A call to action: Black home ownership in Madison
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Vanessa McDowell, CEO of the YWCA, spoke at the "Finishing the Work" Protest on June 7. She put out a call to white co-conspirators to transfer wealth to the black community to increase black home ownership in Madison. It is time to answer that call and that is what this Go Fund Me aims to do.
As many of you know, home ownership is one of the major ways of building wealth and not only wealth for oneself, but for the next generation. History shows that black people were not afforded these same opportunities of building wealth as their white counterparts. From times of slavery up until now, land was stolen, policies were created to keep black people from getting mortgages, redlining was created to keep black people in certain areas, and down payments are so high that it makes home ownership almost impossible for the black community today.
I know that when I bought my first house, it was my in-laws who helped with the down-payment. I know that is true for many white families, generational wealth is passed down. I also know that black families have been robbed of wealth for centuries and used to create wealth for whites. It is time to repair the harm that we have created and use the benefits we've received simply by being born white. It is time to look at our spending and say we have enough. And then give.
I am working with a black small business who has a mission of black home/property ownership and in particular south Madison in an effort to prevent gentrification. This LLC is the beneficiary of this Go Fund Me. We have chosen to keep this organization anonymous because of the racism they have experienced in Madison. The money collected will go towards the down payment for black owned homes and property. Now is the time to take a stand. I hear many white people saying they want to do something. This is it. This is what we need to do; transfer dollars/wealth to the black community for black home ownership here in Madison with no strings attached. This Go Fund Me is for $40,000.00 which is just the minimum for one house. We can do some much more. This is only the beginning on the road to equal property ownership in Madison. Please Join.
Laurel Ravelo
Madison, WI
* An excellent article if you want to read more on disparities in home ownership (https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/the-black-white-employment-gap-has-closed-but-the-homeownership-gap-has-not-heres-why/2018/07/06/1c6943dc-7ef6-11e8-b0ef-fffcabeff946_story.html) and another article specifically about Madison , which gives the rate of black home ownership in Madison at an alarmingly low rate of 10%(https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2020-02-27/housing-homelessness/report-wi-among-worst-states-for-black-home-ownership/a69373-1). Finally, a video, Ta-Nehisi Coates on The Case for Reparations (https://youtu.be/FudYZTM4ens), starts with some examples of historical racism and home ownership for black families.
*Good news, we already have a donation of $5000.00!
As many of you know, home ownership is one of the major ways of building wealth and not only wealth for oneself, but for the next generation. History shows that black people were not afforded these same opportunities of building wealth as their white counterparts. From times of slavery up until now, land was stolen, policies were created to keep black people from getting mortgages, redlining was created to keep black people in certain areas, and down payments are so high that it makes home ownership almost impossible for the black community today.
I know that when I bought my first house, it was my in-laws who helped with the down-payment. I know that is true for many white families, generational wealth is passed down. I also know that black families have been robbed of wealth for centuries and used to create wealth for whites. It is time to repair the harm that we have created and use the benefits we've received simply by being born white. It is time to look at our spending and say we have enough. And then give.
I am working with a black small business who has a mission of black home/property ownership and in particular south Madison in an effort to prevent gentrification. This LLC is the beneficiary of this Go Fund Me. We have chosen to keep this organization anonymous because of the racism they have experienced in Madison. The money collected will go towards the down payment for black owned homes and property. Now is the time to take a stand. I hear many white people saying they want to do something. This is it. This is what we need to do; transfer dollars/wealth to the black community for black home ownership here in Madison with no strings attached. This Go Fund Me is for $40,000.00 which is just the minimum for one house. We can do some much more. This is only the beginning on the road to equal property ownership in Madison. Please Join.
Laurel Ravelo
Madison, WI
* An excellent article if you want to read more on disparities in home ownership (https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/the-black-white-employment-gap-has-closed-but-the-homeownership-gap-has-not-heres-why/2018/07/06/1c6943dc-7ef6-11e8-b0ef-fffcabeff946_story.html) and another article specifically about Madison , which gives the rate of black home ownership in Madison at an alarmingly low rate of 10%(https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2020-02-27/housing-homelessness/report-wi-among-worst-states-for-black-home-ownership/a69373-1). Finally, a video, Ta-Nehisi Coates on The Case for Reparations (https://youtu.be/FudYZTM4ens), starts with some examples of historical racism and home ownership for black families.
*Good news, we already have a donation of $5000.00!
Organizer and beneficiary
Laurel Ravelo
Organizer
Madison, WI
Vanessa McDowell
Beneficiary
