Last week, the Southern Regional Housing Collaborative Convening held its second annual convening in Atlanta, Georgia. Our own @swatts96 was part of an engaging discussion along with reps from Habitat for Humanity, National Homelessness Law Center, National Low Income Housing coalition and of course Housing for All TN!
The Tennessee Center for Employee Ownership are hosting two exciting events in the next week. Check them out below
————
Learn About a New Economic Development Resource: Employee Ownership
Employee ownership gives business owners a practical transition option while helping employees, companies, and communities succeed together.
Many Tennessee business owners are nearing retirement without a clear transition plan. When a business closes or is sold outside the community, local jobs, leadership and wealth can leave with it. Employee ownership offers another path - one that can help businesses stay rooted locally while supporting long-term stability.
Join the Tennessee Center for Employee Ownership for a session about employee ownership, why it works, who it works for, and how the Tennessee Center for Employee Ownership works with economic development organizations, chambers, and other partners to help business owners understand their options.
——-
Employee Ownership Executive Roundtable + Mixer
Join the Tennessee Center for Employee Ownership (TNCEO) for their first Executive Roundtable and Employee Ownership Mixer!
Connect with ESOP leaders, and learn from other business owners who chose Employee Ownership as their exit strategy.
Employee Stock Option Program (ESOP) is a retirement plan that allocates company stock to employee accounts, thus a form of employee ownership suited for larger businesses with >20-30 employees and annual revenues of at least $5 Million. (These businesses offer financial ownership benefits, but unlike worker co-ops, lack direct voting control and democratic governance by its members.)
Our board member Vonda McDaniel gave a fiery speech about the importance of class solidarity at the May Day rally in Nashville earlier this month. What a great day it was, complete with pie-throwing at billionaires, and the “Price is Wrong” game show. We especially loved hosting the Youth Worker and Student Advocacy walk-through timeline with @nashvillepeaceandjustice and @drkmttrcollective
How did you celebrate May Day?
Despite the rain, we were so excited to visit the @pagoda_cafe_ a worker-owned cooperative cafe in New Orleans! Pagoda offers coffee, breakfast, lunch and catering every day! Their coffee is 🤤, the staff is kind, and we love their incredible pastries. We reccomend the guava puff pastry! So delicious!
Next time you’re in the Big Easy, make your way to Pagoda! You won’t regret it!
Calling all funders! Our very own Stephen Watts will be part of this panel on May 19th. Will you join? Learn more at the link in our bio!
From Funders Together for Housing Justice,
“AK
“Social Housing” is approaching buzzword status. But what does it actually mean? How does it benefit people who are homeless tonight? And what role can philanthropy play in advancing it? Let’s tackle all these questions and more.
Join Funders Together as we continue our journey to clarify what it means to hold “housing justice” as our north star—creating the conditions where literally everyone enjoys safe, stable housing by prioritizing those most impacted by structural racism and oppression—without abandoning people who are already unhoused.
We’ll hear from organizers and developers from politically disparate climates, California and Tennessee, to stitch together a common vision for social housing. Then we will learn from the Common Counsel Foundation, a leader in social housing organizing and development, who will offer concrete pathways for philanthropy to engage.”
We had such a blast reclaiming the party bus with @nashvilleclc@tn4all and so many others! Riders got to take part in a guided May Day tour around town during the Billionaire Bus Tour! Learn more and check out the map of stops created on the @tn4all page 😍
We just CANT get over how fabulous the May Day celebration was at @maydaysaloncoop last Friday! A day full of incredible teach-ins, generative discussion, and fellowship. We’re so glad we get to be in community with you all 🥰
Our friends at @nashvillepeoplesbudget have released the 2026 Housing & Safety for All Plan, developed through direct engagement with thousands of directly impacted Nashville residents, is a $25 million plan — 0.5% of the total operating budget — to lay the foundations necessary to guarantee permanently affordable housing and genuine community safety for all Nashvillians.
It’s full of great stuff, check it out for yourself at nashvillepeoplesbudget.org or at the link in our bio. Feeling inspired by the work? Head to the link in our bio to send a letter to Mayor Freddie in support!
has published a practical, plain-language guide to key terminology used in labor governance, trade agreements, and rights at work.
Go to our bio to find the link to this resource, and consider joining our newsletter to get our monthly “Resource Roundup” direct to your inbox! Sign up can be found in our bio
@economics4emancipation has released a new video series on Movement Finance, featuring six videos that explore the purpose and function of finances in our society, why we need finance to build the future we want to see, and ways we can reimagine and democratize finance to build economies that center care and liberation
Go to our bio to find the link to this resource, and consider joining our newsletter to get our monthly “Resource Roundup” direct to your inbox! Sign up can be found in our bio
The @nwcoopdevelopmentcenter is hosting a cooperative academy specifically focused on helping build Caregiver Co-Ops. Starting February 18th, this eight week series will walk caregivers through the process of opening a caregiver-owned and cooperated cooperative, from business panning to launch. The workshops are virtual and FREE!
Go to our bio to find the link to this resource, and consider joining our newsletter to get our monthly “Resource Roundup” direct to your inbox! Sign up can be found in our bio
Our city has been shut down for two weeks. Why are evictions operating business as usual?
We have outlined the steps leaders can take to prevent a snowballing eviction crisis. Days later we are still waiting for a clear response.
Help amplify our call. Tell your judges, sheriff, mayor, and council members to ACT NOW.
Nuestra ciudad lleva dos semanas paralizada. ¿Por qué los desalojos continúan como si nada hubiera pasado?
Hemos presentado las medidas que los líderes pueden tomar para prevenir una crisis de desalojos. Días después, seguimos esperando una respuesta clara.
Ayúdanos a difundir este mensaje. Díganles a sus jueces, al sheriff, al alcalde y a los concejales que NECESITAN ACTUAR AHORA.
#PauseEvictions #ProtectNashville #HousingIsAHumanRight
@bmhvillage@courtwatch615@theequityalliance@tnimmigrant@nashvillepeoplesbudget@opentablenashville@sec4cd@standupnashville@tnrentersunited@elmahabacenter
