We put together a reading list below as a jumping off point.

We are about thinking big, thinking local, forming connections and foundation.
We are happy to discuss past readings with you too. Check out the resources below.

Contact us at therhizomehouse@protonmail.com if you need a copy of the current book.

Next discussion group meetup:

Sunday, May 10th at 11am

The Operating System: An Anarchist Theory of the Modern State by Eric Laursen.
(Chapters 1-5).
Copies are available through our book distro.  

One of the most unique aspects of anarchism as a political philosophy is that it seeks to abolish the state. But what exactly is “the state”? The State is like a vast operating system for ordering and controlling relations among human society, the economy, and the natural world, analogous to a digital operating system like Windows or MacOS. Like a state, an operating system “governs” the programs and applications under it and networked with it, as well as, to some extent, the individuals who avail themselves of these tools and resources. No matter how different states seem on the surface they share core similarities, namely:

• The State is a relatively new thing in world history
• The State is European in origin and outlook
• States are “individuals” in the eyes of the law
• The State claims the right to determine who is a person
• The State is an instrument of violence and war
• The State is above the law
• The State is first and foremost an economic endeavor

Anyone concerned with entrenched power, income inequality, lack of digital privacy, climate change, the amateurish response to COVID-19, or military-style policing will find eye-opening insights into how states operate and build more power for themselves—at our expense. The state won’t solve our most pressing problems, so why do we obey? It’s time to think outside the state.

Check out What Is the State?, a video produced by Agency, based on the The Operating System.

Coming up next:

Mistaken Identity: Mass Movements and Racial Ideology by Asad Haider

RIP Asad Haider.

In March and April we'll read his book Mistaken Identity, a critique of identity politics, including working class identities.

Read Asad's obituary here.

Check out articles by Asad in Viewpoint, the magazine he co-founded here.

Viewpoint Magazines issues on topics like Occupy, Theory and Practice, Workers' Inquiry, The State, Social Reproduction and Imperialism are rich resources worth your time.

More info on the book:

Whether class or race is the more important factor in modern politics is a question right at the heart of recent history’s most contentious debates. Among groups who should readily find common ground, there is little agreement. To escape this deadlock, Asad Haider turns to the rich legacies of the black freedom struggle. Drawing on the words and deeds of black revolutionary theorists, he argues that identity politics is not synonymous with anti-racism, but instead amounts to the neutralization of its movements. It marks a retreat from the crucial passage of identity to solidarity, and from individual recognition to the collective struggle against an oppressive social structure. Weaving together autobiographical reflection, historical analysis, theoretical exegesis, and protest reportage, Mistaken Identity is a passionate call for a new practice of politics beyond colorblind chauvinism and “the ideology of race.”

Good places to start list / past readings:

Introduction to Capital - Michael Heinrich‌‌‌‌
See our discussion guide/zine for more resources: ‌‌
https://libcom.org/article/beyond-money-commodities-and-state-discussion-guide-heinrichs-introduction-capital‌‌

Family Abolition - M.E. O'Brien‌‌‌‌
Optional stuff/critique: ‌‌
The Welfare State and the Bourgeois Family-Household - Kirstin Munro‌‌

“We are brown, we are short, we are fat … We are the face of Oaxaca”: Women Leaders in the Oaxaca Rebellion - Lynn Stephen‌‌

The Communes of Rojava: A Model In Societal Self Direction - Neighbor Democracy (40 minute video)‌‌

‌‌‌‌Analytic Social Psychology as Critical Social Theory: A Reconstruction of Erich Fromm’s Early Work - J. E. Morain (See section #4: The Family as Mediator)‌‌

Fetishism, Money and the State Readings:

Fetishism - John Holloway ‌‌
(Chapter 4 of Change the World Without Taking Power)‌‌
John Holloway had a huge impact publishing the book Change the World Without Taking Power in 2000. Here he outlines the concepts of commodity fetishism and reification. Fetishism can also be extended to the state and money.

Money - Samuel Chambers ‌‌
Chambers writes that all money is a credit-debt relationship of trust and representation of value. Building on concepts of fetishism, Chambers claims money has no value itself.

Fetish Speaks Comic Zine - Freddy Perlman ‌‌
Perlman's short zine on commodity fetishism and reification. Enjoy the restored art from this 1973 comic.
Updated translations of fetishism and trinity formula to go along with comic here.

Towards A New State Theory Debate - Chris O'Kane
‌‌O'Kane outlines a critical theory of the state by bringing together the work of Johannes Agnoli, Werner Bonefeld, and Simon Clarke. Agnoli is known as a leading voice in extra-parliamentary opposition in Germany in 1968 and coined the term "open Marxism" as an anti-state critical theory which Bonefeld, Clarke, Holloway and others are a part of.

