RESTING SAFE/Right 2 Survive’s Ibrahim Mubarak and Laquida Landford, along with Right 2 Survive’s Adam Carpinelli, broke it down for an overflowing audience last week at RACE TALKS PDX. They drew on their own deep experiences organizing for both racial justice and housing justice to discuss the ways in which a broken housing system disproportionately impacts Black people, including via the policing of houseless people and the disproportionate exposure of houseless folks to environmental hazards. They also shared how culturally-specific organizing led by and for Black people is charting a new path forward. Ib, Q, and Adam ALL received standing ovations!
From RACE TALKS materials advertising the event: “Late in 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development presented its annual report on homelessness to Congress. Oregon ranks near the top of states in terms of the percentage of its homeless/houseless population that are living “unsheltered,” i.e. on the streets, in vehicles, parks or other places not designated for humans to sleep. According to the report, Black Americans continue to be disproportionately affected by houselessness. African Americans only account for 13% of the U.S. population, yet they represent 40% of all people experiencing houselessness, and 51% of the houseless who have children. Join us as some of Oregon’ top advocates for the houseless share the story behind the statistics and their efforts to stop houselessness while giving its victims dignity.”