The #ReinvestPHILLY summit took place October 9, in downtown Philadelphia.
Over 300 local leaders were joined by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Senator Vincent Hughes, and members of the Philly City Council to discuss political action to combat modern-day redlining, evictions and other forms of racial discrimination.
Here are are few of the moments we won’t forget:
We cannot begin to understand the pain and hurt caused by this type of racism. We can feel the pain of those shot, or stopped and frisked by police officers. But this is the invisible pain of being shut out of the American Dream of homeownership.
- Rev. Gregory Holston, Executive Director of Power
Why not make our own public state bank here in Pennsylvania. Big problems require BIG solutions. Don’t be afraid of the word restitution, don’t be afraid of the word reparations. Yeah I said it.
- State Senator Vincent Hughes
The work begins before November and continues far after November. It starts with communities and it starts with people. Our members are at the center of every program and policy we put forward. Simply put there is no NCRC without our members.
- Jenn Jones, Chief of Membership and Policy at NCRC
I'm tired of being a statistic. I'm tired of being studied. I know that the African American community can do something when it wants to do it and where it wants to do it. So I'm tired of building wealth to be a statistic.
- Dr. Emma C. Chappell
In the United States and in Philadelphia we may be marginalized but we are not minorities. Black and brown people are not minorities internationally, in this city, or in this room. So stop saying that word. Stop saying that word.
- Melissa Robinson
The Community Reinvestment Act is about communities, and about people. About transforming them in positive ways. It has had a tremendous impact, and it could do a lot more. I want every family to realize the opportunity that my family had.
- Jesse Van Tol, CEO of NCRC
Researchers have shown that nobody gets used to blight. When participants wearing monitors walk past vacant and abandoned spaces their heart rate and anxiety levels went up, even if it was a place they passed every day.
-Karen Black, May 8 consulting
Accessible means it should be livable but also visitable for all abilities. I should be able to show up for tea in newly built homes and no longer be stopped by stairs.
- Aiko Dorr-Dornyek, Liberty Resources.
When we can no longer look to Washington for leadership, we hold tighter to our grassroots members and their local ingenuity. To be successful, we have to organize around issues of racial and economic equity. These issues cannot and will not be solved in silos. When we collaborate locally, we discover ideas and solutions that we can take elsewhere.
- John Taylor, President of NCRC
“Nine months later, what has happened to address modern-day redlining?” asked Aaron Glantz (far left), co-author of the Reveal investigation which exposed discriminatory lending in 61 US cities. Glantz moderated a discussion on combating discrimination with leaders Council Member Kenyatta Johnson (middle), Senator Vincent Hughes (right), and Jesse Van Tol (not pictured).
In minority communities, I think we are really not understanding what female entrepreneurship can do to lift a family out of poverty. In order to build wealth you need a business plan that is profitable, replicable and scalable, if you don't have these three things it is going to be a hobby.
- Jennifer Rodriguez, Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Now that it's white people its called an opioid crisis. What used to be called crime is now called a public emergency. I am just hoping our experience will also be reframed as a crisis so we can also experience what can be done with a trillion dollars.
- Ivan Juzang, CEO, MEE Productions, Inc (not pictured).
Don’t forget to submit a comment to the Trump administration about CRA. It takes five minutes using the instructions on our #TreasureCRA website.
We have 37 days left to make our voices heard.
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Credits
Created by Jesse Meisenhelter, Katherine Mossian and Xi Rotmil
Photos: Raymond W Holman Jr Photography