Abolition Geography by Ruth Wilson Gilmore. Race, Prison Abolition and the State:

5. Race and Globalization (2002, 18 pages)

6. Fatal Couplings of Power and Difference: Notes on Racism and Geography (2002, 15 pages)

12. Restating the Obvious (w/ Craig Gilmore) (2008, 24 pages)

20. Abolition Geography and the Problem of Innocence (2017, 22 pages)

Other stuff we've read:

The Workers’ Inquiry and Social Composition by Notes from Below

Cyber-Physical Decentralized Planning for Communizing by Pedro HJ Nardelli

The Long Retreat by Boris Kagarlitsky

The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Making Workers: Radical Geographies of Education by Katharyne Mitchell

Resisting Erasure: Capital, Imperialism and Race in Palestine  by Adam Hanieh, Robert Knox and Rafeef Ziadah

Interviews with Radical Palestinian by Shoal Collective

What's Left: Three Paths Through the Planetary Crisis by Malcolm Harris

The Zapatista Experience Rebellion, Resistance, and Autonomy by Jérôme Baschet

Spring Cleaning | Friday, March 20 6pm - 8pm

Stop by the Rhizome House on Friday, March 20th from 6pm - 8pm to give the space a cleaning refresh before our Equinox celebration on Saturday, March 21st.

Equinox Celebration | Saturday, March 21 2pm - 8pm

Join us as we celebrate the Equinox on Saturday, March 21st! This event will include veg-friendly dinner, activities for children, and optional magical ritual elements. Let’s break bread and gather to honor and reflect on the community we all co-create and nourish together at the space & beyond.

2-4pm: interactive activities especially fun for kids!

4-8pm: food, reflection, backyard fire (weather permitting), and more; all ages welcome!

Cleveland (Free) Tree Distro | Saturday, April 4 1:30pm - 4:30pm

The intent of this project is to help native plant populations recover in a world ravaged by capitalist agriculture, climate catastrophes, and habitat loss; to support community, collective, and anticolonial projects; and to spread food security in our communities.

Priority will be given to collective projects, people from red-lined neighborhoods, and folks planning to share the bounty.

Please join us at the Rhizome House for any of the many events on the calendar for March. We'd especially like to see you at the Rhizome House Spring Equinox Party! We will be gathering on March 21st for a day of celebration and gratitude. The Equinox marks a new beginning and brings with it the promise of new life, of warmth, and of brighter days to come. We hope to see you there.

Mutual Aid Page

Have some cash to spare? Consider donating to one of the people or organizations on our Mutual Aid Page.

Donate to Rhizome House

Would you like to help us keep up with rising energy costs in Ohio? Consider checking out our financials and become a monthly donor on our Open Collective page.

Estimated Monthly Costs:
$941

Rent $300 (may increase to $600 in the future)
Copier $100
Payment fees $30
Utility estimates:
Internet: $110
Gas $80
Electric $200
Mailchimp $21
Food, coffee, tea, soda water etc: $100 (varies - these are great items to directly donate to the space/bring to an event!)

Mutual Aid Page

Have some cash to spare? Consider donating to one of the people or organizations on our Mutual Aid Page.

Donate to Rhizome House

Would you like to help us keep up with rising energy costs in Ohio? Consider checking out our financials and become a monthly donor on our Open Collective page.

Estimated Monthly Costs:
$941

Rent $300 (may increase to $600 in the future)
Copier $100
Payment fees $30
Utility estimates:
Internet: $110
Gas $80
Electric $200
Mailchimp $21
Food, coffee, tea, soda water etc: $100 (varies - these are great items to directly donate to the space/bring to an event!)

Finally, we have a wish list item for The Rhizome House. Sometimes we table events outside of the space, and when we do, we lug around a big, heavy box with our distro materials (books, zines, covid tests, narcan, etc.). It isn't the most accessible situation! Do you have a collapsible wagon that we could use to help lug it around more easefully? Please let us know! (Just hit reply!)

We hope that you are able to stay safe and warm. Check in on your friends and chosen family, and remember that we keep us safe.

Upcoming Events

Monday, 1/26 6:30pm - 8pm: Cleveland Anarchist Reading Group

Wednesday, 1/28 6:30pm - 8pm: Stitch n/ Bitch

Thursday, 1/29 6pm - 10pm: Tabletime: a Space 4 Creative Coworking

Friday, 1/30 6pm - 7:30pm: Bread For My Neighbors

Saturday, 1/31 6:30pm - 9:30pm: Northeast Ohio IWW Movie Screening

Mutual Aid Request

Venmo: clesudannetwork

Donate to Rhizome House

Would you like to help us keep up with rising energy costs in Ohio? Consider checking out our financials and become a monthly donor on our Open Collective page.

Current Projects:
-Fix masonry on front of building (estimated $3,500)
-Fix leaking pipe in basement (estimated $3,000)

Estimated Monthly Costs:
$941

Rent $300 (may increase to $600 in the future)
Copier $100
Payment fees $30
Utility estimates:
Internet: $110
Gas $80
Electric $200
Mailchimp $21
Food, coffee, tea, soda water etc: $100 (varies - these are great items to directly donate to the space/bring to an event!)

Below is an update that went out to our supporters on Open Collective.
You can find a text version of the update here.

Save the date for next Sunday discussion group January 11th!

January 11 at 2pm - intro and chapters 1-2 of What's Left: Three Paths Through the Planetary Crisis.

