"Right to the City" March on the Mayors Conference, June 20th in Miami
by IMC Miami staff Thursday, May. 29, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Miami@righttothecity.org

The nation’s mayors will gather in Miami from June 20-24 for the 76th Annual Meeting of The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) to debate national policy impacting America’s cities and metropolitan areas. "Right to the City" under the call "Who's City? Our City!," will mobilize with Alliance Member Organizations and local activist groups to assert our rights to live, work, play, pray, and govern over the city.

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Over the last twenty years, the federal government is cutting programs and services, placing a greater burden on state and city governments. Unable to handle the pressure, cities are using neo-liberal policies and privatization to sell land, programs, and resources to make ends meet. As a result, instead of working with community, labor, cultural, academic and faith-based communities, mayors are cutting deals with luxury developers and multi-national corporations.

Affordable housing, public space, transportation, schools, are all being sold to the highest bidder. Costing us our services, programs, access, resources and, in general, our right to the city.

Right to the City is a national alliance of organizations taking back our cities from the throws of gentrification. Led by community-based grassroots organizations, the alliance spans 7 cities and includes legal, media, and academic advocates from across the nation.

* In New Orleans, we are fighting to stop the criminalization of survivors and fighting for the "right to return".

* In New York, we are keeping the Christopher Street pier as a public asset and safe space for queer youth

* In DC, we are building the strength of day laborers to peacefully assemble and seek a living wage
In California, we are forging statewide partnerships to combat Proposition 98 to safeguard affordable housing and protections from slumlords

* In Miami, we are pushing back gentrification, preserving affordable housing and mobile home parks, and building tenant power.

* In Providence, we are fighting back against potential displacement from a major hospital merger, the city's foreclosure plan, incarceration, and the Governor's anti-immigrant executive order.

* In Boston, we are demanding community control over the development process, and pushing forward creative ways to protect tenants and homeowners that puts an end to foreclosures and evictions.

The movement against gentrification is grow/ing across the United States. We are moving beyond the barrios, beyond the streets, to combat the root causes of displacement, privatization, and poor governance of our cities.

Join us as we TAKE BACK THE CITY!

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* To learn more about the "Right to the City" action in Miami go to http://www.righttothecity.org/

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