directors. Instead, their work is centered around providing dire access to information, experiences, resources, services, and other essentials which equip individuals in the community to live the best life possible.
These organizations are offering a pathway or opportunity for self-determination to the individuals impacted by not only their education efforts but their more material program and aid systems.
They are also actively working to migrate investments in the system of capital by offering more ethical alternatives for sourcing various goods and services and creating safe, caring, and sustainable places of work.
To the organization community there is a very limited pool of funds for not only more niche focuses but even for struggles and causes which seem more broad and established.
This state of mind upholds the status quo and allows the empire to keep up several grand lies about the world we live in. One of which is that we do not have enough resources on this planet to care for the people here. When in reality we have all of what we need within and around us in our environment and if we do not have the knowledge to synthesize it exists between us.
But what if nonprofits operated from a mindset of abundance and we maximized our use and management efforts for all that we have and have access too?
We believe that by applying our resources in a meaningful way and utilizing unique and innovative strategies of funding, leadership, cooperation, and resources management we can move actively against the system(s) of Capitalism.
Dual Power in Practice
An Urban Apiary in the Black Radical Tradition: The Habitual Bee
Historically, Black people have been forcefully and covertly separated and discouraged from maintaining a strong relationship with nature. This separation has worked to lessen the amount of active stewards which the land has, remove ancestral knowledge from the community, limit the freedom of movement and means for self care, and increase dependence on existing structures of Capital and the State.
The Habitual Bee is an organization dedicated to reintroducing community members to the knowledge and experiences which they have been deprived of. It is best described as “ equal parts ancestral veneration, land stewardship practices, and communal wellness”.
They provide: “ standard beekeeping services. I also offer pollinator services, re-wilding consultations, land management consultations, indigenous plant support, agricultural workshops for beginners, organic home gardening services, edible gardening services, plant walks, mushroom cultivation, permaculture consultation, historical/traditional foodways research, and historical interpretation for land use.”
“there are many roadblocks, exacerbated by misinformation and economic struggles, that result in a disconnect between what the popular imagination of land stewardship is /what ecological sustainability requires, versus the realistic possibilities for land stewardship directed ecological sustainability. Shifting those paradigms are processes that include building accessible networks of small farmers, gardeners, foragers, and hunters to provide sustainable local produce. Also taking people outside of their comfort zones and providing opportunities for them to participate in cultivation, beekeeping, plant walks in local nature preserves, and more. “
“ The Habitual Bee functions best when paired with other services within the community. I am the resident beekeeper at Charlotte, North Carolina’s largest retail greenhouse. The Habitual Bee LLC is also contracted by Bizzy Bee LLC to assist with honeybee colony management throughout residential neighborhoods in the Charlotte Metro area. I am also working with Carolina Farm Trust to develop a teaching apiary at their new Charlotte food distribution center and urban farm. I have worked diligently with other members of the local land stewardship community to strengthen our networks and provide nutritional/ social support for our neighbors. Through these relationships, along with my colonies located at a local community garden, the Habitual Bee provides public observation of hive inspections and urban farming education. Beekeeping in public is a dance between concentration and education.”
The Habitual Bee fits the framework of dual power organization by working on social and material levels. In addition to running an apiary, The Habitual Bee educates the public on the necessity for networking among small agricultural, horticultural, and foraging organizations and also on how to develop more of those organizations leading to a robust, resilient network.
Redneck Dual Power: The Automotive Free Clinic
The AFC is an organization that works on two levels: material and cultural.
Their material work is centered around providing free and low cost auto repairs to community members.
Their cultural work involves primarily online popular education. These courses use the methods of Paulo Freire; within this framework education is democratic and community led. Individuals share their experiences, discover truth, and then learn from that truth.
The work which AFC does on a material level provides a trust-worthy, affordable, and judgment free alternative to existing structures. The aforementioned structures are often enmeshed with capitalism, too expensive to afford for the average person who really needs their services, and not a comfortable environment for learning or asking questions if you are not a man.
The work which the AFC does diverts money from the established auto economy to provide much needed support to community members.
By providing individuals with the services, education, and other tools to have stable transport, the AFC is ensuring that their community members are able to participate in their own lives and to be well.
They have serviced nearly 200 vehicles in two years with their first year of service being mobile. Since then they have established a shop in Prattville, Al.
