Fighting to Win in East Harlem and Beyond

by RJ Maccani, NarcoNews (reposted)

Thu, Jun 21, 2007 4:56PM

Thursday, June 21, 2007 “For Movement for Justice in El Barrio, the struggle for justice means fighting for the liberation of women, lesbians, people of color, gays and the transgender community. We all share a common enemy and its called neoliberalism. Neoliberalism wishes to divide us and keep us from combining our forces. We will defeat this by continuing to unite our entire community until we achieve true liberation for all.” — Victor Caletre, Movement for Justice in El Barrio

D.R. 2007 MJB Movement for Justice in El Barrio (MJB), an East Harlem-based organization composed primarily of Mexican immigrants, has been fighting gentrification in Manhattan’s “last frontier” for nearly three years now. Now 300 members strong, MJB has already made its mark on El Barrio and has begun stepping out beyond its borders to broaden the struggle. On the eve of their crucial participation at the first ever United States Social Forum, it’s time to catch up with MJB .

“Best Power-to-the-People Movement”

Their biggest victory to date, this past winter MJB members forced Steve Kessner, a multi-millionaire who owned 47 buildings in El Barrio, to sell and move out of the neighborhood. “Kessner wanted to displace immigrant families from our homes, but we instead kicked Kessner out of El Barrio,” explains member Ana Laura Merino. “We learned that if we’re united and fight together, we can win.”

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For more information: http://www.narconews.com/Issue46/article27...

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