In addition to in-prison programming, Earth Equity facilitates a weekly reentry support workshop series in Humboldt County which focuses on healing from prison food systems, daily life skills needed in reentry, and professional development.
This program heavily focuses on sharing knowledge about cooperative business development in the world of regenerative aquaculture. We have chosen to invest in cooperative development and the cooperative business model because co-op principles and values directly remedy the isolation, alienation, extractivism, and dehumanization which power recidivism. This model helps system-impacted people build independence, connection, and trust. When people in reentry can rely on themselves & others, find acceptance & support, and build on their knowledge & interests, they are more likely to find a home beyond prison than return to it.
The cooperative model contributes to wellbeing because it: creates structures which value people over profit, prioritizes local & place-based economies, and reinvests directly in community members. The cooperative model is a powerful tool for turning away from extraction and exploitation and towards thriving and regeneration.
Participants in our workshop series are currently in the process of creating their own reentry support and regenerative aquaculture co-op called SeaForester. SeaForester's purpose is to reduce recidivism, revitalize kelp ecosystems, and create community wellbeing through self determination and economic justice. Click here to learn more!
