Bobby Ramey-Clark, a veteran activist and a member of the Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee, spoke at a Poor People’s Campaign rally at the California State Capitol on June 11, 2018. This is an excerpt from her presentation.
Since childhood, I have lived from substandard to project housing in various cities. My homeless experiences started as a teen and a couple of times as an adult with children.
As James Baldwin said, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Just last week, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a new proposal has been introduced by HUD Secretary Ben Carson that would raise rents by 20% on those receiving federal assistance. This will impact 4 million low income Americans; this increase is about six times greater than the growth in hourly earnings, putting the poorest workers at increased risk of homelessness.
Mr. Ben Carson says raising rents would help people create more “self-sufficiency” by PUSHING “them” to find work! Now you see why we like those in time past MUST do like Sojourner Truth and Elizabeth Stanton as they stood together UNITED until suffrage was won! We TOO MUST challenge those who make moral claims about caring for the souls of people, but then pass policies and LAWS that DESTROY communities!!
EVERYBODY’S GOT A RIGHT TO LIVE AND TO LIVE IN DECENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Peace Out!
