Fwd: Urgent request to stand in solidarity with El Barrio & against the Mayor's destructive rezoning plan
Corbin Laedlein
Corbin Laedlein
From: Movement for Justice in El Barrio <movementforjus...@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 6, 2017 at 9:30 PM
Subject: Urgent request to stand in solidarity with El Barrio & against the Mayor's destructive rezoning plan
To: Movement for Justice in El Barrio <movementforjus...@gmail.com>
Receive embraces from Movement for Justice in El Barrio. As you know, we have been on the frontlines of the dignified fight against Mayor De Blasio’s East Harlem rezoning plan. This luxury housing plan, supported by the Real Estate Board of New York, is being imposed by those from above and threatens to both displace us from our beloved Barrio & destroy the beautiful cultures that make East Harlem be El Barrio.
This week, with only a few days notice, the New York City Council announced that their only public hearing on the Mayor's East Harlem rezoning plan will be held during the day on Wednesday and outside of our East Harlem neighborhood.
East Harlem is a working class neighborhood and we are dismayed to find out that the City Council headed by our Council Member, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, has chosen to hold a public hearing regarding a plan that directly impacts us, low-income long-term rent stabilized tenants, outside of our neighborhood and in the early afternoon at a time when we are at work. This was not surprising to us because city officials continue to attempt to exclude our voices, the voices of the most humble, as they strive to impose the destructive plan. We, the low-income people of color and immigrants of El Barrio, work long hours on a daily basis and with such short notice given by the City Council, it is impossible for us to take time off work in the middle of the day. Yet, it is important for us to ensure that our voices not be excluded.
Therefore, we are turning to you and requesting that our allies stand in solidarity with us by attending the public hearing being held on Wednesday, October 11th at 12 noon at City Hall to make echo of the following dignified demands:
1) We are unconditionally against the Mayor’s East Harlem rezoning plan and want it completely scrapped. We want the NYC Council to vote 100% against any rezoning of our beloved East Harlem.
A “no” vote “with conditions” is not acceptable to us because that would essentially be an approval of the Mayor’s destructive rezoning plan with a few cosmetic changes.
2) Speaker Mark-Viverito and the NYC City Council must hold a public hearing regarding the Mayor’s East Harlem rezoning plan in our East Harlem neighborhood and during the evening to listen to the voices of the working class people of El Barrio.
If you are able to stand in solidarity with us by attending the public hearing on Wednesday at 12 noon, we ask that you let us know by emailing us at: movementforjusticeinelbarrio@gmail.com
Here are two videos of our fight against the Mayor’s rezoning plan for more context:
“A Clash in East Harlem Against the Mayor’s Destructive Rezoning Plan”:
“The East Harlem Community Fight Against the Mayor’s Rezoning”: Plan”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Cb8z8Yv1MTo
Thank you.
With love & solidarity,
Movement for Justice in El Barrio
"We
fight so that:
The oceans and mountains will belong to those that live in and take care of
them.
The rivers and deserts will belong to those that live in and take care of them.
The valleys and ravines will belong to those that live in and take care of
them.
Homes and cities will belong to those who live in and take care of them.
No one will own more land than they can cultivate.
No one will own more homes than they can live in."
- Movement for Justice in El Barrio