Our Story
Solid State is building a solidarity economy, grounded in Surrey, BC, developed by racialized communities: a mutually supportive network, a cooperative of cooperatives, bound together by a commitment to friendship and mutual aid.
Solid State was founded in 2015 and launched in 2017 specifically to work and organize against the alarming tides of racial violence, xenophobia and white nationalisms that were increasingly evident in Surrey (like so much of the world). Solid State is trying to chart new narratives and different kinds of stories, trying to address the endemic lack of mobility, access to resources, training and education, and the entwined marginalization/isolation so many racialized youth in sub-urban areas feel consigned/ resigned to.
After years of research and consultation, we are grateful for a huge network of supporters, advisors, collaborating organizations, participants and their families who to continue to develop this project. We have been growing extremely quickly and are learning constantly as the project expands and deepens.
Our primary route is through worker co-operatives with people from racialized migrant backgrounds. We believe that the co-op model is highly capacious: it brings people together to work on a common project, build real-world skills, develop new mobilities and earn real income.
More than that, we believe that by working cooperatively together over an extended period of time, our cohorts develop a familial sense of long-term attachments and commitments and a different set of relational possibilities.
Our Spaces
Solid State’s main headquarters (HQ) is located in the Whalley area of Surrey, British Columbia. This is where our cohorts work, study, meet, eat, and connect.
When you enter Solid State HQ, you’ll find yourself in our bright living room surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. Our living room is designed to make everyone feel welcome and at-home. Upon arriving, members and guests are requested to take off their shoes to wear comfortable slippers.
The heart of HQ is the kitchen and dining area which features a long, harvest table where our members and guests eat lunch daily, freshly prepared by our in-house chefs!
Solid State HQ also features a number of rooms designed for quiet working hours, such as: the den, the boardroom, and the computer lab. Our computer lab is equipped with three desktop PCs and digital printers. We also have a soundproof podcast room with audio recording and sound-mixing equipment that are available for all Solid State members to use. In 2020, our space was renovated and featured on CTV’s Holmes Family Effect, which you can view here:
The Black Arts Centre
"Founded in 2020 as part of Solid State Community Society’s network of cooperatives, the Black Arts Centre is an artist-run centre, cultural hub and community space owned and operated by Black youth in Surrey, BC. The Black Arts Centre exists to support and celebrate Black art and artists across disciplines at a local, national and international scale and was created in response to our community’s need for a Black-friendly art and gathering space that is culturally relevant, accessible and youth-centered."
