CAAS Connects with Community at the Save Our Neighborhoods Workshop and Panel
Nicole, Paula, Vanessa, Sam, and Ronel stand on the panel stage with fists raised, smiling at the camera
Last week, the Community Organizing and Advocacy team at CAAS partnered with City Life / Vida Urbana to host the Save Our Neighborhoods: Organize Against Displacement Panel and Workshop. The workshop took place at the Center for the Arts at the Armory, currently home to the Evicted exhibit through a collaboration between CAAS and community partners.
Director of Organizing and Advocacy Nicole Eigbrett was the moderator for the event. Panelists included Vanessa, a local tenant who became involved with tenant organizing after being threatened with displacement from her apartment; Ronel, an organizer with City Life / Vida Urbana who has organized across the state to advocate for the rights of tenants; Paula, a Roxbury resident and CL / VU organizer who has experienced first-hand the positive impacts and devastating consequences of housing policy; and Sam, a member of the Castle Tenant's Alliance in Somerville who helped organize almost 20 of their neighbors against displacement from their landlord.
Two dozen community members gathered to listen to community members discuss the importance of housing policy that protects renters and residents of the community. Part of this includes putting people over profits and not allowing working class people to be pushed out of the vibrant neighborhoods and communities they’ve fostered for decades.
“I know we can fight against greed. That’s what it is; eviction against the working class is just evil- it’s greed. It's thinking that money is more important than human lives. We’ve got to stop it, and together we can fight it, and together we can win.” Vanessa said.
“Together we can fight it, and together we can win.”
Above all, the evening was a call for the community to work together to organize against displacement in our neighborhoods. Panelists stressed the power of joining together as a community.
“Get to know your neighbors. They are your greatest resource and allies in this fight. The more you build community, the more power you have to fight back [....]” Sam said. Referencing Veronica’s earlier statement, they emphasized this message. “It’s really the community that has power.”
Paula, a former member of the Black Panther party, pulled from her lived experiences to demonstrate the importance of continuing to fight for justice. “Fight; that’s the most important part of what we do, is fight. Don’t be afraid. Go out there and fight for what is right. [...] The most important thing we can do as humanity is to help others and to fight. As humans on this earth, we have to fight against injustice and against all the evilness that comes under the umbrella of fear.”
“As humans on this earth, we have to fight against injustice and against all the evilness that comes under the umbrella of fear.”
The connection between immigrant rights and housing stability was also a present theme throughout the event. “I was able to repurchase my house. I fought against the federal government with my accent and I won.” Ronel said, met with a round of applause from the crowd. The event, which was conducted with live Spanish and Portuguese interpretation, underscored the importance of including the voices and experiences of immigrants and of making organizing spaces accessible to everyone.
The movement for housing justice is one that will take a sustained effort from communities that are willing to come together in the face of fear and harness their ability to collectively organize. We’re incredibly excited to be working with community members across Somerville and the greater Boston area to provide resources and education to renters that helps keep people in their homes.
Thank you to all of our speakers and to everyone who attended this workshop and panel. For those who were unable to attend, a livestream recording of this event can be found here.