Mechanism Happy Hour | Portland

For the past decade, UMA has been dedicated to strengthening manufacturing as a strategy for just and equitable communities. For us, manufacturing has always been about the networks of people, companies, services, resources, and infrastructure that anchor the business of making things. Our goal has long been to foster these networks as a means to generate wealth and economic mobility for workers, small-business owners, and their communities.

But in response to growing challenges - as climate shocks intensify and economic systems continue to leave too many people and places behind - we are challenged to move beyond traditional notions of manufacturing.

In response, we are becoming Mechanism. Over the next decade, we will move from serving the manufacturing sector as an intermediary to working with communities as a guide and convener, building production ecosystems rooted in relationships, governance, and flows of value that define how production happens, who participates, and who benefits.

In the face of these crises, we believe now is the time to re-anchor production ecosystems in enduring, north star values that explicitly lift up strong labor standards, family-sustaining wages, safe and healthy workplaces, community ownership, and a culture of craft and innovation that strengthens the identity and resilience of the places we call home. Mechanism will work with communities to translate these values into tangible strategies that meet local needs, strengthen resilience, and build connections of solidarity across global networks.

Join us to celebrate all we’ve accomplished and learn and shape where we’re heading next.