Description: In the last episode of Resist & Reimagine, the Storytellers reflect on their experience working on the podcast and highlight their favorite moments. They also discuss what would it look like for working-class people to re-imagine and build their homes and their communities. We want to thank all our FTC tenant leaders for building a path for our youth to continue to fight for our rights.  We want to especially thank HazelAnn Baker (Astra’s mother!), Redoneva Andrews, N’Jelle Murphy, Lorraine Delmore, and Ruth Riddick for taking the time to have this conversation with our Storytellers in this episode.

References:

1. Samuel Stein (2019). Capital City: Gentrification and the Real Estate State 

Producer/Editor: Sarah Guillet.
Project coordinators: Sarah Guillet & Krysten Washington.
Audio Engineer: SoulMarcos Production

Thanks for listening! If you have housing questions or want to organize a tenant association in your building, you can contact Flatbush Tenant Coalition:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @flatbushpower
facebook.com/ FlatbushTenantCoalition

What happens when land is taken away from the commons?  In this episode, the Storytellers explore international fights against the privatization of land. They speak about Winnefred Beach in Jamaica, tourism development on rural land in Haiti, and the Landless Workers Movement (MST) in Brazil.
Hosts: Latisha and Astra

References:

1. ActionAid USA (February 27, 2015).  Building Back Better? The Caracol Industrial Park and post-earthquake aid to Haiti. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X48q6BfMnr8 
2. Dady Chery  (March 1, 2014).  Land Grab at Ile-a-Vache: Haiti’s Peasants Fight Back,” News Junkie Post, March 1. Retrieved March 24, 2018. Retrieved from http://newsjunkiepost.com/2014/03/01/land-grab-at-ile-a-vache-haitis-peasants-fight-back/  
3. Jessica Hsu and Jean-Claude Aristil (July 25, 2014). Retrieved from The Haitian Times. https://haitiantimes.com/2014/07/25/haiti-tourism-development-on-ile-a-vache-island-reconstruction-or-another-disaster/ 
4. David Harvey (2003). The New Imperialism 
5. Shawna-Kaye Lester (August 16, 2017). How Winnifred Beach was Won  Retrieved from https://explorepartsunknown.com/jamaica/how-winnifred-beach-was-won/ 
6. Reggae in the Ruff (June 2, 2012). Winnifred Beach, Portland Jamaica. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFSmaN7iMDw 
7. Friends of the MST. (2018). What is the MST? Friends of the MST. Retrieved from http://www.mstbrazil.org

Producer/Editor: Sarah Guillet.
Project coordinators: Sarah Guillet & Krysten Washington.
Audio Engineer: SoulMarcos Production

Thanks for listening! If you have housing questions or want to organize a tenant association in your building, you can contact Flatbush Tenant Coalition:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @flatbushpower
facebook.com/ FlatbushTenantCoalition

In this episode, the Storytellers take a look at the issues of the NYC shelter system, the policing and criminalization of poor and unhoused people, and the policies that keep them homeless. 

Hosts: Astra, Fatumata, Ivory, and Teanna

References:

1. Citizens Budget Commission (March 18, 2022). Six Facts about the NYPD’s Preliminary FY2023 Budget. Retrieved from https://cbcny.org/research/six-fast-facts-about-nypds-preliminary-fy2023-budget  
2. Currents News (March 30, 2022). NYC Mayor Eric Adam’s Plan to Tackle Homelessness Includes Removing Encampments.  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb9_ubgzVLw 
3. Jeanmarie Everlly and David Brand (June 14, 2022). Here’s How NYC’s $101 Billion Dollar Budget Addresses Homelessness. Retrieved from CityLimits https://citylimits.org/2022/06/14/heres-how-nycs-101-billion-budget-addresses-homelessness/#:~:text=The%20budget%20reduces%20spending%20for,in%20federal%20COVID%2Drelated%20funding. 
4. Guillet, Sarah (May 2018). No Admittance to Paradise: When Haitians Lose their Land to Tourism Development
5. Fox 5 New York (April 6, 2022). Homeless Encampments Sweep in East Village Ends in Arrests. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaHjk_UlLD4 
6. Fusion (August 9, 2016). Hundreds of Brazilian Evicted for the Rio 2016 Olympics. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk8SqeqEvaE 
7. Number of Homeless People in NYC Shelter each Night. Retrieved from Coalition for the Homeless https://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/facts-about-homelessness/ 
8. Suhail Bhat and Josefa Velasquez (January 30, 2022). Three and Four Family Shelter Applications Rejected in 2021.  Retrieved from The City https://www.thecity.nyc/2022/1/30/22909663/family-shelter-applications-rejected 
9. The Real Deal (March 8, 2021). Manhattan Landlords Warehousing Unites in Down Market. Retrieved from https://therealdeal.com/2021/03/08/manhattan-landlords-warehousing-units-in-down-market/ 
10. The tweet referenced at minute 32:38 is by @TheCosby  

