Our Capacity Building team strengthens the solidarity economy in New York and supports workers as owners and decision makers. In collaboration with our longtime partners, the NYC Network of Worker Cooperatives and Green Worker Cooperatives, we legally formed New York City’s first trans, migrant, Latinx-led worker cooperative of beauticians and cosmetologists, Mirror Trans Beauty. Having experienced transphobia, racism, and xenophobia at every step of their journeys, the worker owners of Mirror Trans Beauty aimed to create a safe space where folks in their community can express themselves and build mutual support.
TakeRoot provided the tools so that the worker-owners of Mirror Trans Beauty could build their own power and create the vision for their business. Mirror Trans Beauty launched in 2019 and provides affordable, high-quality beauty services for the LGBTQIA and wider community, including haircuts, makeup and facial services in Jackson Heights. TakeRoot guided them through several discussions about the fundamentals of their cooperative, culminating in the finalization of their operating agreement. By helping this group of women thrive, their neighborhood and community is stronger.
The small team in our Capacity Building practice has worked with or formed over two dozen worker co-ops so far this year. Please stand with us as we help worker co-ops get started in NYC to bolster community and change the way workers are treated.