Mission
The mission of the African American Ambassadors Housing Group is to engage in a truth-finding process that both gathers and disseminates information about the history of discriminatory housing practices in Providence, the continued imbalance of power between tenants, landlords, and homeowners, and the ways in which BIPOC have been disproportionately impacted by both historical and continuing predatory practices. This information will be used to advocate for and implement more just, equitable housing policies and practices.
Objective
To be a strong voice for BIPOC members of the Providence community in advocating for city and state level equitable housing policies and practices that are data-driven and resident-oriented.
Values and Principles
1. We believe that housing is a human right. As such, housing must be affordable and accessible to all.
2. We commit to continuously centering the needs of BIPOC Providence residents. As such we believe that:
3. The cost and/or burden of a policy change should be borne by developers
4. As evidence and data are being gathered, the questions that continue to guide us should come from BIPOC residents
5. We strive to ensure discussions within the group and our partners remain action-oriented.
6. We commit to making data-driven decisions.
7. We value the efforts of other advocacy groups and seek to coordinate and collaborate.
Community Lead: Christian Potter
Group Members:
Dr. Dannie Ritchie, Dr. Adama Brown-Hathaway, Eileen Hayes, Meko Lincoln, Bernice Morris, Cris Potter, Elaina Scorpio, Justin Russillo, Sharon Morris, Heather Strother
City Staff:
Bret Jacob and Hannah Kahn
On October 6, the AAAG Housing Group, along with the City of Providence, the Tenants Network of RI, and the RI Center for Justice, hosted a Know Your Rights Workshop for tenants.
African American Ambassador Subgroups
Housing Insecurity/Eviction Defense
Internal Policy Reform
