Building People Power: An Exchange Between the Netherlands and the United StatesBuilding People Power: An Exchange Between the Netherlands and the United States

The decision to collaborate with the United States on this programme stems from a desire to learn from communities with decades of experience in fighting for justice, in terms of organising collective power and developing an alternative economy from the ground up. The programme will connect the activities, knowledge and work of the Nieuwe Instituut with those of Najah Aouaki, an economist and urban strategist who specialises in regenerative and just cities.

In its first year, the exchange will focus on three densely populated and culturally diverse urban areas with predominantly working-class and immigrant populations: the Bronx in New York City, Amsterdam Zuidoost and Rotterdam Zuid. These are places where migration, creativity, entrepreneurship and solidarity converge, and where the city is constantly reinventing itself – from emancipation movements and subcultures to businesses and healthcare. They reveal both the dark side of current urban systems and the knowledge, imagination and organisational strength required for systemic change.

A strong example of these initiatives in action is the NorthWest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC) in New York. Formed in the 1970s in response to residents’ struggles against disinvestment, poverty and vacancy, the NWBCCC has spent over 50 years building collective power, agency and ownership. At the core of its work is a commitment to economic and racial justice.

In the Netherlands, the Afrikaanderwijk Cooperative and the Amsterdam Zuidoost community are also involved. Both have been designated by the government as areas requiring additional efforts to address their structural disadvantages and growing poverty. In Amsterdam Zuidoost, the community is demanding a seat at the table while working towards shared ownership and structured collaboration with the government and other partners. In Rotterdam, the Afrikaanderwijk Cooperative is developing an alternative model for the local economy that includes democratic ownership.

From 1 to 3 December 2025, a delegation of five NWBCCC stakeholders visit Rotterdam and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. During their stay, they visit various local initiatives in Amsterdam Zuidoost and Rotterdam Zuid. They will also contribute to a meeting where community members, designers, researchers, policymakers and representatives from civil society organisations will exchange knowledge and learn from each other’s practices, strategies and experiences. The focus of this exchange is on community organising, democracy and decision-making, and multiple value creation.

A return visit to New York is planned for spring 2026. The programme is supported by DutchCulture USA, an initiative of the Netherlands in the United States organised by the Dutch Consulate General in New York.

Najah Aouaki is an economist and urban strategist who collaborates with urban communities on new development models and radical concepts focused on justice. She believes that a just city can only be achieved by reshaping the economy. The economy is not just about growth or returns; it is also about how we distribute our finite resources to provide for human wellbeing. A multiple values model, with housing, care, health and environmental sustainability as interconnected pillars, provides the foundation for a city that can once again become a living environment for its residents, rather than a profit model for those wishing to exploit it.

Nieuwe Instituut draagt bij aan het programma binnen haar internationaliseringsopdracht en vanuit het Curriculum voor verandering, dat onderdeel is van de Nieuwe Academie. Het Curriculum voor verandering richt zich op het zichtbaar maken en waarderen van kennis die in buurten, gemeenschappen en alledaagse praktijken wordt ontwikkeld, en die bij kunnen dragen aan de transitie naar een rechtvaardige, meerstemmige en regeneratieve stad. Het bezoek van de NWBCCC-delegatie vindt plaats in het kader van het Internationaal Bezoekersprogramma.

Nieuwe Instituut is contributing to the programme as part of its internationalisation mission and through the Curriculum for Change, an initiative of the New Academy. The Curriculum for Change focuses on validating and making visible the knowledge developed in neighbourhoods, communities and everyday practices that can contribute to the transition to a just, multivocal and regenerative city. The visit of the NWBCCC delegation is taking place as part of the International Visitors Programme.