Celebrating 50 Years

Thank you for joining our 50th anniversary celebration! We are honored to be on this journey with you and are grateful for your continued support.

John Bailey introduces David Morris at ILSR50 Gala with Brenda Platt, John Farrell, and Stacy Mitchell looking on.

While we commemorated our 50th birthday on May 1, 2024, 50 years to the day of our founding, a milestone like this is too big to confine to one night.

Restoring power to local communities to build vibrant, resilient, equitable cities and towns takes sustained effort. Holding corporate giants accountable and walking with communities in search of a better way takes determined commitment. May 1st marked a completed chapter in this 50-year story of ours and a fresh page for writing what comes next.

PROPEL US INTO THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

  • Make a one-time gift or, better yet, a recurring contribution to support our research, advocacy, and technical assistance that puts power back into the hands of local communities.

    You can also buy merchandise from our online store and wear your support on your sleeve (or head or ankles…)

  • We are only successful in our work because of the relentlessness of individuals in communities fighting for fairness and freedom from corporate dominance. We were honored to recognize the following recipients of our 50th-anniversary awards for championing justice, corporate accountability, and lifetimes of achievement:

    We awarded these local heroes a triangle planter box made from reclaimed wood, reflecting our vision of sustainable communities that, when nurtured, breed new life.

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    Chris Mitchell (left) introduces Local Self-Reliance Lifetime Achievement recipient Jim Baller.
    Jim Baller accepts his Local Self-Reliance Lifetime Achievement award.
    Chris Mitchell introduces Local Self-Reliance Connectivity Champion Linnea Jackson (unable to attend in person).
    Brenda Platt (right) watches Michael Martinez accept Composting for Community Groundbreaker award.
    Brenda Platt (right) introduces Local-Self Reliance Lifetime Achievement recipient Benny Erez.
    John Farrell (right) embraces Corporate Accountability and Energy Justice Champion Jacqui Patterson.
    Mariel Nanasi accepts Corporate Accountability and Energy Justice Champion award.
    Mariel Nanasi shows her award to her table.
    Vanessa Hall-Harper accepts the Economic Justice Champion award. Photo Credit: Ruby Ella
    ILSR50 awards.

    See all images from the 50th-anniversary gala

     

    David Morris reflects on 50 years of fostering local self-reliance and ILSR. Photo Credit: Ruby Ella

    Recognizing ILSR's Founders and a Storied Journey

    David Morris, Gil Friend, and Neil Seldman formed the foundation of the movement to build local power and fight corporate control. 50 years later, and the story grows more remarkable by the day. From a three-story townhouse in DC’s Adams Morgan neighborhood, what started as an incubator for the founders’ theories about community self-determination and local self-reliance quickly blossomed into the work ILSR would become known for today. The journey to get here is one worth telling and celebrating.

    Special Anniversary Projects

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    Alec MacGillis gives the keynote address at the ILSR50 "Small Together Now" anniversary gala.

    Why Local

    A journalist at ProPublica and the author of multiple books, including Fulfillment: Winning and Losing in One-Click America, Alec addressed our 50th-anniversary celebration guests, connecting economic concentration to the plight of the postindustrial Midwest. In his remarks, Alec MacGillis highlighted the importance of local media as seen in his hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and his current place of residence, Baltimore.

    A number of guests were able to walk away with free copies of his book, Fulfillment.

    Get More From Alec MacGillis

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