Post Event Report: Town Hall Meeting with the United Nations Special Rapporteur On Adequate Housing

Post Event Report: Town Hall Meeting with the United Nations Special Rapporteur On Adequate Housing

Congratulations to all who made this an event possible. The Coalition to Save Harlem is proud to have been an organizing member of this event. Folks came out and testified about their housing issues to the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Adequate Housing Raquel Rolnik. She listened intently.

In fact, a Blog Site has been created to follow the activites of the UN Housing Rapporteur's visit in the United States. Check it out at
RestoreHousingRights.org

One by one the Community Residents told their story. "Grandstanding" was not allowed during the event so that those experiencing this sad housing situation in New York City would get an opportunity to speak. "Say it like you mean it" was definately the order of the evening. It was obvious that the outreach coordinated by the New York City Chairperson Rob Robinson, a Board Member of Picture the Homeless (and a gentleman with a history of being homeless) was successful in reaching those who needed this public conversation with the UN Housing Rapporteur. This Town Hall provided an evening of realization (the Housing Rapporteur was in NYC), education (the testimonials provided a learning "eye opening" experience) and conversation (people made new relationships and strenghtened older ones).

See for yourself ...
(due to technical difficulties, there is no audio for the first 16 minutes)

Event: Town Hall Meeting with the United Nations Special Rapporteur On Adequate Housing

Event: Town Hall Meeting with the United Nations Special Rapporteur On Adequate Housing
Come out and support housing as a Human Right in New York City. Voice your concerns about the foreclosure crisis, growing homelessness and inadequate public housing and section 8.

Time: 6:30
Day & Date: Thursday, October 22, 2009

Flyer:

• Poster/Flyer may be downloaded from the CSH Flyer Depot here
• Flyer (1/2 Page) may be downloaded from the CSH Flyer Depot here

Note: NESRI and NLCHP will collect testimony (both written and video) from communities where the Special Rapporteur is unable to visit.

Location:
Union Theological Seminary
3041 Broadway at 121st Street
New York, NY 10027

Twitter: @NESRIorg [Hashtag #housingmission]

Contact: (To be involved in the Town Hall)
Meredith Vatsek
National Economic and Social Rights Initiative [NESRI]
Telephone: 212-253-1710 Ext. 307

Background:
The Special Rapporteur is appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to examine and report back on the housing situation of a given country. This is the first official visit to the United States by a United Nations Special Rapporteur on Housing.

Sponsors:

• Picture the Homeless
• Good Old Lower East Side [GOLES]/[PHROLES]
• Organizing Asian Communities [CAAAV]
• Fifth Avenue Committee
• Families United for Racial and Economic Equality [FUREE]
• Make the Road
  
• Coalition to Save Harlem [CSH]
• Concerned Citizens of Greater Harlem
• East Harlem Anti-Displacement Taskforce
• Partnership for the Homeless
• Tenants and Neighbors
• Urban Justice Center
• Mothers on the Move
• Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Program [NEDAP]
• The Urban Homesteading Assistance Board [UHAB]
• National Economic and Social Rights Initiative [NESRI]
• Poverty Initiative
• and more .....

... And More Information ...:
The UN Special Rapporteur on Housing Raquel Rolnik will be making an official visit to the United States – October 23rd through November 6th. This is the first official mission to the United States by a Special Rapporteur on Housing. The Special Rapporteur will primarily focus on concerns around public housing and Section 8 (social housing), homelessness and the foreclosure crisis. She will make official visits to Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. During her time in Washington, DC she will meet with federal officials including individuals from the Obama administration and congressional members. After her visit, she will draft a report of findings.

The Special Rapporteur is appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on the housing situation of a given country. The general objectives of this visit will be:

• to examine and report on the status of the realization of housing rights in the United States, with particular attention to aspects of gender equality, non-discrimination and the protection of the poor, the vulnerable and minorities;
• to engage in dialogues with the U.S. government, United Nations and intergovernmental agencies and civil society in their efforts to secure these rights;
• to identify practical solutions and best practices in the realization of rights relevant to the mandate; and
• to follow up on relevant concluding observations made by treaty bodies and other international bodies and assess their impacts on policies adopted by the U.S.

The visit will focus on social housing (public housing and Section 8), homelessness and the foreclosure crisis. Her office has selected Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans, New York and a rural community as the locations of her site visits. The New Orleans visit will be a follow-up to the recent International Advisory Group on Forced Evictions fact-finding mission there.

Additionally, the Special Rapporteur will have official meetings in Washington D.C., as well as meet with national housing rights groups. NESRI and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty will be coordinating the visit. NESRI will facilitate planning of the site visits and NLCHP will facilitate the meeting in Washington, D.C.

