Stephen McDow II, Dir of Membership at KDC is Interviewed on Everything Co-op Stephen R. McDow II, Director of Membership, Outreach and Education at the Keystone Development Center is interviewed on Everything Co-op, by host Vernon Oakes. Vernon and Stephen discuss the role cooperatives can play in addressing community problems. Most especially that of food desserts, and the recent proliferation of dollar stores in low income communities, and the impact the lack of access to healthy food can have on life expectancy in those communities. Stephen R. McDow II has dedicated his life to bringing together rural and urban America for the purposes of achieving an inclusive economy. He firmly believes that any approach to diversity must be deliberate, but he also feels the challenge is the need a identify a validator who relates to the individuals you are trying to connect with. When discussing the challenges of diversity in cooperatives Stephen states; I think oftentimes, we are so siloed in our communities that we don’t see the similarities – but the equaliser is co-ops, because they can address these challenges. And the approach is the same: encouraging everyone to care for the community and participate in a democratic process. Previously, Stephen managed membership and stakeholder relations for the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA CLUSA) and handled membership outreach and retention for the Montgomery County Medical Society (MCMS) and MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society.
