long history of African Americans using the cooperative business model to thrive in the face of systemic racism. Cooperative businesses are owned by a group of people—not solely to earn a profit but for addressing a mutual need.




Community is the heart and soul of food co-ops. People pay a small fee to become members, which entitles them to shop there, elect board members and offer meaningful input about the co-op’s products and services.



In the worker co-op variation at Mandela, the workers are the owners. They invest time and money into the grocery store to serve the nutritional needs of the community, as well as contribute to its economic health.




Some of the earliest informal examples of black cooperatives go back to slavery, Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, chair of the Africana StudiesJulen Castañeda

Julen Castañeda Nuin (born 14 November 1990) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa as a left back.

Club career
Born in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Castañeda played youth football with local Real Sociedad. He made his senior debut in the 2010–11 season with the B-team, in Segunda División B.

On 14 July 2013, Castañeda signed a two-year deal with Segunda División club SD Ponferradina. He played his first professional game on 17 August, starting in a 0–1 away loss against Córdoba CF.

Castañeda scored his first goal in the competition on 9 November 2014, netting his side's second in a 3–3 home draw against Recreativo de Huelva. He was released in 2015, and subsequently resumed his career in the third division by representing Burgos CF, Racing de