In college I studied Business and Nonprofit Management at Earlham College, where I was lucky enough to be a Quaker Fellow. This allowed me to always have a balance of spiritual deepening and professional development. Following graduation, it made perfect sense to do Quaker Voluntary Service. I got to support nonprofits which were doing work I believe is necessary and simultaneously practice living in an intentional community. As luck would have it, the site placement I worked with has shaped my career indelibly since then.
Ana Martina (left) and Liz Anderson (right) presenting at the Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance (PACA) Summit during Liz’s Fellowship year.
While serving as a QVS Fellow in Philadelphia, I worked with the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC). Though I worked at the student-operated worker cooperative on Earlham’s campus in college, it was during my time at USFWC that my excitement for cooperatives grew. After QVS I went on to work with housing cooperatives with the North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO).
All cooperatives are different, but the core principles are shared: concern for community; democratic decision-making; cooperation over competition; continuing education; and growth measures based on wellbeing instead of profit. This has always struck me as strikingly similar to Quakers. My experience as a QVS Fellow and work at USFWC inspires me to envision a future rooted in these principles. Throughout my time working with nonprofits I have felt called back to worker cooperatives because the values are so aligned with the world I want to help co-create.
Liz feeding a baby goat at a QVS Day.
Topia Coffee Cooperative storefront
When I moved to Cincinnati I was excited to learn about Co-op Cincy, a local network of and incubator for cooperatives. Through Co-op Cincy I connected with a group of people interested in buying an existing mobile coffee trailer and turning it into a worker-owned operation. Through the Co-op Cincy Loan Fund we were able to apply for a non-extractive startup loan. Similar to Quaker meeting for business, cooperatives can only move at the speed of cooperation, which means that our loan had a 4 month lead up to purchase and the deal fell through. But through that process of loan application preparation our little team of people grew determined and our vision would not be stopped.
A little over a year after that first group formed, our little shop found a space in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Over the Rhine. We partnered with a nonprofit called OTR ADOPT that wanted to create a community living room in their building the Volkshaus. We share Volkshaus with the National Commission on Black Arts and Entertainment (NCBA). They bring to life many art exhibitions, workshops and pop-ups in Volkshaus.
Liz serving coffee at Topia.
Topia Coffee Cooperative storefront at the Grand Opening.
Topia Coffee Cooperative soft launched in November and had our grand opening this December. Our menu uses ethically-sourced and fair trade products. We order our tea from a co-op and our coffee from a local roaster that partners with cooperative coffee bean farmers and small batch farms. Our commitment to a good cup of coffee that also does good by the workers throughout the supply chain is the type of work QVS set me up to seek out and create in the world.
More about Liz
Why participate in QVS instead of applying for a job directly with a nonprofit?
QVS Fellows are also offered greater wrap-around support in their QVS city (housing and intentional community, training in conflict resolution and anti-oppression work, spiritual accompaniment) to help them engage in service long term and avoid burnout.
One QVS Alum from 2016-2017 shared:
“QVS gave me a sense of direction — I learned at the end of the year that I needed more education, and more critical thinking around the best space for me to make long-term impact in a community. I found out what my strengths and weaknesses were, and gained clarity towards my next steps…
In my year-long position, I did a lot of typical first-job-out-of-college evaluation, but in my community I think I arrived at those conclusions faster because I had folks at home I could talk to about my experiences and feelings. It also unprogrammed the definition of success I maintained for myself before QVS; now, success is more than work, but also about how I am able to care for myself and listen to my feelings. I owe QVS thanks for more holistic visioning.”
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