Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union stands in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Syracuse, and the nonviolent Occupy demonstrations now occurring in communities across the globe. A resolution expressing this sentiment was passed unanimously by our Board of Directors, a committee of volunteers elected by their fellow members to govern our credit union.
Thirty years ago, Cooperative Federal was organized by a cadre of local activists seeking a viable alternative to global corporate banks. Their vision was radical: divestment from the racist Apartheid regime in South Africa; fair services for people of color, single women, the LGBT community, activists and other low-income or non-traditional workers; a non-profit financial cooperative operated by the people and for the people. While we have grown in size and sophistication, that vision continues to guide us. We exist to foster economic justice, mutual aid, and reinvestment in all the neighborhoods of Syracuse, NY. This is a work in progress that depends on the participation of an active and committed membership.
Our credit union’s mission is closely aligned with that of the Occupy movement. We oppose the domination of our economic and political life by giant banks and multinational corporations. They have abandoned and neglected our communities, forsaken working people, and collapsed the US economy through their insatiable greed. They have used their vast economic power to unduly influence public policy, harness government to serve corporate interests, and corrode democracy.
We find it reprehensible that 1% of the US population controls 40% of the wealth, and that they use that wealth to advance their self-interests with disregard for the well-being of the 99%. We advocate holding accountable the perpetrators of the financial collapse.
We honor the peoples’ right to a peaceable, public redress of grievances. This right is enshrined in our Constitution and in our traditions.
We believe that institutions, both public and private, should serve the people. Government at all levels ought to represent the interests of the 99% in helping to create a better way forward.
We know that it is possible to create functional and sustainable institutions in which cooperation and mutual aid supersede the desire for profit. We cherish inclusion, equity, and a participatory democratic process. We believe that people coming together and creating cultural and economic alternatives is a revolutionary act, and that such acts honor our sisters and brothers who have painstakingly built human civilization.
Based on these shared values, Cooperative Federal is proud to express support for and solidarity with the Occupy movement. Together, we can build a brighter future.
Cooperative Federal is a not-for-profit financial services cooperative operated for the mutual benefit of its members in Syracuse, NY.
