Over 50 men, women, and children shared their personal stories of housing injustice
DAYTON, OH—It was an unseasonably cold and overcast day in downtown Dayton on April 23rd, but that didn’t stop 150 community members from turning out to the Dayton Metro Library to hear the personal stories of 50 men, women, and children who have experienced housing injustice. Their stories were included within the newly released book Facing Eviction and Housing Insecurity: Listening to Community Voices, and were brought to life on stage by area actors to keep the anonymity of the storytellers.
The stories shared on stage and within the book represented seven months of work between storytellers and writers who used The Facing Project model to capture their lived experiences with the goal of spreading awareness, brainstorming ideas to make affordable housing a right, and inspiring future action. The project was supported by a fellowship received by Dr. Kathy Rowell, Professor of Sociology at Sinclair College, through the American Society of Learned Communities in cooperation with The Facing Project.
Copies of the book were distributed at the event, and subsequent listening circles and discussions will be held throughout Dayton in the coming months. Additional copies are available for loan through the Dayton Metro Library or by purchase through The Facing Project Press. Proceeds support the work of The Facing Project in communities throughout the country.
Topics discussed in the book include poverty, domestic violence, discrimination, mental health, eviction, and housing as a human right. Broken into five sections, Facing Eviction and Housing Insecurity includes a detailed discussion guide and resources to increase empathy and conversations around housing justice that is applicable for any community.
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