Governance for Liberation: Between Solidarity & Sociocracy
Published on April 5, 2026 by Mike Strode (KNC)
Good day folks,
I’m reaching out to you specifically because you were part of the 2022 Sociocracy training we hosted virtually at Kola Nut Collaborative.
Some of you may remember that training was originally meant to be in-person, with Ted Rau visiting Chicago. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we had to shift online.
Since then, we’ve been holding the intention to bring that experience back into the room—this time in person, with more depth, more practice, and more connection.
✨ What’s Different This Time
This is not just a repeat. This offering reflects everything I’ve learned since 2022:
- supporting cooperatives, boards, and networks in real governance challenges
- facilitating across different decision-making models (consensus, sociocracy, hybrid approaches)
- integrating additional frameworks like Liberatory Design into how I approach governance
This training is grounded in sociocracy—but it’s really about:
How we design decision-making in our groups intentionally.
You’ll be invited to:
- reflect on your current governance system
- examine what’s working and what isn’t
- practice tools like consent, roles, and circle structures
- explore how to adapt these tools to your actual context
As I often say:
You already have a system. The question is whether you chose it.
👥 Why I’m Reaching Out to You
Because you’ve already engaged this work. You’ve:
- been introduced to sociocracy
- participated in a shared learning space
- likely carried some of those ideas into your own work (in ways big or small)
This training is an opportunity to:
- revisit and deepen your practice
- connect with others in Chicago doing similar work
- move from understanding → application
📍 Governance for Liberation: Between Solidarity & Sociocracy
🗓 April 18 (Saturday)
🕙 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Southeast Chicago (TBD & will be shared with registrants)
🎟 Registration
Sliding scale + timebank options available.
🤝 A Personal Note
If you were part of the 2022 training, you were part of an early moment in building this work in Chicago. This training is part of continuing that thread—this time, in person. I’d really love to see some familiar faces in the room. Feel free to reach out if you have questions or want to reconnect beforehand.
In solidarity,
Mike Tekh Strode