Our Story
Solid State is building a solidarity economy, grounded in Surrey, BC, developed by racialized communities: a mutually supportive network, a cooperative of cooperatives, bound together by a commitment to friendship and mutual aid.
Our primary route is through worker co-operatives with youth (under-35) from racialized migrant backgrounds. We believe that the co-op model is highly capacious: it brings people together to work on a common project, build real-world skills, develop new mobilities and earn real income.
More than that, we believe that by working cooperatively together over an extended period of time, our cohorts develop a familial sense of long-term attachments and commitments and a different set of relational possibilities.
DDB and BLAC attending a workshop
Solid State was founded in 2015 and launched in 2017 specifically to work and organize against the alarming tides of racial violence, xenophobia and white nationalisms that were increasingly evident in Surrey (like so much of the world). Solid State is trying to chart new narratives and different kinds of stories, trying to address the endemic lack of mobility, access to resources, training and education, and the entwined marginalization/isolation so many racialized youth in sub-urban areas feel consigned/ resigned to.
After years of research and consultation, we are grateful for a huge network of supporters, advisors, collaborating organizations, participants and their families who to continue to develop this project. We have been growing extremely quickly and are learning constantly as the project expands and deepens.
OUR SPACES
Solid State Community Industries HQ
Solid State’s main headquarters (HQ) is located in the Whalley area of Surrey, British Columbia. This is where our cohorts work, study, meet, eat, and connect.
When you enter Solid State HQ, you’ll find yourself in our bright living room surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. Our living room is designed to make everyone feel welcome and at-home. Upon arriving, members and guests are requested to take off their shoes to wear comfortable slippers when in the space. Equipped with a large flat screen TV for film screenings and presentations, the living room is also furnished with couches, sectionals, cushions and lounge chairs that are moveable for different layouts.
At the heart of HQ is the kitchen and dining area which features a long, harvest table which can seat up to 24 people. Together our members and guests eat lunch daily which is freshly prepared by our in-house cook. The kitchen is fully equipped for communal use. Members and guests are free to leave or take food from the refrigerator and pantry.
Fun fact: Solid State is primarily a tea-drinking community. At any given time, close to a dozen different teas from all over the world can be found in our cupboard!
Solid State HQ also features a number of rooms designed for quiet working hours, such as: the den, the boardroom, and the computer lab. Our computer lab is equipped with three desktop PCs and digital printers (both regular and 3D). We also have a soundproof podcast room with audio recording and sound-mixing equipment that are available for all Solid State members to use. In 2020, our space was renovated and featured on CTV’s Holmes Family Effect, which you can view here https://www.solidstate.coop/updates/highlight-sscis-episode-on-ctvs-holmes-on-homes-show-kxebh.
