On a gorgeous sunny morning the Kosmos team drove 30 minutes south to meet new economist Susan Witt on the picturesque grounds of the community land trust in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. She greeted us at the car and showed us inside the New Economics Institute’s rustic office building to a light-filled room with rows of bookshelves.

Susan co-founded the BerkShares local currency program in 2006 and has watched as this experiment in community empowerment has garnered international media attention. Since putting the currency into circulation, the BerkShares website has received more than 7 million hits—an impressive number even before you consider that the institute has a staff of just three. About $2.6M BerkShares are invigorating the financial bloodstream of the Berkshires, Susan’s home region, and the program’s goal is steadfastly being realized. BerkShares provides a model to other progressive communities around the world that want to establish their own more self-sufficient, independent, resilient and sustainable economies.

Very thoughtful and deliberate in speech, Susan is encyclopedic in both the theory and practice of building sustainable local economies. We were captivated with her stories, punctuated now and then by her energetic, truly joyful laugh. It somehow seemed very fitting when Susan mentioned that her work has been described as the process of creating whole stories about products. Indeed, everything seemed to have its story as we toured the property just before leaving. Susan waved us on our way, but not before giving us a handful of fresh raspberries, just picked from branches hanging heavy with fruit, still warm from the summer sun.

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A Conversation with Susan Witt