Disrupting Displacement: Art Vs Gentrification Grant
When I travel people always ask what kind of art scene is in Dallas? It's hard not to wonder with the news that comes out of our state and my hometown. For the past few years I've been seeking out and working with folks who are being the change and making Dallas a beautiful place.
Back in March 2018, two community leaders I respect, nationally recognized artist Vicki Meek and literary arts activist Edyka Chilomé, organized Disrupting Displacement: Arts Vs. Gentrification.
They brought together artists from Dallas and key organizations addressing the housing crisis in Dallas, such as CitySquare and The Texas Tenants Union.
Meek and Chilomé invited artist Betty Yu a Chinatown based arts activist who has years of organizing around housing justice to share strategies of compelling community art actions for tenant justice.
Together with Alternate ROOTS, they utilized and crafted a planning grant particularly for artists of color who were born and raised in areas of the city allotted for “revitalization”.
I am honored to be a part of this planning grant alongside Montoya Williams representing Pleasant Grove.
>> Read more from Edyka Chilomé on the AlternateRoots website.
Art by Nico Avina via Mi Barrio No Se Vende - My Hood Is Not For Sale