Samara Collective

Trans people have always existed and deserve to live full, joyful lives. We must keep fighting for a world where trans youth can thrive, grow into elders, and be celebrated. A world where trans people are protected, valued, and supported by community and policies that affirm gender identity and expression. Today, we honor the lives of trans individuals lost too soon and celebrate the strength and resilience of the trans community.

We imagine that, like us, many of you are still sitting with the uncertainty of what 2025 will bring for our communities and climate in the wake of the election results. We know you have been doing this work for years already to shift conditions toward a more just and equitable future.?We wanted to take a moment to rearticulate our explicit commitments to our values-aligned clients and movement. As a group of women, femmes and non-binary queer-identified co-owners, we are directly implicated in anticipated threats against bodily autonomy, deregulation and disinformation. We share deep concern for targeted communities, specifically for trans youth, people facing unwanted pregnancies, undocumented people and recent immigrants. While the limitations of any statement has been widely critiqued, we also?believe in the power of language and shared principles that guide our action. We, as member-owners of Samara Collective, feel it’s important to make our political orientation explicit rather than implicit. Our core values have not shifted but our galvanization around them has. In the coming months, we aim to amplify tangible resources for communities who will be most harmed by the incoming administration. We believe above all else in human dignity. When we think of our place in broader justice movements, we believe our strength is in amplifying the work of frontline organizations through digital strategy including effective messaging and design and consistent, intentional external content. Our role as comms consultants means that we help boost the power of partner organizations by extending their reach, inviting in new supporters and advocates and amplifying strong, clear calls to action. We join you in the simultaneous experiences of rage and hope. We’re equipped as Samara Collective co-owners to curate tailored strategies, compelling messaging and design excellence to gear up for the fight ahead. We recently released a?free comprehensive communications audit tool?to help organizations self-assess their current practices and needs. This interactive audit tool will highlight strengths, identify weak spots, and help you deliver messages that stick. We’re offering interactive office hours with Samara staff to review your audit and help you craft meaningful next steps to grow your communications impact with five organizations who reach out to us. Schedule your free audit: https://lnkd.in/gcfCXTWX

Samara’s members live and work remote nationally, but our founding home is in Boston - a hotbed and growing incubator of co-ops. Check out Erwin Li’s new report supported by the Center for Economic Democracy on the role cities play in worker and employee ownership. #MApoli #boston #coop #cooperativema

#ICYMI: read a new study in The Lancet of 16,000 #GenZ across the US which found that 85% are worried about the impact of climate change on people and the planet (96% of respondents who identify as Democrats, 86% independent or other, 74% Republican), including over 75% of respondents in every state and state cluster. In almost all states and state clusters, at least 50% reported being very or extremely worried. ?? Read the study here: https://lnkd.in/e3QQT2mz ?? And check out this interactive map about the findings: https://lnkd.in/edQMpeFN #climatementalhealth #genz #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #climatechange #climatecrisis #climate #research #youth #election #nonpartisan #bipartisan #politics #climateanxiety #voters #vote #climateaction Susan Clayton Britt Wray, PhD Sacha Wright McKenna Parnes Lise Van Susteren

Check out our latest free digital resource! Introducing: The Communications Audit ?? Think audits are boring? Think again! This workbook is your comms strategy health check, digging into newsletters, social, and more to see what's working and what's not. Bottom line: Run the audit, revive your content, and say goodbye to ghosted posts! ??? Download your new digital audit workbook here: https://lnkd.in/gRRp_BW9

Our new survey of climate emotions, thoughts and plans of youth in the US was just published in Lancet Planetary Health. https://lnkd.in/giMC4uFJ This new?survey?was conducted with nearly 16,000 youth in the US and found that 85% are worried about climate change.??96% of respondents who identify as Democrats, 86% independent or other, 74% Republican), including over 75% of respondents in every state and state cluster. Key findings: - A supermajority of young people across the political spectrum including Democrats, Republicans and independents/other report widespread distress about climate change. - Many Gen Zers said that climate change is?impacting their?mental health.? - A majority of young people say that climate change is influencing their future planning, including where they choose to live, their career choices, and decisions about having children. - The survey highlights a widespread desire among young people, of all political identifications, for bolder action from the U.S. government and corporations to address the climate crisis?and disappointment in the response so far. ? The Guardian has written about it here: https://lnkd.in/gCi95PyT More info below. Thanks for taking this call to action in.

Indigenous Peoples Day is more than just a celebration. ?It is a testament to our resistance globally and the strength of our prayers. It’s a flame that rises against the winds of colonial violence, rooted in the songs, dances, and stories of those who came before us. Each laugh and each act of love rekindles that flame, shutting down every attempt to erase our existence. Our joy is not just for ourselves, but for the land and ancestors who walk with us. ?Grounded in a deep love for our people and our lands, our joy is an act of resistance. Despite everything that’s been taken from us, we hold onto our laughter, our ceremonies, and our ways of life. To center our joy is to reclaim what was stolen, to breathe life into what was meant to be lost, and to declare that we are still here and that we will not stop fighting for a world that we are deserving of for all people and Mother Earth. ?? ?Today these settler governments will honor a popular colonizer but we have chosen to reclaim the day and center ourselves and celebrate our existence as well as heal from our past and collectively create our future. ?? Happy Indigenous Peoples Day Relatives!Continue to spread that good medicine all around today and everyday! ?? #IPD #IPD2024 #LANDBACK #IndigenousPeoplesDay

Today we launched the Action for Transformation Fund, led by Transgender Law Center and Emergent Fund, a pilot initiative that will move resources to trans-led organizing, healing, and power-building efforts. As its inaugural director, I wanted to share that so much love was poured into creating this fund. This was a collective effort to meet this moment and show up for our communities. I extend deep gratitude to Shelby Chestnut, Alicia Sanchez Gill, MSW, Bianca Nozaki-Nasser, Meera V, Sue Yacka-Bible, Song Hà Pham, Mickaela Bradford, Angela Vo, and others, whose leadership, vision, and care were instrumental in making this fund a reality. I invite you to learn more about the Action for Transformation Fund, share the press release, and spread the word that applications are now open: https://lnkd.in/ejq4xEr8 For inquiries, you can email me at [email protected] Si desea ésta información sobre el Fondo de acción para la transformación en espa?ol, envíeme un mensaje a [email protected] por favor. [Image description: “Action for Transformation Fund, led by Transgender Law Center and Emergent Fund, is a new initiative moving resources to trans-led organizing, healing, and power-building efforts” in a lavender background with graphic accents of textured, colorful mushrooms juxtaposed with magenta and tan circles on the borders, with Emergent Fund and Transgender Law Center logos on the lower corners.]

Why say “Latine” instead of “Hispanic”? ?? Language evolves, and so do the ways we honor identity. The word ‘Hispanic’ often ties us to colonial histories, while 'Latine' reflects a more inclusive, gender-neutral, and culturally diverse term that remedies historical injustices. #LanguageMatters #IdentityMatters

Happy Coop Month! This month we will be highlighting our love for co-ops but first wanted to share a little bit about us. As a worker-owned cooperative, we try our best to embody the values of collaboration, equity, and mutual support that drive the cooperative movement. At Samara, being a cooperative means that we’re not just a business—we’re a collective of people working together toward a shared vision. Our worker-owners bring a range of skills and experiences, and we each have a voice in how we operate, grow, and serve our clients. In our coop, each of us shares not only the responsibilities but also the successes, creating a truly democratic and sustainable model for business. We are excited to continue collaborating and working alongside other cooperatives across industries that are shaping the solidarity economy.