Emily Kawano collaborated with UNRISD for the project Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy (2012-2013). For the project she wrote a think piece "Social Solidarity Economy: Toward convergence across continental divides ".
Emily is the Executive Director of the Centre for Popular Economics, a collective of economists dedicated to demystifying the economy in order to strengthen the struggle for economic justice. She has developed curriculum and facilitated training on a wide range of economic issues, including the solidarity economy. Prior to CPE, she taught economics at Smith College, USA, worked as the National Economic Justice Representative for the American Friends Service Committee.
In Northern Ireland, she founded a popular economics programme with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, served on the N.I. Social Economy Network Working Group, and worked with Belfast Community Development Agencies to develop and deliver social economy training.
She is one of the founders, and serves as the coordinator, of the U.S. Solidarity Economy Network. She serves as the U.S. representative on the Board of RIPESS.