The circle is a universal symbol. It can signify unity, wholeness, infinity, integrity, timelessness, earthly cycles, protection and inclusion, among other divine meanings.
At this year’s Summer Co-op Academy, which brought together 20 young people from various walks of life, the circle was how we began and how we ended, where we told our stories, where we had hard conversations and challenged each other, and where we affirmed our commitment to growing ourselves and our co-ops.
Organized in a circle, we set our Collective Altar…
Everyone offered something of personal, cultural or spiritual significance to the altar, which stayed there for the entire week.
Shared our stories…
Dorian (CoFED Racial Justice Fellow) leads us through a story quilting workshop. Everyone creates a patch that tells a story about their community and journey. As we go around the circle and share our stories, Dorian collects each patch to make a quilt next to our Collective Altar.
Built power for our co-ops…
“P-O-W-E-R, we got the power because we do it like this!” Briana (Maryland Food Collective) shows us that she’s got the power after we learned how to do the Power Circle from Irving (Ignite NC).
Created unity across our various identities and struggles…
From left to right: Enlylh (Spelman College), Malikia (Howard University alum), Hnin (CoFED Co-Director), and Eva (Spelman College). With our collective timeline of resistance in the background, Hnin and Gio (Earthfoods Cafe, not pictured) show the group how to do the Unity Clap, which Filipino and Mexican farmworkers of United Farm Workers used to organize across language barriers. Before the final clap, you say “Isang Bagsak!”, which means “together we rise, together we fall.”
And celebrated the entire process!
On the last day, we formed a large circle under a tree and next to the French Broad River, the third oldest river in the world. We have our Water Ceremony, Graduation and Appreciation Circle. Later that evening, we have an Open Mic to close out the Academy!
Throughout our week together, which participants described as…
“Complex, vulnerable, powerful and well worth it.”“Incredible. Unforgettable. Transformative. Powerful.”“Good! Really learned more about coops and feel pretty empowered.”“Amazing! I loved the setting and the majority of the folks involved are great contacts to have. I feel like we built family.”“Dope AF.”
