ECONOMY BUILDERS

UJIMA'S BUSINESS ALLIANCE

The Ujima Business Alliance (UBA) is a local business association sponsored by the Boston Ujima Project for community-oriented companies within its network. Members of the UBA are business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs who are committed to advancing social and economic justice through the private sector. Ujima Businesses align their corporate practices with their values by creating good jobs, sharing ownership and wealth, meeting local needs, and generating community benefits. Business Alliance Members find strength in unity, and value cooperation over the competition to achieve shared success.

The current UBA members in this directory have joined based on relationships and information that comes out of our Neighborhood Assemblies, and are working to co-create the dues and criteria for the alliance moving forward. When Ujima’s governing body votes to approve our collective Community Standards, with the guidance of the Community Standards Committee, businesses will re-apply to join the Ujima Business Alliance based on the new standards.

LOCAL GOOD BUSINESSES DIRECTORY

Agaric

Agaric is a worker-owned web development collective that helps people create and use powerful web sites. Because they are part of the Free Software movement, they build on tools and frameworks created and tested by thousands of people. Their goal is to give you power over your web sites and online technology.

DOWNLOAD THE DIRECTORY

UJIMA ARTISTS & CULTURAL ORGANIZERS

“The role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible.” -Toni Cade Bambara

Artists and cultural organizers have always play an essential role in creating the vibrant neighborhoods that make up Boston, though they’re often forced to work at the margins. Ujima is just as much about shifting the culture of our lives and economy in Boston, as it is about changing structures, and Ujima is dedicated to supporting the central role of artists and culture-makers in helping us reimagine a more just and beautiful future.

At our September 2017 General Assembly, we voted to award five artists a grant to support their community-rooted projects. Meet these artists.

CIERRA MICHELE - DEMO RADIO

demo-radio.com

Demo Radio is an online “radio show” created with the purpose of archiving hyperlocal communities and subcultures across the Northeast. Each show will be recorded, streamed and archived on Facebook Live and Soundcloud. With this project we are focused on community building across time and space. It aims to disrupt local radio and DIY media scenes which are usually artistically and culturally homogeneous. As a group of emerging artists, we seek to support creative individuals of the same stature by providing opportunities for under recognized, socially

engaged, young artists.

UJIMA'S GRASSROOTS PARTNERS

Our grassroots partners provide political leadership and root our work in ongoing struggles for housing justice, labor rights, youth empowerment, environmental justice, and more. Their expertise and membership bodies help to guide our process of creating community-led standards and investment plans for our local economy.

Email nia_at_ujimaboston.com to learn about becoming a grassroots partner.

Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE)

Alternatives for Community and Environment builds the power of communities of color and lower income communities in New England to eradicate environmental racism and classism and achieve environmental justice. We believe that everyone has the right to a healthy environment and to be decision-makers in issues affecting our communities.