Excerpts below are by Tiana Caldwell speaking with the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center.
“My name is Tiana Caldwell and I am a leader in Kansas City tenants. My family and I were evicted from our home after I received my second diagnosis and was actively in treatment for ovarian cancer. Like so many other people, I was forced to choose between protecting my health or staying in my home. I chose to live, and we were evicted.
“For me, like for many, my struggle began long before I was even born. We are descendants of slaves, whose labor was exploited for property owners’ profit. My grandparents fought for the US in wars overseas and did not benefit from the GI bill. My struggle is the product of the horror caused by centuries of racial capitalism.
“We live in the richest country in the world, so why do so many people end up experiencing homelessness? It’s almost impossible to imagine a different way than to stress about paying rent every month. But there’s another way, and we have imagined it. It’s a ‘homes guarantee’.
“A group of grassroots leaders have knocked on doors, organized our neighbors and developed our vision for housing justice, because we who have suffered from housing injustice are best equipped to imagine a different world, and to build the power to win it. A ‘homes guarantee’ would mean I wouldn’t have to sacrifice vital medication to pay my rent. It would mean peace of mind because we wouldn’t have the violent threat of homelessness, but could live with dignity. We could dream of a bright future for our son. It could be the difference between life and death.”
