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use case

Community-controlled local economy with Boston Ujima Project

This use case exemplifies communities' efforts to combat inequalities and disadvantages by experimenting with structures that are typically absent in today's profit-oriented macro economies.
source of visual
  • USA/Canada, Boston Ujima, The Boston Ujima Project, Offline
    • Where did this use case occur?
  • 2015 - ongoing
    • When did this use case occur?
  • Center for Economic Democracy [2]
    • Who were some of the key collaborators
  • 2017: 300 individual members [1]
    • How many people participated?
  • Cooperative, Municipality, Urban
    • What are some keywords?

What was the problem?

The current economic systems haven’t been efficient in providing for many families in Boston.

How does the community approach the problem?

Community members in Boston (including small business owners, workers, grassroots activists, impact investors, unions, faith and civic organizations) came together to form a governing body, pooling resources in a community-controlled fund. The decision-making happens in diverse sizes of assemblies, from neighborhood- to city-wide.

Process
Building a network of shared value , Participatory Budgeting
Technique
Each member gets one vote in deciding matters such as which business gets investment, what community standards need to be maintained (e.g. the living wage that needs to be paid for all the workers within the business network) or how timebanking is implemented within the community. Members log in to an online portal to review proposals and cast votes. Before proposal-making, there are structures in place so that members can suggest collective evaluation before making a formal proposal. Further, there are physical information or discussion sessions to enable deliberation. 
Tool
Good Business Alliance

What were the results?

Since its launch five years ago, Boston Ujima Project grew into a vibrant community making decisions and setting standards to empower working-class communities of colour in the area. The community has made investments in small businesses totalling more than USD 500,000. Further, community members decide on the most pressing mutual needs on a rolling basis.

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How participatory was it?

Empower

The community members collectively make the final decision on all investment decisions, standards and timebanking implementation.

What makes this Use Case unique?

'I believe the Ujima Project is a thoroughly researched body of work that demonstrates how local communities can provide support to the businesses they value. The project encompasses more than just this form of support; it also incorporates timebanking and the establishment of standards for co-workers of the supported businesses. I carefully considered which tool to highlight in this use case, and I chose the Good Business Alliance due to its connection to the various functions of the project, such as community fund investments, resource sharing, and standards.' -Sem

Learn more here

link

    Сommunity Voice