On December 15th 2024 board members, friends, and supporters of SECOSOL joined with the worker / owners of the cleaning cooperative Mujeres Manos a la Obra to celebrate the coop's success. Founded in 2020, it took several years of dedication and hard work to enable Anita Moldonado, Lorena Contreras and Dilcia Contreras to be able to fire their boss and work full time for their own, democratically run business. SECOSOL board members Heylin Rodriquez, Johanna Garay, and co-presidents Dilcia Molina and Leslie Moncada worked tirelessly with the coop members over these past 4 1/2 years to navigate the legal, financial, and especially social challenges of transitioning from exploited workers used to being told what to do, to historical subjects who can name the world.

Emerging Solidarity Economy in Northern Virginia

The dinner was not only an opportunity for Mujeres Manos a la Obra and SECOSOL to come together to celebrate their accomplishments, it was an embodiment of the emerging solidarity economy movement in Northern Virginia.

Funding for the celebration came from a \$500 grant from the Virginia Solidarity Economy Network (VASEN). Meeting space for the event was graciously provided by Tenants and Workers United.

Sister Northern Virginia worker cooperative NOVA Web Development showed up and joined in the celebration. Mujeres Manos a la Obra and NOVA Web Development have been putting principle 6: cooperation among cooperatives into practice. Mujeres hired NOVA Web to create their website, and NOVA Web has been actively promoting Mujeres among its community contacts.

The core team organizing the event included two volunteers from the DNOVA Council, Eleanor Finley and Nairuti Shastry.

In conclusion, this VASEN SECOSOL Dinner was both a time to look back on the road traveled, celebrating dedication, hard work and real accomplishment, and equally important, a concrete embodiment of the promise of the road ahead, and of the ability of a broad collection of people and groups to come together and support each other to make the world a better place.

We are living in tough times. Let's come together in solidarity to win a better tomorrow!