NYSCKRS' Monthly Meeting | 6:30 PM | Monday/ March 23, 2009

The New York Solidarity Coalition with Katrina & Rita Survivors [NYSCKRS] is holding its monthly meeting tonight.

We are in the midst of both an exciting and challenging period : more people are discovering the true nature of this political & econcomic system and more people are taking strong stands to defend their human rights. Gulf Coast survivors are definitely part of this period and are organizing themselves across the country to take bolder steps to build their own movement and to connect with other movements.

We need you there to help further all these important efforts @ our next NYSCKRS' Monthly Meeting:

Time: 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Day & Date: Monday | March 23, 2009

Location:
Middle Collegiate Church
50 East 7th Street(off 2nd Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Agenda:
Review & F/u Assignments of Survivors Assembly & NYSCKRS Retreat
Update on Ltr to Obama
3/24/09 Gulf Coast Survivors mtg in Gulf
PTH Action
"Storm Angel" Fundraising proposal
New Business

Transportation:
BUS
#6 to Astor Place, east to 2nd Av, south to 7th St;
TRAINS
F to 2nd Av, north to 7th Street;
N to 8th Street, east to 2nd Av, south to 7th St;
4,5,6,N,R,Q to 14th St east to 2nd Av, south to 7th St;
A,E,D,C,,F,V to W 4th Street(exit 8th street), east to 2nd Ave, south to 7th St

Web Site:
New York solidarity Coalition with Katrina & Rita Survivors
http://www.nykatrinarita.org/events_calendar.html

Submitted by: Brenda Stokley

Event: Violence Against Women

Event: Violence Against Women

Time: 10 AM - 1PM
Day & Date: Saturday, March 14, 2009

Location:
Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
Harlem State Office Building
163 West 125th Street | 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10025

Note: Flyer for the Event can be downloaded from the CSH Flyer Depot.

Contact:
Delta Sigma Theta 212-969-0434

Topics To Be Covered:

• Elder Abuse
• Teen Abuse
• Child Abuse
• Partner Abuse
• Campus Abuse

Sponsor:
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. | New York Alumnae Chapter

EVENT: Meltdown: The Economic Collapse and a People's Plan for Recovery

EVENT: Meltdown: The Economic Collapse and a People's Plan for Recovery

HOST & SPONSOR: New York Society for Ethical Culture, NYC
CO-SPONSORS:
The New Society for Ethical Culture,
Public Concern Foundation,
Democrats.com,
Democracy Now!

NOTE: Follow the event on Twitter if you can't make it.

COST: Free

TIME: 8 PM (Doors open at 7:25PM)
DAY & DATE: Friday, March 6, 2009

LOCATION:
New York Society for Ethical Culture
2 West 64th Street
New York City

BOOK SIGNING: Yes! Following the conversation.

BACKGROUND:
Join Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, Nation Institute Fellow and Nation columnist Naomi Klein, author and activist Barbara Ehrenreich, Black Commentator's Bill Fletcher, Jr. and Nation D.C. editor Christopher Hayes in a wide-ranging and incisive conversation as they discuss the origins on the financial collapse, debate President Obama's stimulus package and consider what form economic recovery should take to ensure a more equitable future for everyone.

The event marks the publication of Meltdown: How Greed and Corruption Shattered Our Financial System and How We Can Recover (Nation Books) by Katrina vanden Heuvel and the editors of The Nation.

Audience questions will be taken.

Mayoral Control of the New York City Schools

Event: Mayoral Control of the New York City Schools

Sponsors:

• The League of Women Voters of the City of New York and
• Association of the Bar of the City of New York

Time: 6 PM – 8 PM
Day & Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Location:
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York
42 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036

Register Online:
http://www.nycbar.org/EventsCalendar/show_event.php?eventid=1056

Contact:
Please call the League at 212-725-3541 if you have any questions.

Moderator:
MARCIA KRAMER, Chief Political Correspondent, WCBS-TV

Speakers:

• CHRISTOPHER D. CERF
  Deputy Chancellor, New York City Department of Education
• HON. CATHERINE T. NOLAN
  Member of Assembly, Chair, New York State Assembly's Committee on Education
• DIANE RAVITCH
  Research Professor of Education, New York University
  Author of The Great School Wars, a history of the New York City public schools
• JOE WILLIAMS
  Executive Director of Democrats for Education Reform
  Author of Cheating our Kids

Background:
The New York City school system has undergone a dramatic restructuring in the past few years. A key change has been direct mayoral control of the Department of Education. Supporters suggest that mayoral control is a necessary component in the improvement and reform of the New York City schools, while critics contend that there is a greater need for parental involvement and less centralized control. The legislation authorizing mayoral control expires this year and the State Legislature is considering its reenactment amid a nationwide debate regarding effective strategies for closing the achievement gap in urban schools. This forum will examine the issues and controversies concerning New York City's experience with mayoral control.