Their work on a cultural level provides a much needed space for co learning and exploration and expanding individuals ability to interpret and honor their truths and those of others. This is accomplished through group readings, dialogue, and the utilization of the aforementioned Paulo Frire methodologies.
What AFC does is more potent and direct than a lot of the work done in the current nonprofit sector landscape. These types of projects bring discomfort and fear and reality right to the awareness of the employees, especially those in upper management. It also brings the organization itself closer to being an actual integrated part of the community with interdependence and an essential function.
Popular Education in the Alabama Appalachians: Lamplight
Lamplight is a popular education summer program for teenagers (roughly ages 13-18) in Marshall County in North Alabama.
Their program transfers ownership of the learning process to the students over time.
“Campers run "Pack Meetings" where they pass bills, resolve disagreements, and discuss issues important to them. They propose and vote on labor and mutual aid projects and have control of their own Budget”. The camp is free to attend and includes transportation. Their basic structure has central pillars of Self-Governance, Labor, Community, and Service. They also take inspiration from the Folk School model, which embeds itself in a community for the long term and acts as a kind of incubator for projects to improve the community and region. Their work is building its own ecosystem which sustains not only the organization but the work of other organizations in their community and throughout the state.
“For example, we helped the mother of one of our campers found a successful Thrift Store, which in turn provides half of Lamplight's annual funding and supports two other local nonprofits (a homeless ministry and a domestic violence shelter).”
In the “offseason,” the kids work with us over Zoom and participate in all aspects of camp planning, from recruitment (they design the app and interview new campers and staff) to t-shirt design.
Diverse Resource Organizing in Rural Alabama: Hometown Organizing Project
The hometown organizing project is an organization dedicated to building programs and projects in the rural south that are sustainable outside of the capitalist model.
Their focus on organizing in small towns in Alabama is centered around the belief that local people know local problems and should lead the work within their own communities.
”Our organization seeks work across race and class to build connections that historically haven’t existed, and to empower local organizers to work for the change they seek while creating inclusive communities through building power and membership in the organization.”
“ We are currently building a network of what we are calling Community Resilience Hubs in rural towns around Alabama. The hubs will allow residents throughout the state to build in their local community as well as share resources with other places in times such as grassroots disaster recovery.
This includes Camp Hill in East Alabama where we now have a weekly marketplace of local farmers and artists in a town with 50 percent of the population below the poverty line. At this time we are also renovating an older home
that was abandoned in the town to create a space for local leaders and individuals to
plan and implement projects based on their dreams for their community. Currently four other communities in other regions are being added.
They have done several mask related efforts to benefit various groups and places across Alabama and one hospital in boston. Here are those efforts:
- 40,000 masks made and distributed in the North Alabama area.
- 5,000 N99 equivalent masks made and produced for frontline workers at Druid City
Hospital in Tuscaloosa
- 12,000 masks made and distributed to ten meat packing plants
- 3 hospitals in Marshall and Madison Counties fully outfitted with supplemental cloth
masks (2,500 masks) for support staff
- Partnered with 9 hospitals total throughout the state to produce supplemental cloth
masks
- Secured 10 donated sewing machines and enough material to support a mask making
training program for at risk youth at a mental health facility in Ardmore, Alabama
- 800 surgical caps made and shipped to outfit all 8 Covid-19 wards at Massachusetts
General Hospital in Boston
Their work is creating much needed space and building power for communities which are often left out of this work and the conversations which surround it. They are also providing much needed autonomy and leadway for locals to most efficiently manage their resources and problem solve around their issues.
Conclusion
The work of creating alternatives to the existing structures is one of the most essential yet neglected parts to a movement, transformation, or similar event. It is not only the day after the revolution but the days leading up to it which are drawn into observation by this necessity.
What will we do? How will we do it? These questions are often enough to make people give up on the concept of change. But with the right perspective these questions can be the doorway or the path which leads an individual or community to a new world.
Here we have given you a clear picture of some of the already formed/forming solutions and creations which can come from using Not For Profits to create essential structures in communities and build new ecosystems .
In order to respond to crises which are and have been engulfing the world and the lives of those in it, these organizations are acting as or becoming places or tools of transition and survival for their communities.
These four separate but networked communities represent an example of a future society - decentralized, autonomous, and service oriented.
In order to escape this situation we must create such spaces and tools in order to scaffold the world in which we live and to survive while moving towards a more stable, collectivized, and just world.