Global Teach-In Organizers Seek Solutions and Envision a Better Future
The State of the Movements series, a recurring column in Nonprofit Quarterly, tracks the pulse of social movements and the solidarity economy in 2025. This November, a network of Next System teach-ins took place in over a dozen locations across the Americas, bringing together scholars, activists, and community members to develop practical actions for democratic practice, even in the face of rising authoritarianism.
The organizers are consciously building the foundations for a "third force" rooted in communities, rather than nation-states or global corporations. They are supported by the Department of Next System Studies at George Mason University, the US Solidarity Economy Network, Leadership for the Ecozoic, Presente.org, and the Global Tapestry of Alternatives.
Teach-ins took place across the United States, in places like Arlington, VA; Chicago, IL; and Eureka, CA, as well as in Puerto Rico, Argentina, and Mexico. Each teach-in had its own unique "color" or priorities, but all shared a mission of cultivating co-learning, collaboration, and collective responsibility to understand current system limitations and develop ways to co-create more just ones.
The value of these gatherings was exemplified by Chicago panelist Xochitl Espinosa, who emphasized the need for ongoing reflection on the long-standing systems that have led to the current moment of crisis.
In Chicago, organizers drew on community organizing traditions to host a participatory "Community Power Convergence" featuring Prexy Nesbitt, a veteran of Africa solidarity struggles and former assistant to Chicago's first Black mayor, Harold Washington.
Nesbitt praised attendees for organizing against anti-immigrant attacks under the Trump administration. He warned that the forces seeking to implement segregation and exploitation are similar to those the global anti-apartheid movement helped overthrow. Nesbitt advocated for exporting the capacity to come together and struggle together, emphasizing the importance of unity.
Inspired by asset-based community development, participants co-created an asset map linking areas of movement strength and innovation. Workshop topics included community self-determination, mutual aid, community defense, restorative economics, youth leadership, digital cooperatives, and cooperative family structures.
Additional topics were self-organized by participants, including discussions on "Tribal Cultures" and "Organizing a Chicago Civic Week." The event provided a much-needed opportunity for organizers to step back, gain perspective, and feel affirmed and less isolated in their work.
Similar themes emerged in other US gatherings. In Duluth, MN, over 200 people gathered to listen to Winona LaDuke, an economist, environmentalist, and two-time vice-presidential candidate, who shared practical examples of next system practices rooted in Ojibwe traditions.
In Syracuse, NY, organizers focused on local issues and solutions, emphasizing the region's history of social innovation to recover community wealth.
Internationally, Alice Poma, a professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, noted the importance of creating bridges between formal and popular education spaces. Ana Inés Heras, a professor at San Martin University in Argentina, collaborated with students to create a collective composting activity, bringing together neighbors, children, community leaders, educators, and researchers.
Poma organized a workshop in Puebla, Mexico, to explore emotions related to the climate crisis, offering support materials and a safe space for participants to express their feelings and cope with the crisis's impact.
These activities facilitated learning, knowledge co-construction, and the potential for new actions. Participants could see that others shared similar feelings, breaking down isolation and channeling emotions into action.
The teach-in process has produced valuable lessons and a pathway for bridging academia and communities. Ben Manksi, founder of Next System Studies, emphasizes the potential for the academy to contribute to a better world beyond capitalism, focusing on building capacity for the right thing.
Systemic change requires long-term, evolving work across sectors, traditions, and cultures. By utilizing activist scholars' leadership and academic institutions' resources, the teach-in process offers a promising vehicle for addressing complex crises by imagining and building concrete solutions.
