Membership in Cooperation Tulsa

Below you will see the Points of Unity of the Symbiosis network, which Cooperation Tulsa is a member of. These are the ideas which bind our group together and drive our actions. If these match your views, then keep reading!

1. Direct Democracy – We believe that all people should have an equal voice in determining our common future. We organize for self-determination by having decision-making power come from the bottom up. All power to the people.
2. Anti-Hierarchy – We oppose all systems of domination. We fight against capitalism, patriarchy, imperialism, white supremacy, the state, and all other forms of oppression, and lift up the voices of the most marginalized. We embrace Martin Luther King’s call for a radical revolution of values, and uphold feminist, egalitarian, and indigenous values against colonial, capitalist, and hierarchical values.
3. Ecology – The fate of humanity is intertwined with all other life on Earth. We embrace the holistic and reconstructive dimensions of indigenous knowledge and ecological science. Capitalism is killing life on our planet, and we are fighting to sustain life by reharmonizing human societies with the rest of the natural world.
4. Solidarity Economy – Economic democracy is essential for the preservation of our ecosystems and the self-determination of our communities. We seek to abolish the profit system and place economic decision-making in the hands of communities and workers through communal, cooperative economics and an ethic of mutual aid.
5. Revolution from the Group Up – Our movement seeks to transform our oppressive society through collective resistance to the destructive capitalist system, together with the creation of living alternatives. We organize for dual power in our communities by building democracy and mutual aid outside the state, to confront the present system while creating the future that will replace it. We are building the new world in the shell of the old.
6. Unity-in-Diversity – We celebrate the fullest range of human identities and experiences in our movement. Our diversity and our relationships with one another are our greatest strengths. We believe that this whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and that our interdependence and common humanity unite us. The road is long, and we must walk it together.

What sort of things do members do?

The following are some of the main expectations for members of Cooperation Tulsa:

• Attend regular meetings. The meetings are where the majority of our democratic process takes place and your presence means you get more say in that process! Also, the meetings are where the biggest decisions are made as a group, therefore you are going to be more aware of our current plans if you attend. Your ideas matter. Without you, who knows what details we will miss?
• Help with work days! Cooperation Tulsa has a variety of gardening, farming, and cooperative enterprises it undertakes. We have assigned days to gather folks to work on these projects. Your attendance at these events is invaluable because it advances material progress and builds stronger ties between us as an organization and the broader community.
• Participate in popular education efforts. This is how the ideas of social ecology and communalism are conveyed to our community. This may take the form of reading groups, distribution of educational materials, attendance of teach-ins, and so on. This document was drafted by the popular education group, for example!
• Help organize events. In-person participation is encouraged and vital for the success of Cooperation Tulsa projects. Our work days take planning and organization! Generally these are spun off as work groups from the main council. Getting involved with planning work groups is a great way to organize with your unique perspectives and specific skills.
• Communicate on Discord. This is a great place to speak with the other members and accomplices of the group between meetings. A lot of our planning takes place here and many of our working groups continue communication in between meetings. We also want the Cooperation Tulsa Discord to become a real community. If you know people who are interested in the group or the ideas of social ecology and communalism, then invite them to the server! As a member, however, you will also have access to the members-only channels, where discussions about the organization take place.
• Pay dues. Members of Cooperation Tulsa are expected to pay dues, so that we can fund our own efforts and not rely on getting all our money from donations or grants. The more dues that our members pay, the more we can act independently and not be beholden to outside interests. We recommend $25/month, but if your only barrier to entry is dues, don’t worry at all. Pay whatever amount you can, whether that’s $0, $5, labor, goods, or whatever else. Your presence is far more important than your ability to contribute to the general fund! No member will be treated any differently based on how much they pay.
• Act as a delegate. If you are a member of Cooperation Tulsa, you are an important participant. We delegate certain such roles as facilitator, notekeeper, etc, by sortition and rotation. This allows you to learn these organizing skills so that you are an equal member of the group, as we do not want to become reliant on any one person. Never served in a role before? Don’t worry. The person who was in that role before you will help guide you through the process. Everyone can develop the skills needed to fill all of the roles in the organization!
• If you are an active member, you will be counted towards quorum. If you have attended at least the last three meetings, events, meetups, etc… then you will change the number of people who are necessary to be present in order for us to propose and pass measures. We want to make sure we don’t move forward without the approval of all active members. If you can’t be that active, don’t worry! Quorum will drop so that we can continue passing measures while you’re gone.

Still not sure?

If you’re still not sure what Cooperation Tulsa is all about and you want to learn more about the ideas which drive our group, here is a list of introductory materials that we think will give you a better idea.

Indigenous vs Capitalist Values. We, in the progressive/radical… | by Roberto Mendoza | Medium

Reason, creativity and freedom: the communalist model

Ecology and Revolutionary Thought

There is so much to learn about the ideas of social ecology, communalism, and indigenous thought. If any of this interests you, don’t feel like you need to be an expert. After all, there will be plenty of time to continue learning after you join and we all get the chance to have more conversations!

How to become a member

If this all sounds good to you, the first step you should take is to read the charter of Cooperation Tulsa. This can be found on the Discord or at this link: Cooperation Tulsa Bylaws. This is the document you will be agreeing to abide by if you join the group, so you should be sure you understand it. And if there are any concerns or suggestions for change, we would be happy to hear them!

After this, visit Member Intake Form and fill it out! We will then present your name at the next meeting and vote on accepting a new member. Membership will never be excluded on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, sexuality, veteran status, or disability. And you can leave at any time for any reason you like.

Please read the Membership in Cooperation Tulsa section before filling this form out.

This form is for those interested in becoming members of Cooperation Tulsa. You can also state your interest verbally or meet with us at our general assembly. We usually spend a week getting to know you before making it official, which will usually involve a one-on-one and orientation. Let’s nurture the new world together!