Description:
There is a rich history of organizing around issues that affect low income people and people of color- specifically Black people-in Greater Boston. From the powerful movement that stopped the extension of the ten-lane I-95 highway, an extensive urban renewal effort that destroyed many communities, and the formation of the community development industry- Greater Boston contains a wealth of knowledge from the past on how we can organize around similar issues we face now in the present.
Join us as we explore the history of community organizing and major events that have taken place in Greater Boston. During this three-part series- we’ll address topics such as redlining, the Community Reinvestment Act, the 2008 foreclosure crisis, explore the role of tenants’ rights, the repeal of rent control, and our state’s public housing history.
Participants will be able to:
Learn from people who were change makers and on the front lines of major historic events
Engage in exercises that will help conceptualize how organizers, residents, and allies-built power and overcame challenges
Apply lessons to their current work and on how to move forward to address present issues
We encourage participants to attend all workshops to get a full breadth of knowledge on these topics and the full context of all major events. There is also an opportunity to attend a specific workshop of your choice that interests you. Each session will cover the following:
Workshop I – September 23, 2020; 5:30pm – 7:00pm ONLINE vis Zoom
Learn about the movement that brought many leaders throughout Greater Boston together to stop the extension of the I-95 Highway. The workshop will feature Karilyn Crockett, author of People vs. Highways.
Workshop II – September 30, 2020; 5:30pm – 7:00pm ONLINE via Zoom
Learn about Boston’s Tenants Rights activism from the 1970s – 1990s, the repeal of rent control laws, and the work of people who fought for public housing tenants’ rights. Additionally you'll learn about the formation of the Community Reinvestment Coalition in order to stop racial discrimination in mortgage lending. The workshop will feature speakers current and former public housing resident leaders from Greater Boston and organizers from MAHA.
Workshop III – October 14, 2020; 5:30pm – 7:00pm ONLINE via Zoom
Learn about the foreclosure crisis that occurred on 2007-2013 and how people organized locally, statewide, and nationally to address the issue. In addition, gain perspective on how organizations are working to increase funding for affordable housing today. The workshop will feature speakers including representatives from the HERO Coalition and City Life Vida Urbana.
This series is created in partnership with Madison Park Development Corporation and sponsored by NeighborWorks America.