Support our Peer Network<\/a><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1450318865727{margin-bottom: -20px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″]\n[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″][vc_single_image image=”3875″ alignment=”center” border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”250×250″ link=”https:\/\/www.theworkingworld.org\/us\/peer-network\/”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″][vc_single_image image=”3873″ alignment=”center” border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”250×250″ link=”https:\/\/www.theworkingworld.org\/us\/how-to-beat-a-food-desert\/”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″][vc_single_image image=”3936″ alignment=”center” border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”250×250″ link=”#juan”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″][vc_single_image image=”3869″ alignment=”center” border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”250×250″ link=”https:\/\/www.theworkingworld.org\/us\/nikkis-story\/”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″]\n[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1450319096376{margin-right: 15px !important;}” background_style=”light-wrapper”][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\n Juan Reid<\/strong> Doria Robinson<\/strong>Uniting Nationally to Solve our Problems Locally<\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″][vc_single_image image=”3850″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_circle” border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”250×250″][vc_column_text]\n
\nTightShift Laboring Cooperative<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]\n“After prison, creating work for myself was my only option… but even though we had the effort and ideas, we lacked the resources.”<\/em><\/h4>\n
Since\u00a0I returned home from prison, finding work has been hell. Creating work for myself has been my only option. Through connections at One DC<\/a>, I learned about\u00a0the cooperative model, and I decided to make my business a cooperative so I could create\u00a0opportunities for others stuck on the outside like I was. \u00a0But even though we had the effort and the ideas, we didn’t\u00a0have the resources. Joining the national peer network has given us access to capital and training that was impossible before.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″]\n[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][vc_column_text]\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]\n
\u201cAs part of the peer network, all of that can change. We now have the training and investment of a national organization that we can use to solve our problems locally\u201d<\/em><\/h4>\n
\u201cIn Richmond California, Urban Tilth<\/a> has been organizing against our food desert for over ten years. \u00a0But we\u2019ve realized it\u2019s not just about lack of access to sustainable food: our food insecurity stems from lack of access to sustainable livelihoods. \u00a0Our strategy now is to build community businesses that can create long-term wealth, the kind that can overcome food deserts for the long haul. \u00a0But alone, our community doesn\u2019t have the resources to build community businesses. \u00a0As part of the peer network, all of that can change. We now have the training and investment of a national organization that we can use to solve our problems locally.\u201d<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][vc_single_image image=”3906″ alignment=”center” border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”250×250″ style=”vc_box_circle”][vc_column_text]\n
\nUrban Tilth<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\nThe peer network brings national resources to the hands of local people to build an economy that serves their community.\u00a0You can help more people join the network, like we did.<\/h2>\n