Producer/Editor: Sarah Guillet.
Project coordinators: Sarah Guillet & Krysten Washington.
Audio Engineer: SoulMarcos Production

Thanks for listening! If you have housing questions or want to organize a tenant association in your building, you can contact Flatbush Tenant Coalition:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @flatbushpower
facebook.com/ FlatbushTenantCoalition

In this episode, the Storytellers tell the story of the late Ms. Noel–an octogenarian tenant who fought fiercely against her eviction with the support of the Flatbush Tenant Coalition.  Astra shares her story of growing up without heat and hot water as a child. Ruth Riddick, tenant leader and steering committee member of FTC, joins as guest. Hosts: Astra, Denaesja, Fatumata

References:

1. Greg David and Rachel Holiday Smith (June 21, 2022) Retrieved from The City https://www.thecity.nyc/housing/2022/6/21/23177932/rent-guidelines-board-increase 
2. NYC Rent Guidelines Board (2021-2022) https://rentguidelinesboard.cityofnewyork.us/2021-22-apartment-loft-order-53/ 
3. NYC Rent Guidelines Board (2022-2023) https://rentguidelinesboard.cityofnewyork.us/2022-23-apartment-loft-order-54/ 
4. Paul Stremple (November 13, 2017). Flatbush Community Gathers to Protest Eviction of Octogenarian Tenant. Retrieved from Bklyner. https://bklyner.com/flatbush-community-gathers-to-protest-eviction-of-octogenarian-tenant/ 

Producer/Editor: Sarah Guillet.
Project coordinators: Sarah Guillet & Krysten Washington.
Audio Engineer: SoulMarcos Production

Thanks for listening! If you have housing questions or want to organize a tenant association in your building, you can contact Flatbush Tenant Coalition:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @flatbushpower
facebook.com/ FlatbushTenantCoalition

In this episode, the Storytellers reflect on the housing crisis at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. They go over NYC’s tenant campaigns to #cancelrent, stop evictions, and house the homeless and question the ethics of our existing housing structure.
Hosts: Astra, Briana, Denaesja, Fatumata, and Ivory
FTC Tenant Leaders heard in this episode: Redoneva Andrews, Paulette James

References:

1. Housing Court Must Change Our Demands During COVID-19 and Beyond Right to Counsel.  Retrieved from Right to Counsel NYC https://www.righttocounselnyc.org/housing_court_demands_covid 
2. Organizing Response to COVID-19. Retrieved from Right to Counsel NYC https://www.righttocounselnyc.org/organizing_covid19 
3. Frequently Asked Questions about the Campaign to Cancel Rent. Retrieved from Right to Counsell NYC Coalition https://www.righttocounselnyc.org/faq_about_cancel_rent 
4. Our Campaign to #HouseNY. Housing Justice for All. Retrieved from Housing Justice for All  https://housingjusticeforall.org/our-platform/ 

Producer/Editor: Sarah Guillet.
Project coordinators: Sarah Guillet & Krysten Washington.
Audio Engineer: SoulMarcos Production

Thanks for listening! If you have housing questions or want to organize a tenant association in your building, you can contact Flatbush Tenant Coalition:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @flatbushpower
facebook.com/ FlatbushTenantCoalition

Resist & Reimagine is a youth-led podcast on the fight for housing rights, land rights, and how we organize to win—hosted by: Astra, Briana, Denaesja, Fatumata, Ivory, Latisha, and Teanna.


Resist & Re-Imagine is brought to you by the Flatbush Tenant Coalition. The Flatbush Tenant Coalition is a member-led group of tenant associations in Flatbush, East Flatbush, and South Crown Heights working collectively to build tenant power. We educate tenants about their rights and how to organize for change. We organize and support tenant associations and develop tenant leaders. We take united action in campaigns to strengthen tenant rights in New York City and across the state. Working together to build tenant power, we help create a more just and equitable society.

Producer/Editor: Sarah Guillet.
Project coordinators: Sarah Guillet & Krysten Washington.
Audio Engineer: SoulMarcos Production

Thanks for listening! If you have housing questions or want to organize a tenant association in your building, you can contact Flatbush Tenant Coalition:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @flatbushpower
facebook.com/ FlatbushTenantCoalition

An introduction to the FTC Youth Storytellers and their Summer Storytelling project journey .

Resist & Re-Imagine is brought to you by the Flatbush Tenant Coalition. The Flatbush Tenant Coalition is a member-led group of tenant associations in Flatbush, East Flatbush, and South Crown Heights working collectively to build tenant power. We educate tenants about their rights and how to organize for change. We organize and support tenant associations and develop tenant leaders. We take united action in campaigns to strengthen tenant rights in New York City and across the state. Working together to build tenant power, we help create a more just and equitable society.”

Producer/Editor: Sarah Guillet.
Project coordinators: Sarah Guillet & Krysten Washington.
Audio Engineer: SoulMarcos Production

Thanks for listening! If you have housing questions or want to organize a tenant association in your building, you can contact Flatbush Tenant Coalition:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @flatbushpower
facebook.com/ FlatbushTenantCoalition