Rochester Housing Rights Organizers Hold Truth Commission

On November 18th 2010, SWAA (Social Welfare Action Alliance), and Rochester SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) held a Truth Commission on Housing and Homelessness at the Dugan Center, St. Mary's Church in Downtown Rochester.

Melissa Sydor- Kaufman of SWAA explains the purpose of the Truth Commission: "The Truth Commission is a model where we're hopeing to expose the truth about what's happening to people in our community and our society. The Poor and people who are struggling are made to be invisible. This evening is about giving folks voice, empowering folks, and hearing the truth."

Another Housing Rights Organizer, also of SWAA, Hubert Wilkerson underscores the importance of organizing around these issues: "I hear a baby crying in back. We have to guarantee a future for her, in a home, in a house. We're not talking about shelters, we're talking about homes. We're talking about people who may or may not have drug addictions…Everybody can be resurrected, everybody can be brought back. How do I know? Here I stand before you. I've been there, I've done that."

Rochester Indymedia produced this Video Report of the event.