Oree Originol
"#SafetyIs ensuring housing for all. A crisis is booming all around the country including cities like San Francisco with increasing amounts of unsheltered individuals and others being a paycheck away from also being forced to live on the streets.
Historical disinvestment in working class communities of color has led to many neighborhoods becoming susceptible to gentrification, which has had negative impacts on the quality of life for black and brown, indigenous, disabled, immigrant, elderly, LGBTQ, and the mentally/physically disabled. Displacement has caused families to relocate to distant areas that are detached from their familiar setting and personal relationships. It has also caused others to remain and live in the streets sacrificing a basic human right for the ability to keep a job, go to school, or simply just to remain in the community.
Implementation of anti-homeless laws instead of proper housing has maintained unsafe environments in our public spaces like city parks where our children play. The criminalization of these individuals has also fueled the police killings of Luis Go'ngora Pat (SF), Charly "Africa" Lendeu Keunang (LA), Kelly Thomas (Fullerton), and countless others. We need to re-imagine safety as a basic human right that incorporates access to affordable housing for everyone. Public funds need to be reallocated from programs that are not directly related to promoting safe housing, safe education, safe nutrition, safe medical care, and safe employment for the people who currently need it the most."