A Victory for the Windom - Bey Family
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Text and photos by Julie Gelfand
These are photos from three separate gatherings at the home of Edward Lee WIndom - Bey and Mary WIndom - Bey.
On June 7, there was a rally/protest/eviction watch. Mary and Lee's backyard had become a symbol, battleground and excuse for 20 years of injustices that led to the City of Rochester foreclosing on their home. In 1994 the City had given permission to the absentee landlord next door to erect a fence which removed driveway access for the Windom - Bey home. Vehicles parked there could not be removed. This led to $30,000 in fines for code violations that were added to their real estate taxes. And that resulted in the City seizing and selling the property.
The threat:
Our response on June 7:
Mary Windom - Bey didn't look very hopeful.
The vehicles in the photos below were landlocked since 1994, and show the power of oxidation to rust and rot once useful possessions. Note the 1995 expiration date on the inspection sticker on one of the vehicles.
Yet, on June 7 came a reprieve. Assistant Mayor Darryl Porter arranged for a 10 day stay of the eviction. He came by the house and greeted Mary and Lee with hugs and handshakes:
Neighbors expressed concern for Mary and Lee, as well as their own futures in their homes:
Fast forward to June 19th. The eviction stay had expired. Much work was done by members of Take Back the Land. When the Mayor's office said that they could do nothing to stop the eviction, we challenged that idea. We cited all the injustices by the City, and promised a major media blitz. Mary and Lee were bolstered by a team who would not accept the word "impossible." After a long visit with Darryl Porter, appealing to the "good guy" he preferred to be, we all gathered on June 19th for what we thought would be the beginning of an eviction defense. Instead we were met by Mary and Lee with news. Darryl Porter had visited them a half hour earlier, and told them to move their belongings back into the house. He and Mayor Richards had spent much of the day working on and arriving at a happy solution.
And this is what victory looks like:
On June 20, Lee sits with victory.
Lee and Mary are now waiting to meet with Darryl Porter and Mayor Richards for more details.
