Tune in to WOL 1450 AM, 95.9 FM and WOL Live Stream, November 11, 2021 at 10:30 am Eastern, for Everything Co-op, hosted by Vernon Oakes. This week Everything Co-op continues its observance of the National Native American Heritage Month. This year’s theme is Rising Above Adversity: Bringing Native Voices to the Forefront. In our second installment, we bring forth the voice of Bijiibah Begaye, co-director of Cooperative Catalyst of New Mexico, a co-op developer org in Albuquerque.
Vernon and Bijiibah will discuss how the Cooperative Catalyst of New Mexico serves as a resource for individuals, groups, companies, and other organizations in New Mexico that are interested in forming, converting to, or growing cooperatives.
Bijiibah Begaye is a true believer in supporting the community at every stage of development. She has previously served as Program Director for the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, and as Executive Director of Tse Ko Community Development Corporation. In addition to her work experience, her biggest influences come from being raised in Coalmine Mesa on the Navajo Nation where her family has managed Staggered Hearts Ranch for over 40 years.
Our host, Vernon Oakes, is a consummate advocate for cooperatives. He is a past president of the National Association of Housing Cooperatives and has served on several boards and committees to advance the interests of cooperatives. Recently, he served on the Limited Equity Cooperative Task Force, established by Anita Bonds, At-Large Member of the Council of the District of Columbia. Vernon is an MBA graduate of Stanford University, who has used his business acumen to benefit the community, by promoting the added value of the cooperative business model.