Each year, USFWC’s Worker Co-op Awards recognize a range of worker-owned businesses and cooperators at the forefront of the movement to build a thriving ecosystem for worker-owned and controlled businesses and their cooperative leaders. This year’s awardees were recognized during a ceremony at the 2024 Worker Co-op Conference in Chicago in September. Learn more about the awards here.
Marcelino Martinez, Cooperator of the Year
Born and raised in Mexico City, Marcelino Martinez earned his bachelor’s degree from Baruch College before embarking on his cooperative journey as a founding member of Radiate Consulting NYC, one of the first worker co-ops to use the Rapid Response Cooperative model. Developed by the Democracy at Work Institute, the Rapid Response Cooperative is a replicable, out-of-the-box worker-owned business that provides a pathway to work for people with barriers to employment. Working with the Democracy at Work Institute, Marcelino implemented administration and accounting processes that have since been adopted by other cooperatives. He has also trained administrators, bookkeepers, and incubators to better understand the financial needs of cooperatives.
Marcelino has consistently demonstrated his dedication to fostering cooperative principles and supporting the cooperative community. For pioneering the rapid response cooperative model as a founder of one of the first Radiate Consulting cooperatives; for helping immigrant communities build the systems and connections needed to create successful, cooperatively-run businesses; and for contributing to the growth and sustainability of emerging cooperatives through expert technical assistance, training, consulting, and bookkeeping services, we proudly present the 2024 Cooperator of the Year Award to Marcelino Martinez.
Rek Kwawer, Ecosystem Builder
MadWorC is a regional membership organization of worker cooperatives and their supporters, dedicated to growing the worker-owned economy in Madison, WI. Its members have mobilized resources and convened stakeholders to create new opportunities for the expansion of worker co-ops. The organization’s Regional Rendezvous have launched new initiatives, such as a co-op peer-to-peer network and a worker cooperative solidarity fund.
MadWorC members were instrumental in the creation of the Madison Cooperative Development Coalition (MCDC), a regional coalition of diverse stakeholders committed to building power through the influence of various institutions that have an interest in the local solidarity economy. Recently, MadWorC launched a four-week class designed to educate trade school students and current business owners about co-ops.
Their accomplishments are even more impressive when considering that they have only one staff member. And that staff member is the recipient of this year’s Ecosystem Builder Award. Rek Kwawer is holding together the organization’s programming while skillfully balancing its members’ immediate needs with the group’s long-term vision. The deep and intentional ecosystem building that Rek facilitates serves as a model for others across the country.
We are proud to present the 2024 Ecosystem Builder Award to Rek Kwawer.
Emma Le, Emerging Youth Cooperator
Our next award honors a dedicated young worker-owner who, at the age of 21, exemplifies the power youth have to own their workplace and future. Emma Le joined the worker co-op movement at age 19, after a stint as a delivery driver in the gig economy, where they faced workplace dangers with no voice in decisions that could protect them.
When Emma joined A Slice of New York Pizzeria in San Jose, CA, they knew little about worker co-ops. However, they quickly found the respect and dignified wages they never had in gig work. After seeing their contributions and ideas valued, they quickly became a leader within their co-op. Now, at age 21, they are a member-owner on the management team of A Slice of New York.
Recently, Emma shared their story with the federation, encouraging other young people to consider joining a worker co-op, where respect, a voice, fair pay, and learning opportunities for young people are far more accessible than in traditional jobs. For their inspiring journey, which serves as a powerful example to other youth, we proudly present the 2024 Emerging Cooperator Award to Emma Le.
Chispas/Quetzal Community Real Estate, Industry Disrupter
In the midst of a nationwide affordable housing crisis, one cooperative is demonstrating that the housing industry can deliver affordable housing, worker power, and democratic community control—by setting aside the traditional landlord-tenant roles and operating on a human-to-human level.
Chispas/Quetzal Community Real Estate is a locally owned full service real estate cooperative specializing in long term residential and commercial property management, as well as real estate sales in the greater Asheville area. A critical part of the community’s efforts to foster affordable housing, the cooperative provides solidarity-rate property management and maintenance services to the four PODER Emma mobile home cooperatives in Asheville. These real estate cooperatives play a vital role in protecting mobile home park communities and community spaces from predatory development. PODER Emma has stated, “We would not have been able to continue expanding our mobile home cooperative network without the work of Chispas/Quetzal.”
Chispas/Quetzal is not just another property manager working for rental property owners in the fraught landlord-tenant relationship. Instead, they collaborate with mobile home co-ops and single-family and commercial clients toward a transformative vision for the greater Asheville community.
For those reasons, we are proud to present the 2024 Industry Disruptor Award to Chispas/Quetzal Community Real Estate Cooperative.
Rock Steady Farm, Solidarity Economy Advocates
If you want an example of how business can be life-affirming in the face of intersecting climate and economic crises, look no further than Rock Steady Farm. This multi-racial, queer and trans -led cooperative vegetable farm and nonprofit is a leader in the food justice movement, building and scaling replicable business models that provide healthy food directly to queer, trans, Black, Indigenous and people of color, low-income and health-impacted communities—all while navigating challenges spurred on by climate change.
As leaders in the queer farming community on regional, national and international levels, Rock Stead Farm is training the next generation of QTBIPOC farmers who are, and will continue to be, on the frontline of addressing food security and the climate crisis in their communities. Their work is deeply rooted in grassroots partnerships with individuals, land-based projects, nonprofits, and co-ops.
The word “eco” in “economy” and “ecosystem” means “home,” and Rock Steady Farm is demonstrating that solidarity is the only way to combat climate damage and economic exploitation, turning our shared home into a place where all can thrive.
We can think of no one more deserving of this year’s Solidarity Economy Advocates Award than Rock Steady Farm.
Red Emma’s, Movement Builder
Please join us in recognizing Red Emma’s with the 2024 Movement Builder Award.
A cornerstone of the Baltimore cooperative and solidarity economy ecosystem, Red Emma’s is a worker cooperative bookstore, cafe, and community events space. Baltimore residents don’t just come to eat, read, study, and work. They also come to feel safe, seek shelter, access resources, and engage in self-discovery and community learning.
Red Emma’s offers workshops, meetups, a free resource center hub, and hosts the Baltimore Free School, where anyone can teach or take a free class. This year, they are celebrating their 20th anniversary – an impressive feat in today’s Amazon-dominated book industry. But their real accomplishment is in helping spark and support the movement of worker cooperatives in Baltimore.
After gaining their footing without local guidance and support, Red Emma’s generously shared their trial-and-error journey as a learning resource for other worker co-ops. They have incubated and launched other democratic workplaces and provided technical assistance to worker co-ops. Red Emma’s also helped found the Baltimore Roundtable for Economic Democracy (BRED), which offers “non-extractive” loans to worker co-ops—a model that inspired the national network of loan funds called Seed Commons.
Huge congratulations to all of our Co-op of the Year awardees, especially Cooperator of the Year, Marcelino Martinez. Thank you to Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers for sponsoring this award and helping to make these recognitions possible.
