Micky Metts

My work is in the “free software for community building” movement and the Platform Cooperativism movement. I help Agaric’s work contribute back to these movements. I also handle some administrative tasks, public outreach, and support as part of the team. I am the host of a BigBlueButton chat server and have built CommunityBridge in an effort to unite networks and movements with a safer platform to host events and meetings. Presenting options for alternatives to Corporate proprietary software is my goal.

I am a worker/owner of Agaric and a member of many “free software” networks and movements – using tools like NextCloud, Drupal and other free software while introducing people to the GNU/Linux operating system. I am a liaison between the US Solidarity Economy Network (SEN) a group devoted to ongoing dialog on building the new economy network, May First, a cooperative that hosts websites and provides free software tools to our members and the public, and US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC), the national grassroots organization of US worker-owners “building power with national and international partners to advance an agenda for economic justice rooted in community-based, shared ownership.”

Working within organizations such as MayFirst Movement Technology, SnowDrift, Platform Cooperativism Consortium, The Center for Global Justice and The Greater Boston Chamber of Cooperatives, MassMesh and others, I enjoy raising awareness of free software, cooperative business models and local opportunities that exist. As a member of MayFirst Movement Technology board, I work with technical activists to connect people with the information and tools they need to move from being a local or global network to being part of a global movement based on solidarity.

I believe that the workers’ economy needs Free software tools to protect our privacy and freedoms. Free software liberation & cooperative development — converge in my presentations. I am also a member of the Drupal community, an International group based on a free software content management system and I write about my experience as a contributing author in “Ours to Hack and to Own.” The book is known as the handbook for the Platform Cooperativism Movement which was started at the New School in NYC by Trebor Scholz and Nathan Schneider. It is now among the top tech books of 2017 listed by Wired magazine.

As a public speaker I bring the Agaric message of cooperative software development to many networks and movements. I speak at the intersection of  Free Software, Cooperative Tech Development, Personal Digital Security, Worker-owned Cooperatives, Artificial Intelligence, Surveillance and Capitalism, Introduction to Web Technology and changing your work and living environment to include the 7 cooperative principles. I also provide software training for free tools such as – BigBlueButton, Signal Instant Messenger, NextCloud, Encrypted email, and I can advise on the benefits of many alternatives to proprietary software.

I was a resident of Weston, CT in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, and I now live in Boston, MA with my long-time partner John M. Crisman.