Written by Elvira Mora
The first week of December was a whirlwind as we hosted special guests from Austin, TX – members of the Austin, TX City Council. Our V.I.P. guest list included Austin Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool, Council Member Zo Qadri and staff, along with representatives from both Councilor Member Chito Vela’s Office and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson’s Office.
In tandem with Boston City Councilors Enrique Pepén, Henry Santana, Sharon Durkan and their staff, we guided our guests through two walking tours in Boston and Somerville across a variety of developments, hosted a panel discussion, and attended a Boston City Council Hearing.
Our combined efforts were no small feet, literally months in the making. This collaboration perfectly captured one of the core reasons why we collectively dedicated so much time and effort: we ALL care about housing. Our shared values of expanding affordable housing options, transit-oriented development and believing in the power of people and policy shone through during our time spent together.
As a proud city kid, I understand how critically important it is to learn from others doing movement driven work within the housing sphere. My parents gave me a first hand perspective of resiliency that comes with homeownership. When my parents immigrated from Ecuador to the United States, they had the opportunity to plant roots here. The setting of my own housing story starts in a triple decker in Roslindale, a housing structure that cannot be built today. With enough savings for a down payment, they both rolled up their sleeves and got to work- creating an 1800s era building into a loving and nurturing home to raise a young family. With much love and effort, it became a home that I can still reside in 26 years later.
As a firsthand political organizer and agent for change, movement building can oftentimes be stuck in an echo chamber. I found it very refreshing meeting the Austin delegation and all the wonderful staff that have dedicated part of their lives to the betterment of their communities. It was refreshing to learn from them and gain greater knowledge about their own initiatives, challenges and how we share similar characters by different names.
The fight for more housing does not start nor stop in places like California and Texas. This is and must continue to be a nationwide movement because everyone deserves a home. The work that I do as an organizer in collaboration with many amazing advocates is a testament to our love for the city. So if you feel the same love as I and many advocates do, join us today. We need your help to make the city a better place to live, work and grow.
