Reclaim the Economy Week

California is ready!

Local Self-Reliance and Independent Businesses

Wed January 28, 2026 @ 10:00am - 11:00am PST

How do independent businesses help build resilient societies that thrive within planetary boundaries and create a flourishing future for generations to come?

Join us for a conversation with Kennedy Smith, a senior researcher with the Independent Business Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR).

ILSR helps community leaders and local activists by encouraging civic leaders to adopt policies and programs that support independent businesses, shifting power from corporate chain stores, to independent suppliers and community-centered businesses.

Kennedy has years of on-the-ground experience helping towns and cities throughout North America build vibrant downtowns and neighborhood commercial centers.

Named one of nation’s 100 Most Influential Urbanists and Top Urban Thinkers by Planetizen, Kennedy will share insights from ILSR’s work, and engage in open conversation about how California communities can find solutions to tough revitalization and business development challenges.

Hosted by Kirsten Maynard

To sign up for the event, please click HERE

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Hi Juan, thank you so much for this! Are there any subtitles available for other languages?

Warmest,

Lena

Hi Lena,

There are three versions of the film with burn in subtitles: English, German and Italian. We could consider using an online version with the automated subtitles from Vimeo as an option.

Best

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In Geneva we are organizing an event on Monday 26 January, on using the Doughnut as an economic decision-making tool.

Event in French - all welcome!

https://www.apres-ge.ch/agenda/le-donut-une-boussole-pour-les-politiques-publiques

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Thanks David! Looks awesome- I have added it to the WEAll Network Calendar.

Whoop whoop! So cool, thanks for sharing Caroline- I have also put onto the WEAll Network Calendar :dizzy:

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Also wanted to share this event by Feasta and WEAll Ireland:

From GDP growth to wellbeing: reimagining the economy through care, solidarity and ecology.

Tuesday 27th January - 3:30-5.00 pm Irish time
@reclaimtheeconomy #ReclaimTheEconomyWeek

This WEAll Ireland webinar launches a six-month economic literacy and co-design project led by Cultivate and Feasta, supported by the Environmental Pillar, and is part of the global Reclaim the Economy Week - seven days of action calling for economies that put people, communities and the living world first.

Across Ireland and globally, we are facing converging crises - climate breakdown, rising inequality, the cost of living and the erosion of community wellbeing. These are not separate problems, but symptoms of an economic system designed around GDP growth, extraction, and profit, rather than care, fairness, and ecological limits.

This webinar will introduce and explore a range of emerging economic approaches—including ecological, circular, social solidarity, doughnut, feminist, and wellbeing economies—that offer practical and hopeful pathways beyond the dominant economic narrative.

Together, we will begin to unpack what these frameworks mean, how they differ, and how they support degrowth.

Whether you work in civil society, local communities, policy, or climate action, this session offers a clear and accessible starting point for reclaiming the economy as something we shape — not something that happens to us.

Book your place by registering here.

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Hello again, another Reclaim Event to look out for on Wednesday the 28th January:

ECOnGOOD Conversations: The New Face of Business
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Ld1lgUZjS-qMmOOYG7e9UQ#/registration

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Hi all!

We’ve been amazed by the response to the first Reclaim the Economy Week. There are now 80 events planned for next week across 25 countries.

There are 36 online events so even if there’s nothing happening in your community there are plenty of ways you can connect with others.

Check out the map (or spreadsheet is handy for searching by date).

If you’re posting on Instagram please invite @reclaimtheeconomy to collaborate so the post appears there too and use the hashtag #ReclaimTheEconomyWeek wherever you’re posting - we’ll find and reshare your posts. English language comms pack is here and you can find French, Spanish and Portuguese versions at reclaimtheeconomy.org

Thanks so much all! I feel very proud to be part of this movement :sparkles:

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Reclaim the Economy Week: Opening Event :dizzy:

Hello all,

Just a reminder that next week, we’re kicking off Reclaim the Economy Week on Monday 26 January with a global, interactive online gathering, and you are all invited.

This is an unbranded, movement-led space that brings together communities, artists, and change-makers to explore how we can reclaim the economy from inequality, ecological breakdown, and concentrated power, and reimagine what’s possible together.

There will be moments of art and reflection, as well as small-group conversations about what reclaiming the economy means in your specific context.

  • Opened by WEAll’s Co-Chair Dr Lebohang Liepollo Pheko and Earth4All Executive Co-Chair Sandrine Dixson-Declève.
  • Live interpretation in Spanish & Portuguese.

Join us here: ZOOM REGISTRATION LINK

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Regenerative Currency Federation (RCF)

In our regular weekly meeting of the Regenerative Currency Federation (RCF) we shall discuss the film ‘Purpose’ during “Reclaim the Economy Week” and relate it to our own digital bottom up approach through Decentralized Adaptable Organisations (DAOs), complementary currencies and complementary accounting systems for open and inclusive democratic participation in our local communities and bioregions. Please RSVP to join our discussion and get access to watch the film prior to our meeting on January 29th 2.30pm EST. https://bit.ly/purposethefilm

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Apologies if it has already been posted elsewhere in this forum but I wasn’t able to find the recording of Monday’s inspiring launch event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL0cuzW0P0U

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Thank you for sharing, Leanne! May I ask where I can register, and whether it will be possible to watch it later after the event? I’m based in Korea, and unfortunately the time difference doesn’t allow me to join live. Thank you!

Thanks for sharing here Ohbi!

Not sure where you are located, but we hold these sorts of conversation in the California Hub. Feel free to join us if the timing works for you. Today we are talking about what questions to ask politicians and on the 19th we are talking about what businesses can do. We hold these regularly and sometimes without a pre-arranged topic. www.weallcalifornia.org for event list and signup David