Black Lives Matter Flag - Eviction
Donation protected
My name is Donavon Burton and I live in Bloomington, IL. After the killing of George Floyd in May I, like many others around the world, was appalled. I wanted to do whatever I could to advocate for African Americans and all people of color, who only wanted equality and justice. I went to protests, I called and emailed legislators demanding change and action, and I also ordered a Black Lives Matter flag to hang from my balcony.
On June 25th, my landlord, and another employee came to my apartment while I was at work and my fiance was home with our 2 month old son. He told her that we had to remove the flag because it violated our lease. After she called me to ask if I knew about it, I rushed home and contacted my landlord. He had already removed the flag himself and left, but when I called he cited a term in the lease that said nothing was allowed on the balcony at all. I told him that almost every balcony at my complex had items just like I did (grills, flower pots, chairs etc.). He told me that I wasn't going to tell him which rules to enforce. I asked him about my flowers, grill and chairs. He said that those things could stay on the balcony, but that the Black Lives Matter Flag would have to come down. I was unsatisfied with his answer and insisted that we be treated the same as the other tenants and not discriminated against.
Instead, on June 29th I was served an eviction notice. Since that time, I have had to hire my own attorney. As well as continue to pay rent. We are currently ahead on our rent, but have also been charged with fees for "breaking" the lease as well as threatened with eviction and our landlords attorneys fees.
This GoFundMe will help me and my family pay for court costs, attorney fees, moving fees associated with the eviction and other expenses that arise in our fight to hold the property rental company, First Site, accountable.
Please donate what you can. Forward this GoFundMe to everyone you know.
#BlackLivesMatter
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/illinois-man-facing-eviction-over-black-lives-matter-flag/
https://www.wglt.org/post/black-lives-matter-banner-leads-eviction-notice-bloomington-tenant#stream/0
On June 25th, my landlord, and another employee came to my apartment while I was at work and my fiance was home with our 2 month old son. He told her that we had to remove the flag because it violated our lease. After she called me to ask if I knew about it, I rushed home and contacted my landlord. He had already removed the flag himself and left, but when I called he cited a term in the lease that said nothing was allowed on the balcony at all. I told him that almost every balcony at my complex had items just like I did (grills, flower pots, chairs etc.). He told me that I wasn't going to tell him which rules to enforce. I asked him about my flowers, grill and chairs. He said that those things could stay on the balcony, but that the Black Lives Matter Flag would have to come down. I was unsatisfied with his answer and insisted that we be treated the same as the other tenants and not discriminated against.
Instead, on June 29th I was served an eviction notice. Since that time, I have had to hire my own attorney. As well as continue to pay rent. We are currently ahead on our rent, but have also been charged with fees for "breaking" the lease as well as threatened with eviction and our landlords attorneys fees.
This GoFundMe will help me and my family pay for court costs, attorney fees, moving fees associated with the eviction and other expenses that arise in our fight to hold the property rental company, First Site, accountable.
Please donate what you can. Forward this GoFundMe to everyone you know.
#BlackLivesMatter
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/illinois-man-facing-eviction-over-black-lives-matter-flag/
https://www.wglt.org/post/black-lives-matter-banner-leads-eviction-notice-bloomington-tenant#stream/0
Organizer
Donavon Burton
Organizer
Bloomington, IL