ORGANIZING
For the last three decades I've been instigating and running a variety of community organizing efforts.
Currently I am co-directing Solid State Community Industries in Surrey BC. We build worker co-ops with racialized migrant communities. Past projects include: The Purple Thistle Centre, an arts and activism centre for low-income youth; Car Free Vancouver, a day of celebratory resistance to car-culture that draws a quarter-million people annually into the streets; The East Van-Fort Good Hope Youth Exchange Program that connected Indigenous youth from an isolated northern community with non-native East Van kids. There are many others - an alternative economy incubator; a community school for elementary-aged kids, many month-long teen trips, community potlucks, building community gardens on industrial land etc.
SPEAKING
I tour and lecture pretty much year-round. I typically speak about solidarity economics, radical urbanism, resistance to displacements, democratic education and/or ecological theory and organizing. To book me just drop me a line and I am happy to consider most anything. I talk to community groups, municipalities, schools, bookstores, planning departments, schools, colleges and universities, give public lectures, double them up with workshops, organize day-long events – let me know what you have in mind and I can tell you what's worked well in the past. I charge on a sliding scale and am always glad to make good money but am kind of negotiating softie.
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I also work with a number of groups around the world on urbanist and social space projects : existing or proposed community centres, schools, youth centres, colleges, institutes, co-ops, squats, libraries, and public spaces of all kinds. I am happy to consult, share ideas, strategize or help out when/how I can, usually in person, but sometimes over distance. I charge as per above for this kind of work.