The conversation around employee ownership often centers on business conversions, where a retiring owner sells their company to their employees. This is a powerful model for succession and honoring a workforce. But what if a business starts with employee ownership from day one? The story of Cenzontle, a language justice cooperative based in Asheville, shows that starting as a co-op can be a profoundly inspiring and effective path.
Cenzontle’s journey began with four freelance interpreters—Leo Esperanza, Jackie Fitzgerald, Monserrat Ramirez, and Andrea Golden—who were passionate about their work but wanted something more. Their dream was to create a community of support that offered full-time employment and benefits for its members. By founding a cooperative, they built not just a business, but a shared vision for language justice, where they could work for and with their community.
The cooperative has created a space where members can thrive and find purpose beyond a paycheck. As Ingrid Kalwitz, currently the youngest member who joined after college, beautifully puts it, “Being rich goes far beyond money. Being rich is having community, interpersonal relationships with people I’m building, connecting beyond my community.” Now a trainer herself, Ingrid’s words capture the true essence of a cooperative—it’s a place to build, connect, and enrich each other’s lives in countless ways.
The cooperative model also fosters innovation and empowerment from within. Omar Oviedo, the coordinator, came from a traditional workplace where change was difficult to implement. In contrast, he found that at Cenzontle, every worker-owner is encouraged to speak up and lead improvements. “I never thought I’d be a business owner,” he shared, “but I’m glad to be part of a group to help others.”
The Cenzontle story is a testament to the power of a shared vision. With support from the cooperative community and organizations like PODER Emma, SEED Commons, and the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC), they built a business on their own terms. Their success proves that starting as a cooperative isn’t just a business strategy—it’s a way to build a richer, more connected, and more empowering future for everyone involved.
To listen to interviews of the founders, visit https://circularprojects.org/cooperativacentzontle
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