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ByZack Harber The DEEP Grocery Co-op worker owners (left to right) Daniel Harris-Lucas, Jameelah Lane, Yolanda Romo and Erin Higginbotham stand at Acta Non Verba’s Youth Urban Farm Project in deep East Oakland. Photo taken by Fox Nakai in October, 2020.
The four worker owners of a new grocery store in deep East Oakland want to bring more healthy food options to the area through a cooperative model. The DEEP Grocery Co–op opened for online sales on April 7. By Fall, the worker owners plan to open a storefront.
“We’re coming together for the cause of changing food access in the deep East Oakland community,” said worker owner Daniel Harris-Lucas. “We’re trying to create social change and not necessarily getting into it for profit.”
With 11 years of business growth, Mandela Grocery is leading the way to help form new worker co-ops in Oakland. Last spring, Mandela Grocery facilitated a 12-week, on-the-job training with founding members of the DEEP Grocery Cooperative in East Oakland. Additionally, Mandela Grocery is supporting a local Black-owned delivery service, Piikup, transition to worker ownership.