Our Reflections guest writer this week, Daniel McCool, has a background in development economics and a particular interest in alternative socioeconomic models. He lives in rural Oaxaca, studying new approaches to food production and self-sufficiency.

Luis co-founded many organizations over the course of his life, ranging from the Mexican Institute of Social Studies in 1960 and the Authentic Labor Front a year later to the Housing and Population Operational Center in 1962. 

But his particular interest always remained in developing alternative democratic economic models that would not profit the few at the expense of the many.

In the early 1970s, Luis served as the first lay president of the Mexican Social Secretariat, a pioneering organization born from the Catholic Church that promoted — from the work at the grassroots parish level — union, cooperative, and popular housing and other social and community economy movements. 

Luis also organized the solidarity economy spaces in the World Social Fora in 2008, 2009, and 2010 and promoted 17 “Ecosystemic Dialogues” from 2009 to 2017. His study circles, round tables, and solidarity markets drew national and international participation. Interest today in solidarity economies, thanks in part to his efforts, is rising around the world. 

Always a groundbreaker, Luis humbly avoided the limelight and listened attentively. We shall surely deeply miss this éminence gris as our current conjecture of deepening environmental, economic, and political crises continue to unfold.

Luis Lopezllera, ¡presente!