These Guys Saved My Home

Right: Taking the Street during CRR's Alameda fightback

Karen and I were out walking after a child-free date and a lady was getting out of her car. I knew her from somewhere. She was an African American woman with straight short hair. It was Deja. We had not seen her in probably four years.

Deja was a part of our fight to save 238 families from being cut off Section 8 subsidized housing in the city of Alameda, just across the estuary from Oakland. I'd heard through the grapevine that she had fell off the wagon and was doing some bad drugs. Evidently when we saw her she was doing great. She was excited to see us and the first thing she did was introduce us to her friend, 'these are the people that saved my home - I was just telling you about these guys.' After hugs, Deja went on to explain to her friend that we fought to empower the tenants to be leaders themselves. Hearing this made me feel the proudest about our approach to these fights.

During that battle five years ago the tenants occupied a city council meeting, converged and blocked the Mayor's office, picketed the home of the Housing Department head and marched and rallied outside the home of the Mayor. The city came up with over a million dollars it didn't have and there was not a single eviction.

It was great to see Deja and that she's doing well. It was nice to be reminded that all our small battles are etched in people's hearts and minds. When you stand up to capitalism and make a mark, it stays with you for years, such is the power of busting up that victimization mode of thinking that Malcolm X called a slave mentality.

You can read more about our Section 8 battle at LMV's website:
http://www.laborsmilitantvoice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99&Itemid=71