Affordable housing advocates around the country are planning for Our Homes, Our Voices National Housing Week of Action (May 30-June 5) with an array of events and activities - rallies, congressional call-in days, voter-registration drives, press conferences, teach-ins, meetings with elected officials, affordable housing site visits with members of Congress, and others – to urge Congress to invest in solutions to homelessness and housing poverty in America. Begin planning your event or activity today! Let us know about it and we’ll list it on the Our Homes, Our Voices website.
There are many types of Week of Action events and activities. They can be small or large – every action makes a difference! The Our Homes, Our Voices webpage provides “how-to” instructions for planning and executing an array of different events and activities.
Film screenings are an excellent Week of Action activity. Consider hosting a film screening on the issues of homelessness or housing inequality, followed by a discussion of how the issues explored resonate in your community and what solutions should be pursued. A film screening can be a relatively modest event to organize because much of the content is already provided. For Week of Action 2019, Our Homes, Our Voices is partnering with two filmmakers of documentaries soon to be released:
The Invisible Class: The Story of Homelessness in America is a film by Josh Hayes on the problems faced by people experiencing homelessness and the history behind the rise of modern homelessness. The film features personal stories and analysis from people with lived experience, shelter providers, advocates, and academics. Viewers learn about the devastating impacts of lost housing assistance, stagnant wages, and the increased criminalization of homelessness.
The Invisible Class runs 89 minutes, and it can be made available for screening events free of charge. Contact Week of Action organizers at [email protected] to be connected to the filmmakers. Watch a trailer of The Invisible Class at: https://www.theinvisibleclass.com/
Owned: A Tale of Two Americas is a documentary by Giorgio Angelini that details the policy decisions that resulted in systemic housing segregation and neighborhood inequality throughout America. The film explores the racist roots of American housing policy and details the choices that led to widespread commoditization of housing and the economic collapse of 2008.
Owned runs 83 minutes. Advocates planning film screenings can pre-purchase the film for their event at the low cost of $10. Get in touch with Week of Action organizers at [email protected] to connect with the filmmakers. Watch a trailer of Owned at: http://www.ownedfilm.com/trailer
Other new resources for your Week of Action planning are being uploaded to the Our Homes, Our Voices website on an ongoing basis, including:
- A sample call-in script for groups hosting grassroots action events.
- A template letter to invite members of Congress to attend site visits or in-district meetings.
- An updated PowerPoint slide presentation that can be modified for teach-in events.
Visit https://www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/ and get started today!