Valentine Cadieux, associate professor of anthropology, was invited back to the Association of Cooperative Educators Summer Institute for its 75th anniversary meeting in Minnesota, Celebrating 75 Years: Shaping the Future of Co-op Education.
Cadieux presented “Connecting Co-operative Economic Democracy with Tangible Environmental Action” with Gary Hampton of the Ajani Group of Cooperative Educators, Electra Skrzydlewski of the Minnesota Consortium of Community Developers, and Molly Codding formerly of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and one of the core team for the Saint Paul Mini-Forests.
In the presentation, the panel explored ways to address structural barriers to environmental justice in community economic development. The panelists spoke from their roles helping to support linked community economic and ecological wellness through community-led and community-owned land based projects, such as the mini forests and micro farms being planted in Rondo, Frogtown and Hamline Midway neighborhoods.