On Our Way

The American trailer park -- refuge of seniors, misfortunates and refugees -- is also an incubator of the art of cliche. Hi, how are you? OK, OK. Good, good. Is nice? Have a good day.

Russians, Mexicans, Venezuelans and Louisianans meet and greet at the laundry room, dumpster and mail drop. Share surplus potatoes, tips on public transit, the possibility of getting Internet this year.

We hold longer conversations with each others' dogs. Is poodle? Not so old. Hi, boy! Is smart one, yes?

But in cliche we avoid discussing imbecilities like sports and TV. Too complicated for limited lexicons.

We stick to the essential--polite pleasantries that lift our spirits and get us on our way.

A Labor of Love

In their report Growing A Resilient City, Solidarity NYC examines possibilities for collaboration in New York City's solidarity economy. The ideas and insights of interviewees, who are first responders to the crises confronting their communities, form a pragmatic vision grounded in values of cooperation, mutualism, ecological sustainability, social justice and democracy. This report about another world -- coexisting with the dominant way of doing things -- is their love letter to you.