By Amanda Riley
Northside News
The Occupy Wallstreet movement of 2011 was a response to the financial crisis of the early 2000s and inspired similar activities across the United States, including here in Madison. Northsiders may remember the encampment on East Washington Avenue in 2011.
Sofia Martinez remembers these times well, having cooked meals for a crowd using a hot plate and a borrowed oven from a neighbor. Out of these large gatherings, a group of like-minded people met and began the project that would become Occupy Madison Tiny House Village.
Occupy Madison (OM) is a 501 (c)(3) membership group with an elected board of directors. According to their vision statement, they are “dedicated to creating a participatory, nonhierarchical, democratic community where people with or without safe, stable housing can live and/or work cooperatively to relieve poverty and promote dignity, safety, stewardship and sustainability.”
Currently, OM has about 40 members, 30 of whom are residents in one of the three villages. The goal is for each village to be autonomous and self-supporting through the various economic efforts of the residents. Residents handle conflict resolution internally, and members collectively make decisions about budgeting and maintaining facilities.
The first village was established in 2014 at 304 N. Third St. at the site of a former auto body shop and garage. Martinez now lives at this location, where she is a lead on OM Grow, a greenhouse project that hosts an annual plant start sale in early May. The Third Street Village also operates a gift shop selling jewelry, soaps and other crafts.
In 2020 OM purchased a shuttered bar at 1901 Aberg Ave. With help from a team of volunteers, OM built 34 Conestoga-style huts in two months. OM has now purchased a third site at 201 S. Stoughton Rd., where they plan to build more wood frame houses. At this site, OM also hosts a free store open to the public with donated items such as personal care products, sleeping bags and clothes.
Housing at all three villages is free to resident stewards when they invest a certain number of hours of sweat equity. They can do this by working on one of OM’s many projects. As Martinez shared, “There’s plenty to do if people want to get involved.”
Once resident stewards are voted in, they must stay involved. It is a “participatory community, and you have to bring something to the table.” One initiative in its third year of operation is OM Farm, a member of the Troy Farm Collective. OM Farm grows cut flowers for events, such as weddings, and hosts bouquet booths at local festivals.
Northsiders who want to get involved can attend a General Membership Meeting. These are open to the public and occur on the first Sunday of every month. They can also visit OM’s gift shop or their free store.
A schedule of OM activities with locations, as well as more information about the group can be found at occupymadisoninc.com. If you are interested in OM Farm’s event flowers, you can contact farm lead Kacy Zander at farm@occupy
madisoninc.com.
