We Shall Not be Moved: Until Victory Comes!

Community organization ONE DC "liberated" a vacant lot in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC on the afternoon of Saturday, July 10, 2010. The contentious Parcel 42, upon which Mayor Adrian Fenty promised to build affordable housing only to break the promise and sell to developers, was reclaimed by ONE DC, local residents and supporters. As of Saturday night, ONE DC and supporters are building a tent city on the land to house people. Police said they will "allow" protesters to remain "until Monday."

After starting the day with their annual block party, ONE DC upped the ante in the Shaw neighborhood, near Howard University, by marching approximately 200 people over to the corner of 7th and S Streets NW, entering Parcel 42 and building a tent city.

After denouncing Mayor Fenty for going against his promise, organizer Rosemary Ndubuizu led the crowd from the block party to the lot as member Franklin Brooks led the chants.
Following a few speeches and some celebration, DC police arrived with the special ops unit. Executive Director and police liaison Dominic Moulden asserted the right to engage in civil disobedience and won a stay from police action. The officer in charge stated that if people wanted to remain on the lot "that is fine- until Monday."

ONE DC is demanding Parcel 42 is used to build "truly affordable" housing- intended for families making under $50,000 and under $25,000 per year- in a community where such housing is badly needed. If Mayor Fenty and other officials are unwilling to build it, they argue, then the community must create such housing itself.

ONE DC is an autonomous organization which is affiliated with the Take Back the Land- Movement, a network of organizations fighting for the human right to housing. For more information, see ONE DC's Human Right to Housing/Land Campaign

Media Coverage

ONE DC Liberates Land - Take Back the Land
Tent City Protests DC Affordable Housing Policy - Channel 8
Shaw Tent City - Washington City Paper

This is an exciting time of personal growth and organizational evolution for ONE DC’s staff, board and membership.

• This fall, Rosemary Ndubuizu will enter Rutgers University in New Jersey to pursue a Ph.D in Women and Gender Studies;
• Jessica Rucker is currently organizing youth in Cambodia
• In August, Dominic Moulden will begin an extended (5 month) Sabbatical to write, read and reflect on how ONE DC can continue to leave a special mark on the culture and practice of organizing in the District and hopefully the world;
• Gloria Robinson will remain and will assume a more intentional leadership role.

This creates a constructive opportunity to “open” up space for more non-hierarchical leadership at ONE DC – that grassroots leadership Ella Jo Baker talks about practicing. Now is the perfect time for more of our committed members to come forward. Indeed, the board recently approved a shared leadership model and collective management organizational structure. This gradual transition will reflect our values of democratic leadership, team work, cooperation and collective decision making.

Message from Dominic Moulden:

“I am honored to work and live a joyous and a times, trying life in the District of Columbia as an organizer, teacher, and now as a manager of ONE DC.” “Despite these occasional times of turbulence, I have not lost sight that our struggle for a different world continues.”

“I am embarking on this retreat to practice balance and wellness which is a value of ONE DC as expressed in our Right to Wellness organizing and our partnership with the Center for Community Change’s Black Space.”

Gloria Robinson and ONE DC’s Board of Directors invite you to literally step in and start “carrying the water” of leadership at ONE DC!

By Allison Basile

Many of the hardships people face, whether we’re in Jamaica or DC, can be attributed to the neoliberal policies that have dominated the U.S.’s approach to economic development. The Washington Consensus, followed by the World Bank and IMF for years, calls for a one-size-fits-all prescription: drastic cuts to government spending on social services, the privatization of social services, and deregulation.

These neoliberal policies have had devastating effects in DC and in countries around the world. In the words of John Williamson, the creator of the term Washington Consensus, “the results have been disappointing, to say the least, particularly in terms of growth, employment, and poverty reduction.” In DC, privatization projects in the childcare and sanitation industries have left DC employees without jobs. Major developments, like the Convention Center, came with promises that they would benefit long-time residents. These promises have been left unfulfilled by the DC government, which has notoriously put profits first and people second.

This was the topic of discussion at ONE DC’s LEAP meeting, where about 20 of us spent the afternoon learning, questioning and thinking of solutions. Leadership Education for Action and Power (LEAP) is ONE DC’s community learning program that examines contemporary problems and provides a space for ONE DC members to grapple with these problems and offer community-oriented solutions.

LEAP was my first experience with ONE DC, and I’m excited to know that there will be more to come. While I was familiar with the Washington Consensus and its effect on international development, I’ve only lived in DC for 5 months, so it was great to meet other ONE DC members and learn about the history of the city from long-time DC residents. Combining everyone’s skills and experiences, we came up with the following solutions:

• Shop to build the kind of community we’d like to live in. Support Shaw-owned businesses and cooperatives, and businesses that treat their workers fairly
• Support the creation of more Shaw-owned businesses and cooperatives
• Organize with ONE DC to fight for the Right to Housing, Income and Land

I’m thrilled to be a part of the ONE DC community, and to help build a DC where people are the highest priority, and where the community can solve its problems in creative ways.

