Restorative Economics Framework
At Restore Oakland Inc., we are expanding our definition of economy to encompass the wholeness of our humanity, rooted in a culture of abundance and collective care for the people and the planet.
What’s the problem?
We live in a world where societies are structured for the exploitation, extraction and economic oppression of low-income Black, Indigenous, Latine, AAPI communities of color. In a capitalist society, power is concentrated in large corporations and outside investors who marginalize racial and class identities.
The impacts of this look like:
- Local businesses closing down
- Families are displaced due to gentrification
- Workers are disempowered
- Communities are disregarded and corridors are chronically vacant
- Social safety nets, financial support and fair access to capital are nonexistent
- Fear and misinformation about the root causes and crime and poverty deepen our isolation
Without an organized political voice, business groups, Chambers of commerce, and corporations can easily dominate the economic + political narrative to benefit their individualistic needs and profit.
If we had more control over the decision making process, within our small businesses and community - imagine how much better our city can be?
“Restorative economics invites us to envision what a just economy might look like—to remake society with structures and systems that honor our humanity, invest in our collective healing and well-being, and help us transition towards a model of democratic governance where all communities can live and thrive together.”
Nwamaka Ago
Restorative Economics is...
A paradigm shift
that counters the capitalist principles of building wealth through individualism, and profit maximization, advocating instead for a collaborative, cooperative and community-led model where decision making power is no longer concentrated in the hands of a few.
An organizing strategy
that centers that governing power of communities most impacted by extraction and pollution to collectively own and manage assets and land; to build political power; and to create long-term systemic transformation.
A restorative practice
that honors our wholeness, interdependence and healing as a tool to repair and imagine a future where entrepreneurs, businesses and worker-owners can build a people-centered economy.
An abundant economy
that reclaims wealth for our communities and future generations by creating equitable, sustainable, and resilient pathways that better serves all people and the planet.
Our vision for a restorative economy
- We are developing a long-term agenda that centers care, relationship, and community interdependence
- We are practicing shared decision-making that prioritizes shared prosperity and builds community wealth
- We are visibilizing the cracks of capitalism and replacing them with alternative strategies that model the future we seek to create
- We are committed to economic and racial justice that is deeply rooted in the power of Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian-Pacific Islander small businesses + co-ops of color