In December 2012, the City of Philadelphia seized the deed of Dupree Studios and granted acquisition to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority in accordance with the Pennsylvania Eminent Domain Code. City Hall has teamed up with private developers to transform the Mantua section, including the project and development of "The Plaza", a suburban-style supermarket encompassing four full city blocks, regretfully reducing Dupree Studios to a parking lot. Sign the petition to stop this action: http://www.change.org/petitions/jannie-blackwell-michael-nutter-return-the-deed-to-property-owners-of-3617-haverford-ave-philadelphia

James Dupree is an accomplished artist, educator, and business owner.  Among the first black graduates of the University of Pennsylvania MFA program, and a recent recipient of the UPenn Black Alumni Society's Living Legend Award, he is in many ways an example of the success of Philadelphia’s art institutions in addressing the city’s underprivileged communities. jamesdupree.com 

Melinda Haring is the activism manager at the Institute for Justice (IJ), a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to defending private property rights.  IJ represented Susette Kelo and her neighbors before the U.S. Supreme Court in Kelo v. City of New London,as well as many others across the country.  Since the Kelo case, IJ has helped saved more than 16,000 properties through grassroots activism and played a role in reforming eminent domain laws in 44 states.  IJ has been working with James Dupree since late November.