By Jessica Rucker

The ONE DC Freedom School is a day-long community learning opportunity based on the tradition of the Mississippi Freedom Schools organized by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the summer of 1964.

On October 3, 2009, we rekindled that tradition and presented our 4th annual Freedom School, “Nurturing the Movement by Nurturing Ourselves.” Over 50 ONE DC members, local residents, and allies gathered to address the worst and longest-lasting consequence of the enslavement of African people, the lie of Black inferiority. Freedom School participants acknowledged the amazing achievements people of color have made through member-led workshops, a community plenary session, and wellness activities. Some of the wellness activities included meditation, yoga, and massage therapy.

The 2009 ONE DC Freedom School also laid the foundation for our Right to Wellness and Healing Campaign. ONE DC staff and members believe that to efficiently organize our residents around issues of social and economic justice we must also address the issues of poor physical, spiritual, and mental health that present themselves as barriers to organizing, action, and building the collective power of low income people.

The fight for social justice “must continue until hell freezes over and then the fight must move on to the ice!” Join ONE DC as we continue to live healthier lifestyles and stay in the fight for the long haul!

By Candace Wolf

On December 12, 2009, ONE DC hosted another screening of “Weaving Shared Leadership,” the short video series created during our Digital Storytelling Project. This screening took place at Plymouth Congregational Church, located on North Capitol Street and Riggs Road in northeast DC. The church’s Board of Social Action generously contributed a space for this event. The screening was attended by fifteen people and was followed by a lively discussion along with a meal of delicious Middle Eastern food. The following is a short reflection by Candace Wolf, who is a Storyteller and supporter of ONE DC. Ms Wolf facilitated the post-screening discussion.

It is fitting that I write this reflection at a time when the activist and organizer community is mourning the loss of Howard Zinn, one of the great progressive historians, activists, and human beings of the late 20th century. Professor Zinn profoundly believed in the idea that history is most truthfully told and understood through the words and eyes of oppressed people: women, immigrants, farmers, enslaved and indigenous peoples, low wage workers, people of color, and those living in poverty.

That is exactly what the “Weaving Shared Leadership” video narratives successfully accomplish. Each video is a storytelling gem- created by and for people who have come to understand that it is the “ordinary” people in our community—and not the CEO’s, military generals and corrupt politicians, who are the real actors in history.

Each video expresses a strong sense of place and the importance of geography—whether it be the urban landscape of DC, the townships of Apartheid South Africa or a rural village in El Salvador—in shaping our passion to fight to protect our communities from exploitation. Each of the video stories also expresses—in its own unique imagery and language—the fact that by acting collectively, we can transform our world and take it out of the hands of the rich and powerful.

After watching these wonderful short films, the audience turned from passive spectators to active commentators in a lively post-screening “round table” dialogue. Everyone expressed the undeniable power of people’s voices when they proudly tell their own stories and don’t surrender this right to others. The beauty of the music and visual imagery chosen by each narrator was remarked upon.

As the discussion facilitator, and as a storytelling artist and activist, I hoped to generate discussion around this question: How can we use storytelling as a tool to advance a people’s movement around social and economic justice?

One participant pointed out that by offering folks who are involved in struggles for social, political and economic justice the chance to tell their own stories, we open a space to connect our individual experiences, to understand our common ground, and to build a stronger multicultural movement.

Another participant described the video narratives as a “Living Quilt” that weaves together the stories of diverse activists in our community, each of whom has made the journey from experiencing oppression in isolation to an awakened understanding of the critical need for mobilizing collective actions.

Still another participant related the impact of these video narratives to her own personal experience witnessing the empowerment of story-sharing among folks who were organizing for justice in Chiapas, Mexico.

It was agreed all around that this kind of People’s Storytelling is a powerful tool for organizing people, connecting diverse cultural experiences, building solidarity and raising consciousness. These stories give a heart and soul to the demanding day-to-day work of conducting campaigns around issues of affordable housing, health & wellness, and income equality.

Although it seems the bankers are doing well after taxpayers provided them with a $700 billion bailout, the rest of us have not been so fortunate. Unemployment is predicted to reach 12 percent, foreclosures ravage our communities, and money for public services continues to be zeroed out in the next fiscal year budgets in many communities in the United States. NPA officials presented our demands to banks such as Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and JP Morgan Chase stating an imminent need for transparency, accountability and stability in the financial system by ensuring banks and mortgage companies provide responsible, quality lending and financial services. We'll keep you posted about upcoming plans to ensure that those responsible for taking advantage of vulnerable communities are held accountable.