Cooperatives are enterprises owned by the people who use their services, such as the workers or consumers. In East Boston, cooperatives work to ensure adequate housing and health care, work with dignity, and resistance to discrimination and wealth inequities. Democratic education is central to their operation, for residents in the community, the general public, and people in government and nongovernmental organizations. Through the interview in this article, Luz Zambrano provides a firsthand account of how these cooperatives arose, how they operate, and the challenges they face.