Beautiful Solutions A Toolbox for the Future

As the rise of Bernie Sanders makes clear, "socialism" is no longer a dirty word. It suggests promise, ideals, and community transformation. Progressives now must come up with practical alternatives to what's in place. We can no longer be complainers without solutions.

Beautiful Solutions pairs critique with innovative solutions that point the way towards a new system. First launched online in partnership with Naomi Klein and Avi Lewis’ "This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate," Beautiful Solutions uses as examples communities that fight against the root causes of injustice and working to build something better. Rather than prescribing an orthodoxy, the team behind Beautiful Solutions spotlights strategies that work, and can be replicated. These approaches—delivered therough the book and via grassroots popular education and training—can build democratic leadership in communities, strengthen resistance, transform public policy and help shift the broader culture from extraction and dependence to creativity and interdependence.
The people featured in this project work in their communities prove things can be done differently--and that systemic change is within our grasp. Featured stories include:
Groundbreaking legal battles for indigenous land title in New Zealand and Renewable, indigenous-owned economic development on Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota;
Recuperated workplaces in Argentina and at New Era Windows Cooperative in Chicago;
Sukuk(Islamic partial ownership bonds) issued in the Middle East and Southeast Asia;
Youthled participatory budgeting in Boston, MA;
Social solidarity health clinics in Thessaloniki, Greece, and
GreenWave’s restorative ocean farming in Long Island Sound.

Eli Feghali is director of Communications and Online Organizing for the New Economy Coalition. He has spent the majority of his professional life working as a communications specialist and community organizer. He lives in Boston, MA.

Rachel Plattus was director of programs at the New Economy Coalition from 2012-2015. She coordinated NEC's Youth and Student organizing and community reinvestment efforts, and worked to build community, organizational and funder engagement in the New Economy. Rachel lives in Jamaica Plain, MA.

Elandria Williams is co-editor of Beautiful Solutions and staff member of the Highlander Research and Education Center, where she is also on the Organizational Leadership Team. Elandria coordinates the Southern Grassroots Economies Project and supports community leaders and organizers in the South and Appalachia. Elandria lives in Knoxville, TN.