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About Us >>
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Community is the heart and soul of our co-op
Cooperative Principle #7: Concern For Community
Outpost is a place for the community to gather. Whether it’s to shop for food, gain employment, or deliver goods and services, our responsibility is to ensure our stores are places where all people feel welcome, safe and respected. We decry the racial violence and discrimination that hammers down true liberty and equality for us all. We are committed to honest discussions about systemic racism and to listen carefully to those who are impacted. We will continue to join hands with others in our community who share our vision of diversity, inclusiveness, racial equity and justice.
Land Acknowledgement
Outpost Natural Foods acknowledges that our four store locations and central offices occupy the ancestral home of Indigenous peoples who were forced from their land with the arrival of white settlers. These tribal nations include Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Peoria, Bodéwandimiakiwen (Potawatomi), Menominee, Myaamia (Miami), Waazija (Ho-Chunk/Winnebago), and Očhéthi Šakówin (Lakota). Descendants and members of these tribal nations continue to live in Milwaukee and its neighboring towns and communities. Many are owners of our co-op and shop at our stores. Their patronage contributes to Outpost’s success and the resiliency of our community.
Out of great respect, Outpost pledges to annually contribute $2,500 to the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center located in Milwaukee.
For a greater understanding visit Native Digital Land: http://native-land.ca
Shop Outpost Vendors
With many terrific local vendors to choose from, our purchasing team has identified all of the suppliers to Outpost that are owned by people of color. Let's go shopping!
www.outpost.coop/shop/business_list.php
Collective Courage: A book worth sharing
Jessica Gordon Nembard notes in Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice that collectivism has always been present in African American culture; from slaves sharing garden plots to freed individuals pooling their money to buy the freedom of others, the act of cooperation is not a new concept in Black communities in the Antebellum South. In fact the very existence of the Underground Railroad exemplifies a dedication to the act of working together as one.
Read more in the 2021 Winter issue of GRAZE
Historical Timeline
For an historical timeline of African American Cooperation and Activism click on the image below
Connect with Black Owned Milwaukee Businesses
Co-founded by Paul Wellington and Rick Banks, MKE Black celebrates and promotes Black business, events, culture, and advancement in the greater Milwaukee area. They are a non-profit dedicated to providing a one stop shop for locals and tourists, with information on dining, shopping, culture, resources, and more through their website and app (Android and iOS). They also help Black Businesses by providing funding and resources to thrive. Rick Banks sits on the Outpost Board of Directors
Listen to an interview on TMJ4
Cooperative Values
Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.
