Break the Bias

05/03/2023

You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

04/28/2023

Going to Capital hill will always be something I’ll never forget and I will always look back on and cherish because it was such a inspirational trip for me and provided me with so a lot of motivation that helps keep me confident even till this day! Seeing how the environment is in political spaces and meeting legislators in person to discuss our needs and learning how to better understand city officials and how to communicate with them gives me knowledge and provides me with the skill set I need to apply those skills to help create a better Springfield!

03/29/2023

South end 📍

03/23/2023

The National Low Income Housing Coalition hosted a forum with the Director of Federal Housing Finance
Agency Sandra Thompson, Sarah Saadian - NLIHC SVP for Public Policy and Field
Organizing and the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. department of treasury and Moises Loza - NLIHC board of directors, former executive director of the Housing Assistance Council on March 22nd, 2023 and discussed the administration's landmark Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights; how advocates can participate going forward in shaping federal renter protections; and lessons learned and major successes from the implementation of Emergency Rental Assistance and other pandemic resources. I’m extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to attend the forum with the National Homes Guarantee Coalition and other Tenant Representatives and to have stood beside other tenant led organizations across the nation, it is a huge inspiration to me to witness the unity of the tenants in the room and gives me a lot of confidence and reminds me of why we unite in the face of adversity. Wednesday was a clear show of tenant power and how if we come together and unite our voices will be heard!

03/23/2023

The National Homes Guarantee Coalition along with People Ready held a meeting with the Sandra Thompson, the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency on potentially getting rent regulations and tenant protections on single, double and multi family homes purchased with federally backed loans such as Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. During our meeting 8 different Tenants from 8 different properties that were purchased with a federally backed loan like Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac from across the nation each spoke to the Director and told them their own individual testimony and story, as our meeting progressed we expressed how it is important to listen to the needs of the tenants and how the housing market is far too inflated due to substantial and extreme market changes that have occurred in the past couple of years, that have created unfair market advantages for landlords, private investor properties and other kinds of property owners. The National Homes Guarantee Coalition were able to have the Director agree to come and visit three different properties that were purchased with federally backed loans in hopes that Sandra Thompson understands this isn’t a centralized issue but rather a National problem and that what we ask for is not radical but powerful and progressive as having tenant protections and rent regulations on property purchased with a federally backed loan can change millions of Americans lives, in the end we felt optimistic about the outcome and felt like we really connected with Sandra Thompson on various important issues, The National Homes guarantee coalition plans to continue’s to push for tenant protections and rent regulations for single, double and multi family homes purchased with federally backed loans such as F***y Mae and Freddie Mac and to continue organizing until Tenants are safely housed and protected with rent regulations and tenant protections!

03/14/2023

Are you a renter? Have you had questions or concerns about your home? Do you know who to turn to? COME AND LEARN YOUR RIGHTS AS A TENANT IN SPRINGFIELD! This workshop is free and open to all.

03/14/2023

02/14/2023

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno has boasted his 10+ years as the city’s leader as “the people’s mayor” but is the Mayor really as for the people as he claims? Campaign director for former mayoral candidate Linda O’Connell, who suspended her campaign on July 28 due to an illness, thinks Sarno has failed to represent marginalized communities of color in the city. “Unfortunately, he hasn’t really been meeting with the community as far as I know,” Smith said. “You are finding a lot of people of color who are generally disenchanted and disconnected with Springfield politics because it’s just basically the mayor in his office calling the shots and causing gridlock within the City Council and just basically being unable to use basic problem solving skills to even attempt to improve the lives of Springfield residents.” Tanisha Arena, director of Arise for Social Justice, said she does believe Sarno is a present figure in the city, but not when it comes to low income communities. “Is he present in all the communities? No. Are you present for folks who are homeless and addressing what their needs are? Are you present for our immigrant population? You’re not really for everyone in the city because if you were for everyone in the city, then the needs of poor and low income people would matter because they’re also your constituents,” she said. Some activists also pointed to issues such as affordable housing and rent control, as well as a lack of economic development for marginalized communities such as the North and South ends and Mason Square compared to the boom of investments the downtown area that have gone unaddressed during Sarno’s tenure as mayor.
Following a Sept. 10 primary, the mayoral ballot will be whittled down to two candidates for the Nov. 5 election. Tara Parrish, director and lead organizer for the Pioneer Valley Project, said although Sarno has been re-elected several times but only a fraction of the city’s residents turn up to vote for him to serve as Springfield’s political leader.

02/08/2023

President Biden delivered his second State of the Union address on Tuesday night and it was also Biden’s first State of the Union with majority Republicans in control of the House after they reclaimed control of the chamber in the 2022 election. Here are some of the key points from his speech. The last time Biden delivered a huge speech was back in September, when he delivered some engaging words in prime time about Republican efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and said that the “MAGA Republicans” posed a threat to democracy. During his speech, President Joe Biden seemed much more optimistic, however the room was still filled with tense moments and mixed reactions. And regardless of what could be an occurrence in the 2024 campaign ahead, Biden clearly made the decision to talk extensively about bipartisanship. At the start of his speech, he have a nod to both Rep Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) ascent to House speaker and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) newfound status as the longest-serving Senate leader in history. ... It wasn’t all great responses in the building, however. Biden delivered some tough lines on the upcoming debt ceiling debate, pointing to high deficits under Donald Trump and accusing Republicans of attempted hostage-taking — which drew audible protests from the crowds. Biden’s dig at Trump’s actions weren’t the only indicator of the upcoming presidential race. He also focused his speech onto blue-collar voters.
He stated “Big Oil” for reaping record profits when gas prices were at record highs, “Big Pharma” for drug prices and “Big Tech” for collecting too much personal information, especially on children. Biden also said he would prohibit companies from requiring workers to sign noncompete agreements and supporting American manufacturing and American-made products, He hailed the Junk Fee Prevention Act, which would crack down on things like airlines charging fees for families to sit together and other thingsz Biden has also touched on many of these issues prior to his speech, but you begin to see the beginnings of a 2024 stump speech.

02/08/2023

Meet Hakeem Sekou Jeffries born August 4, 1970. Hakeem Jeffries is an American politician and attorney who has been House Minority Leader and leader of the House Democratic Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2023. Jeffries is in his sixth House term, having represented New York's 8th congressional district, anchored in southern and eastern Brooklyn, since 2013 and has made history as the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress.