STOP GENTRIFICATION - Elder Eddie’s Home &TheLRoom

Ed Swan, affectionately known as Eddie, is a friend, ally, activist, and the newest of many on a long list of people experiencing the effects of gentrification in the U.S. The current owners of the home Eddie rents have decided to end her lease and sell the home. Due to the lack of affordable housing and the importance of TheLRoom’s presence in the community, Eddie is raising the funds to buy the house so she can stay, and we want her to stay!

ABOUT Elder Eddie:

Eddie is known for relentlessly fighting for women, LGBTQ, and other social justice causes.

Her list of accomplishments is long, and spans over 50 years:

- Marched in The Poor People’s March in 1968

- Founder of Ms. Print Plus - the first woman owned full service print shop in Queens, NY.

- NY Regional Director for Muhammad Ali snack foods

- Civil Rights Guest Speaker at Columbia University School of Law

- Distributed African American products to NYC Board of Education, The Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, NYC Library System, and more

- Designed Black Lives Matter merchandise

- Co-founder and Publisher for SheBiz® - a magazine for women business owners.

- Active member of Southerners On New Ground (SONG)

- Donated to Katrina survivors, the Trayvon Martin Foundation (with whom she shares a Feb 5th birthday), the George Floyd Foundation and numerous other organizations.

- Founder of Motherland Organics - producing and distributing organic beverages like the Turmeric Ginger Lemonade

- Founder of TheLRoom, located in her home; where all who identify as women gather to de-stress, listen to speakers, host workshops, share meals and have deep conversations.

20 years ago, Eddie left NY and moved to Durham, NC where she has become an inspiring, powerful contributor not only in the community, but nationwide. From donating countless hours and resources to social justice causes to hosting community meetings at TheLRoom. Eddie believes that self care is revolutionary, and TheLRoom is a testament to that.

About TheLRoom:

In TheLRoom, which has given comfort to hundreds of women, every room is curated with displays of black culture, art and iconic historical moments. Anyone who has been to this thoughtful home knows how special it is and how important it is to preserve it. Following in the footsteps of a long line of entrepreneurs and change-makers in Durham and beyond, Eddie is committed to continuing to create space for all who identify as women in her home. The current owners of the home Eddie rents have decided to end the lease and sell the home. Due to the lack of affordable housing and the importance of TheLRoom’s presence in the community, Eddie is raising the funds to buy the house so she can stay, and we want her to stay!

About The Fundraiser:

This November, Eddie began Phase 1 of the fundraising efforts with Community Funding and with that, we’ve been able to raise $50,000. The community has shown up in such powerful ways - from hosting events for Eddie, to visiting TheLRoom to purchase items from Eddie’s unique collection of art, vinyls, books, and more.

Now, we are implementing Phase 2 of the campaign: Crowdfunding. By using GoFundMe, we can tell Eddie’s story on a larger, national-scale, and collect the remaining funds necessary to purchase Eddie’s home and secure TheLRooms legacy forever.

The value of the home is $300,000, so we are starting our GoFundMe campaign at $75,000 which would cover down payment and other expenses. Of course, we would love to pay the home in full so TheLRoom can exist continuously without worry. All support from the community is appreciated.

Let’s show Eddie some big love and gratitude by donating funds and spreading the story. After decades of living and renting in Durham, it is time to make Eddie a permanent resident.