Greetings:
Take Back the Land cordially invites you to attend a rally in commemoration of the one year anniversary of the founding of the Umoja Village Shantytown. The rally starts at 6:00pm on Tuesday, October 23, 2007, on the corner of 15th Ave. and NW 62nd Terr., in the Liberty City section of Miami, FL.
On October 23, 2006, Take Back the Land seized control over public land on the corner of 62nd St. and NW 17th Ave. in Liberty City, building the Umoja Village Shantytown, providing housing for as many as 53 otherwise homeless people at one time, and close to 150 people in all. Residents of the Village did not live in opulence, but they did live in dignity, with their own shanties and running the village themselves in a direct democracy. The Village survived numerous attempts by government officials to shut it down.
On April 26, 2007, just three days after its six month anniversary celebration, the Umoja Village burned to the ground in a suspicious fire. While the physical structures burned, the Umoja- Swahili for 'Unity'- we built cannot be destroyed.
The crisis of gentrification and housing which spurred the creation of the Village rages on today. During the rally, Take Back the Land will announce future plans to address the crisis. The event will include food, music and speakers from numerous organizations. We are also accepting donations for our political work and for the former residents of Umoja Village.
forward,
Max Rameau
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