Jess (she|her) is deeply committed to building capacity for systemic change. Co-founder of Hive Cafe Co-op and the Concordia Food Coalition, she has been strategically involved in various events, conferences, boards, and other community-led initiatives. Currently employed by the Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (CQCM), her work involves cooperative education and supporting youth cooperative projects in Montréal and Laval.

Sydney is a jack of all trades having completed her engineering degree at Concordia and now working at the public libraries of Montreal. She has supported the co-founding processes of numerous cooperatives including the woodnote solidarity cooperative and the Dall grocery store cooperative. She brings her passion for building inclusive and equitable communities into all of her work.

Marcus is a community organizer, union mobilizer and cooperative developer.  He is a Concordia graduate who has applied his passion for economic and environmental justice into transforming community organizations. He has served on numerous boards and advocacy groups such as the Hive Cooperative Cafe, Divest Concordia, CUTV, the Woodnote Solidarity Cooperative and the CSU.  Marcus works at New Roots Workers cooperative as treeplanter during the summers, and has a keen interest in multimedia production.

Dru Oja Jay wears many hats. He is a writer, organizer and web developer as well as a visionary that excels at facilitating popular education to empower people to see their own transformational potential. Dru is currently the executive director of CUTV and publisher of The Breach. He is also a co-founder of the Media Co-op, Journal Ensemble, Friends of Public Services and Courage. He is co-author, with Nikolas Barry-Shaw, of Paved with Good Intentions: Canada’s development NGOs from idealism to imperialism. 

Olivia is an entrepreneur, educator and activist that is passionate about building collective capacity to transform the economy.  She is a lifelong learner and studied Community Economic Development and Business Administration at Concordia University.  Olivia also serves as the Social Economy Officer for the Regional Development Network.  Prior to committing full time to the social solidarity economy movement, Olivia worked in project and financial management roles as well as served on nearly a dozen Board of Directors often specializing in sustainability and food systems.

From web design to full-stack development, Malcolm strives to build tools to help groups mobilize towards a more just, climate resilient future. Malcolm graduated from McGill Engineering and works as a project manager, and is keen on applying those skills towards building alternative economic realities. Among those aspirations is Bar Milton-Parc Solidarity Cooperative, a new community focused bistro located in the heart of the Milton-Parc community of Montreal, of which he is the acting Operations Manager. 

Hyacinth is passionate about art, design, food, and people. After graduating from Design at Concordia University, they now run a freelance practice where they collaborate with artists, writers, and musicians; arts institutions; community organizations; and groups working towards justice and radical social change. They organize with Community Cooks Collective, a community-based solidarity collective in Montreal, dedicated to delivering food weekly to local shelters. Essential parts of Hyacinth’s process include mutual exchange and integrating joy towards a shared, equitable economic future.

With previous experiences in social infrastructure, participatory budgeting, and international development, Prachir is committed to building a more relational way of life through his work and writing. He studied economics and business at Western University, where he worked with various non-profits and social enterprises to advance their missions. Prachir is keen to apply his knowledge and skills to supporting cooperatives in building more connected and sustainable communities.