Last May, Claudia Arroyo, our Executive Director, and I, Special Initiatives and Partnerships Lead, traveled to Los Angeles for the California Center for Cooperative Development (CCCD) State Conference. As an immigrant who has been part of two cooperatives, I know firsthand that this model works. Cooperativism transforms lives by fostering authentic leadership, cooperation, and mutual support.
It was inspiring to connect with allies from organizations such as Ventures, Shared Capital, Human Agenda, and DAWI. Together, we reaffirmed that regenerative, dignified, and sustainable economies are not a dream, but a growing reality that sustains our communities.
At Prospera, we do not believe in charity or paternalism. Latina entrepreneurs are the true leaders of their own ventures; we simply walk alongside them as companions on their journey. With this vision of horizontal equality, we facilitated two very special workshops at the conference.
In the first, “The Cooperative Well-Being Triangle,” we shared a framework for intentionally balancing care for the individual, harmony within the collective, and the health of the organization. One participant told us afterward, “Thank you so much for giving us such a useful and transformative tool for centering care within cooperatives during these difficult times.”
In the second workshop, “Popular Education Never Goes Out of Style: Unlearning to Cooperate,” we focused on breaking away from hierarchical models to create more equitable learning spaces. The impact was immediate: “Excellent, lively, fun, but with very deep learning. Thank you for the beautiful energy and the activities.”
To our donors, allies, and community: thank you for believing in the power of collective action. Prospera’s doors are always open. We invite you to share this article, join our network, or make a donation today so that more women can launch their cooperatives and transform their future.
By Celia Alvarez
Special Initiatives and Cooperation Lead
Blog created by Celia Alvarez with support of AI
