Over 300 people joined AVLF Tuesday, September 19, for a screening of the documentary Class Divide and a thought-provoking discussion about how gentrification and affordable housing in Atlanta affect children’s ability to learn.
We were joined by affordable housing advocate and BeltLine founder Ryan Gravel and Atlanta Public Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Meria Carstarphen. They both spoke passionately about the problems facing our neighborhoods and how those issues impact students, parents, and by extension, entire communities.
Class Divide is an intimate portrait of the widening divide between the “haves” and “have nots” in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. The social and income inequality between those living in the Elliott-Chelsea public-housing projects and those who are new to the neighborhood has been fueled in large part by the development of the High Line.
Check out what people had to say about the film and discussion below.
"Parents said 'I have to put my kids on a bus in the morning, but I have no idea where they're waking up in the morning.'" @CarstarphenMJ
— AVLF (@supportAVLF) September 20, 2017
Issues like affordable housing, intergenerational poverty, & displacement impact education. #startswithcare #missionfocused #avlfclassdivide pic.twitter.com/5G6l89pgyI
— APS Sonya Hunte (@APSSHunte) September 20, 2017
#Accountability across silos is key to create equitable #development & fight #gentrification according to @CarstarphenMJ. #avlfclassdivide
— Lara Wagner (@larawagneratl) September 20, 2017
If you want to help a student, you have to help the whole family. #avlfclassdivide
— Folami Prescott-Adams (@drfolami) September 20, 2017
"Get involved in your neighborhood association. Every neighborhood has an NPU. Not every city has this." @ryangravel #avlfclassdivide
— AVLF (@supportAVLF) September 20, 2017
We have to invest in what we know works w/housing + education. Keep our kids in school. Keep our communities stable. #avlfclassdivide
— The Effiong Firm LLC (@TheEffiongFirm) September 20, 2017
Listening to Dr. C talk about gentrification & injustice feels like going to church. Amazing job ?? #avlfclassdivide @CarstarphenMJ https://t.co/ZOEIbZpBIa
— Clara Totenberg Green (@ClaraTGreen) September 20, 2017
"#Gentrification is not inevitable, it happens because we let it." @ryangravel is speaking truth to power tonight at #avlfclassdivide!
— Lara Wagner (@larawagneratl) September 20, 2017
@CarstarphenMJ: The stronger we are together, the more we can influence. @supportAVLF #avlfnightatthemovies #apsclassdivide pic.twitter.com/fmUTiHbWMQ
— APS Partnerships (@APSPartnerships) September 20, 2017
Moving low-income families over night has huge ramifications for students, families, schools, and communities. #avlfclassdivide
— The Effiong Firm LLC (@TheEffiongFirm) September 20, 2017
The problem is not that we don't know want to do. The problem is we're not doing it. Ryan Gravel #avlfclassdivide
— Folami Prescott-Adams (@drfolami) September 20, 2017
"In the city of Atlanta, you basically can't work your way out of poverty." –@CarstarphenMJ #avlfclassdivide
— AVLF (@supportAVLF) September 20, 2017
According to @CarstarphenMJ, low income #housing has come crashing into education. Glad @supportAVLF swooped in to help! #avlfclassdivide
— Lara Wagner (@larawagneratl) September 20, 2017
"What we need to do is speak up. We need to speak up for the city we want." – @ryangravel #affordablehousing #avlfclassdivide #atlanta
— AVLF (@supportAVLF) September 20, 2017
APS was in the building 2nite! #avlfclassdivide pic.twitter.com/afJYJ8S3pt
— APS Sonya Hunte (@APSSHunte) September 20, 2017
Want more of this conversation? Check out #avlfclassdivide on Twitter, and let us know your thoughts about these important issues.
If you would like to know how you can get more involved, take a moment to check out our resource guide. We will continue to update this guide, so feel free to email us if there is something we missed.
We are grateful to event sponsors Taylor English and Daily Report, without whom the evening would not have been possible.
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