Solidarity Collective– a Laramie Ecovillage

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Solidarity Collective– a Laramie Ecovillage

Located in Laramie, Wyoming, United States

Mission Statement
We are an anti-capitalist and anti-oppression commune, with a strong dedication to personal growth and ecologically sound systems.

Community Description
We are in the early stages of forming.

We operate using consensus, and are starting to move toward income-sharing with the intention of being a full income sharing group once we are on land together. We require that everyone in the group have a personal growth or spiritual practice that is effective at helping them grow and navigate group dynamics. Many of us are connected with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Laramie, and have taken inspiration from the UU principles (adapted slightly here). They read as follows:

We affirm and promote:

The Inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our community and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
(There is an 8th principle under consideration that we are strong advocates for that deals with anti-oppression and particularly anti-racism.)

Inspiration aside, we are *not* a UU community.

It is our intention to be as sustainable as possible, and we are dialoguing about the level of self-sufficiency we will pursue. We are seeking a larger piece of land in part to be able to grow our own food. As an income sharing group we expect to share cars, meals, facilities and other resources extensively, and have already established dinners together twice a week, and an emergency fund for members.

Our target population be anywhere from 25 and 50 adults. About half of our core group have lived in community previously, and we range in age from mid-twenties to 50. This decision should be determined in part by the land we end up with. We are currently looking for a piece of property that is 30+ acres, within 15 minutes of Laramie (a college town of 32,000) with an existing large house for the Common House.

Housing
Status: We do not have land
Planned Residence Types: Room(s) in a house or building, Tiny house, Natural built structues
Housing Provided: Included in Membership
Land owned by: The entire community membership
Additional Comments:
We are exploring either a land trust and/or a 501d3 (income sharing) structure to hold the land and major assets.

Membership
Adult Members: 6
Child Members: 5
Percent Women: 61-70%
Percent Men: 31-40%
Visitors accepted: Yes
Visitor Process:
We do not yet have a site to visit. However, please email us if you are interested in the project. You can also ask to join our facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1944871482405639/
Open to new Members: Yes
Membership Process:
Membership starts with spending time with us and writing a letter of intent. There is a minimum of a one-year provisional member period (during which time people will live with us and otherwise participate as members do) before people can apply to become full members. Please request our full process if you are interested in membership.
Government
Decision Making: Consensus (everyone agrees)
Identified Leader: No
Leadership Core Group: No
Additional Comments:
Note from Ma’ikwe who is a consensus trainer and one of the founding members: I dislike the “everyone agrees” shorthand for consensus. It is more that we listen closely and take everyone’s input into account and then find what we all believe is the best answer to the question. It isn’t about group think or wiping out our differences, but it is about reaching for what is best for the whole on an ongoing basis.

Economics
Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: Yes
Regular Fee per Month: $0
Shared Income: All or close to all
Required Labor Contribution per Week: 0
Open to members with existing debt: Yes
Additional Comments:
Please email for a full description of our economic agreements. Members can either be part of shared business endeavors, be primarily involved with traditionally labeled “domestic” work, or have an independent business or a job. We are currently conceptualizing and researching for our first business. We have talked about two shared businesses, a glass upcycling business (as there is no glass recycling available in our county currently) and a teaching center. Our expectation is that everyone will contribute in a substantive way to the community, and each hour is valued the same. We are also in dialogue about how to hold a wide range of what qualifies as contributions, recognizing differences in ability and life-stage that affect what society normally considers valuable. We are willing to turn that on its head.

Sustainability Practices
Planned renewable energy generation: Almost All, around 90%
Planned food produced: From 50-75%

Lifestyle
Common Facilities: Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Outbuilding(s), Large Scale Kitchen, Internet
Internet Available: Yes, community provides it
Internet Fast?: Yes, exceptionally.
Shared meals: Approximately all meals
Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (plants and animals), Paleo (no grains, dairy, processed foods, or legumes), Local (food sourced within 150 miles), Organic (no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers), Mostly Vegetarian, Opportunivore (dumpster diving, nature harvesting, etc.), Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Dietary Choice or Restrictions: No – people may eat however they wish.
Alcohol Use: Yes, used occasionally.
Additional Diet Comments:
We have just started meal sharing twice a week, and are working on accommodating a range of diets. We will likely have food norms just to make it work to have a shared kitchen, but are tuned in to needing to work with a range.
Common Spiritual Practice(s): Ecumenical (accepts all religions or spiritual practices), Eclectic (integrates multiple religious or spiritual beliefs), Buddhist, Wiccan, Unitarian Universalist, Humanist
Education Style(s): Up to each family or individual
Additional Comments:
We expect to be providing healthcare for our members.

Source: https://www.ic.org/directory/laramie-ecovillage-project/