Thanks to the neighbors, small businesses, Elected officials, local community based organizations and farther afield organizations who worked to make this day happen.
We want to thank in particular University Settlement House and Melissa Aase and her amazing staff for pulling the press conference together.
What a great way to spend the morning/afternoon.
Thanks to everyone for every single thing you did that we know about and for the very many we don’t.
Thank you for every single pressing personal issue you put aside to help make this happen.
Reporters came from Gothamist, NY Post, Daily News, DNAinfo, Village Voice, Villager, WNYC, Epoch Times, and our favorite… The Lo-Down.…Politico is following up.
The elected officials were better than ever: Margaret Chin and Daniel Squadron were with us. Gale Brewer’s Deputy came in support. Bob Humber and Rhonda from Roni-Sue’s Chocolates spoke eloquently, personally with compassion and smarts.
Melissa hosted with a vengeance – her opening remarks were brilliant and to the point.
We had detail-fixers, tweeters, speakers, table-movers, moviemakers, organizers, experts, electeds and their hard working staffers, our beloved and passionate community members, community board reps, tech supporters, errand runners, petition signers – and petition outreachers, water bearers, advisors, sign-makers, flyer -putter-uppers, designers, greeters, press wranglers, former staffers of Rivington House, witnesses, strategists, researchers, email writers, family of RH residents and investigative reporters.
No job was beneath us or above us. It was collective effort at its best.
The Settlement Houses local and city-wide, Hand in Hand, GOLES, CAAAV, ACT-Up, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, National Domestic Workers Alliance, M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden, Educational Alliance, 10 Stanton Street, members of BRC Nutrition Center, Sara Roosevelt Park Coalition Members were with us….VOCAL -NY said they’d push our petition…just heard from GMHC…and more on the way…
We’ve already helped to press for tougher and transparent reforms to protect communities from the next Rivington Houses and we’ve helped block the sale of two nursing homes that would have fallen to the same tactics. We have opened up a window for transparency and accountability.
1528 signatures and more networks asking members to sign.
And my new favorite ‘hope quote’ from Jesse Williams “A system built to divide, and impoverish, and destroy us cannot stand – if we do”
articles thus far:
Village Voice by Alexandria Neason
Gothamist by Emma Whitford
Daily News by Mary McDonnell and Erin Durkin
Not able to make the Press Conference but asking the right questions:
Politico by Susan Goldenberg (the city-commissioned report referred to is the one the Mayor asked for himself).
Real Deal video of the entire history Alistair Gardiner
NY Post by Michael Gartland
Bowery Boogie by Elie
Epoch Times by Sarah Lu (in Chinese)
And the Lo-Down continues its investigative reporting and posts all news of Rivington House
Neighbors to Save Rivington House
Twitter #CareNotCondos #RivingtonHouse