Recent Activity

  • Atlanta On Track to Demolish All Its Public Housing
    Kate commented on the article | over 2 years ago
    Atlanta On Track to Demolish All Its Public Housing

    Thanks for writing this Leigh.  I would add, as some comments have insinuated, that this is standard policy across the country now.  Atlanta is an important place to look because it was one of the places where it got the earliest start.  We can certainly see where things are headed...


     

  • Erasing the Decision-Makers
    Kate commented on the article | over 2 years ago
    Erasing the Decision-Makers

    Excellent post Leigh.  You point out such an important dynamic that is so often at play in post-Katrina New Orleans. 

    The New Orleans City Council has never been called to task for what they decided to do when they issued the demolition permits for the Big 4 on December 20, 2007.  Further, the various law enforcement agencies present on that day have never been held accountable for brutalizing people who showed up to voice their opposition to the demolitions.  And don't even get me started with the developers and HUD...

  • Poverty and Disablism
    Kate commented on the article | almost 3 years ago
    Poverty and Disablism

    Mark- my organization- the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center- is currently investigating whether or not newly constructed multi-family developments in post-Katrina New Orleans are compliant with the accessibility requirements specified in the Fair Housing Act.  Look for the results of our investigation on this within the next few weeks.

  • On NIMBYism and Mythical Welfare Queens
    Kate commented on the article | almost 3 years ago
    On NIMBYism and Mythical Welfare Queens

    Jeremy- Rich and middle income folks also abuse drugs.  Artists are (sometimes unfairly) notorious for drug abuse and breaking social norms.  Have you ever been to frat row in a college town?  It tends to be full of squalor, and its loud.  So I don't think I can agree that poverty causes social ills like drug abuse, squalor, and loud neighborhoods.  Why do we then glorify and support artists and college students while displacing and criminalizing hard working women of color?   

    Everyone has the right to a healthy community, and as NYC Weboy suggests, its not my place to dictate how people live and how many children a woman has. 

    There are many ways to promote healthy and integrated communities- demonizing poor black women doesn't seem like a useful starting place.  At the same time, I recognize that this is really challenging work, and I'm interested in what some of the alternatives are.   

  • Stop with the scapegoating and the victim blaming
    Kate commented on the article | about 3 years ago
    Stop with the scapegoating and the victim blaming

    Are you being sarcastic?

    If not, where do you live?!

  • Stop with the scapegoating and the victim blaming
    Kate commented on the article | about 3 years ago
    Stop with the scapegoating and the victim blaming

    Truth might build power but it is no silver bullet.

  • Stop with the scapegoating and the victim blaming
    Kate commented on the article | about 3 years ago
    Stop with the scapegoating and the victim blaming

    Thanks for this post Leigh, it needs to be said. 

    Further, blaming poor folks for being poor is a distraction that prevents us from focusing our energy on significant causes of poverty and how to address them.  I personally don't know any lazy poor people, but I'm sure they exist.  Just like there are plenty of lazy trust fund babies.   

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