Episode 24: Nishiki Maredia on Retail Innovation and Social Justice Organizing
“The cooperative is great in that you are able to get the best prices but at the same time is a good way to foster community.”
Nishiki Maredia is an Austin, TX based retail professional and a prolific social justice activist and organizer. Her family owns and manages Marigold Market Cafe in Southwest Austin (https://www.instagram.com/marigoldmarketcafe/), a suburban grocery store that caters to a community that craves convenient, trendy and ethically produced foods and beverages. Like many grocery establishments, Marigold Market belongs to a business services cooperative that creates efficiencies and connections for its stakeholders. Nishiki’s efforts to make Austin a more just and inclusive community include organizing with Sunrise Austin (https://www.instagram.com/sunriseatx/), Austin Mutual Aid, DefundAPD, ATX Free Fridge Project, Protect Montopolis, The 2020 ATX Winter Help Guide (https://docs.google.com/document/d/19HgBCE5hUDZFgaHwykSRrcezAbMuOzsR_mfRPWf0bCs/edit ), as well as the Bernie Sanders 2020 Presidential Campaign. Follow Nishiki at https://www.instagram.com/nishikimaredia/ .
Follow The Checkout on Facebook - Instagram - Twitter.
Stream The Checkout on Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - Google Podcast
Episode #24 Notes
1:00 - How did you get into the retail business?
4:30 - What are your customers shopping for?
7:15 - What do you sell that sets you apart from other retailers?
8:00 - Do you cooperate with other immigrant owned businesses?
10:15 - How does the cooperative work?
15:30 - How has your business changed with COVID?
18:15 - How does your assortment continue to change and evolve through COVID?
21:00 - Retailers, Bernie Sanders, and Social Justice.
24:30 - On defunding the Austin Police Department.
27:15 - On APD and diverting their budget.
31:15 - What does APD do with their budget currently?
36:30 - On wielding social media for activism.
39:45 - How has Austin responded to defunding the police?
45:00 - How have other small businesses responded to the Black Lives Matter movement?
52:00 - On juggling retailing and activism.
56:30 - Suggested readings:
All About Love, bell hooks
The Will to Change, bell hooks
Interpretative Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, Alison Bechdel
Stone Butch Blues, Leslie Feinberg
The Yellow Wallpaper, Charolette Perkins Gilman