Just as humans have caused climate change, we hold the power to avert a climate apocalypse, but that will only happen through collective action.

Malcolm Harris outlines three strategies—progressive, socialist, and revolutionary—that have any chance of succeeding, while also revealing that none of them can succeed on their own. What's Left shows how we can move forward together rather than squabbling over potential solutions while the world burns.

Ebook and audiobook available just shoot us an email.

More info and past readings here:
https://rhizomehouse.org/readings/

Would you like to help us keep up with rising energy costs in Ohio? Consider checking out our financials and becoming a monthly donor on our Open Collective page.

There are always hungry people under capitalism, no matter who is in office and regardless of whether or not the government is shut down, but given the threats to SNAP, this winter season will likely be extra tough on our community. A collective member made a spreadsheet with more than a dozen food distros and resources. Please utilize and share! And if you know of something that isn't listed, send us an email and we'll add it! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12goIYl5LZNRwHlm0LM0dP35zhKbq_ninMXQbCcRp6I4/edit

Finally, we have a wish list item for The Rhizome House. Sometimes we table events outside of the space, and when we do, we lug around a big, heavy box with our distro materials (books, zines, covid tests, narcan, etc.). It isn't the most accessible situation! Do you have a collapsible wagon that we could use to help lug it around more easefully? Please let us know! (Just hit reply!)

Mutual Aid Ask

We'd like to share a mutual aid ask from a member of the Cleveland and Rhizome House community:

Hi, I'm a Black trans artist battling chronic illness, struggling to make ends meet. I sell art, but it doesn't quite cut it. I'm trying to raise funds to get through the end of the year. This will go toward things like groceries, winter gear, hygiene products, and utility bills. My overall goal is $750 by the end of December, any amount helps!

c: $atthezoo94
v: @irl_punch
paypal dot me /talyai

Rest assured, it will be rescheduled for a future Sunday this season. Watch this space for the new date! Open hours will still be happening today. If you were planning on attending the event then please feel free to stop on by for free coffee, tea, wifi, and good vibes.

Check out our upcoming events below!

Cleveland Anarchist Reading Group | Dec 1, Monday, 6:30pm - 8pm

Trans Resource and Aid Collaborative (TRAC) | Dec 2, Tuesday, 7pm - 8:30pm

2x2 Poetry & Music | Dec 6, Saturday, 7pm - 10pm

QMAC: Queer Martial Arts Club and Self-Defense  | Dec 7, Sunday, 10am - 12pm

Drop In: Free coffee, wifi, library, distro/open hours, and crafternoon | Dec 7, Sunday, 1pm - 4pm

Would you like to help us keep up with rising energy costs in Ohio? Consider checking out our financials and becoming a monthly donor on our Open Collective page.

There are always hungry people under capitalism, no matter who is in office and regardless of whether or not the government is shut down, but given the threats to SNAP this month, November will likely be extra tough on our community. A collective member made a spreadsheet with more than a dozen food distros and resources. Please utilize and share! And if you know of something that isn't listed, send us an email and we'll add it! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12goIYl5LZNRwHlm0LM0dP35zhKbq_ninMXQbCcRp6I4/edit

Finally, we have a wish list item for The Rhizome House. Sometimes we table events outside of the space, and when we do, we lug around a big, heavy box with our distro materials (books, zines, covid tests, narcan, etc.). It isn't the most accessible situation! Do you have a collapsible wagon that we could use to help lug it around more easefully? Please let us know! (Just hit reply!)

Hope to see you soon!

Would you like to help us keep up with rising energy costs in Ohio? Consider checking out our financials and becoming a monthly donor on our Open Collective page.

Mutual Aid Ask

We'd like to share a mutual aid ask from a members of the Cleveland and Rhizome House community. Niko and Chris have been dedicated attendees of (and volunteers for) RZH events and open hours, but have recently become homeless. They need the community's help! Read about Niko and Chris below and donate if you can. If you can't, please share their story!

Back-to-school season = germs abound!

The Meet Up host and their little one are under the weather, so we're cancelling tomorrow's monthly parent meet-up. Mark your calendars for the next meet up on October 25th. And in the meantime, stop by Rhizome House to stock up on COVID rapid tests and COVID + Flu A&B rapid tests.

There's one more open hours in September before scary movie season starts for real!

Check out our September 2025 calendar!

As summer break comes to an end and school starts again we will be taking a critical look at connections between education systems and the capitalist social order by discussing Making Workers: Radical Geographies of Education.

After that we'll discuss a couple new books on Palestine: Resisting Erasure and Everything We Thought Was Beautiful. We'll spend a couple months on each book, so now is a great time to join us!

First discussion circle will meet Sunday, September 14 at 2pm to discuss chapters 1-5 of Making Workers.  More info and monthly meet-ups are here.
You can contact us if you need a copy of the book.

Stop by during any Rhizome events and browse our updated book distro. All money-credit goes to the publisher and to keep Rhizome open. More info on the books here.

You can find text versions and updates for events on our calednar here.

Reminder: Open Hours are canelled for the next couple Sundays 8/24 and 8/31 for our extended summer break, but we will see you at an event or in September!
-RZH