The South Bronx is Burning

In the 1970s, the Bronx was on fire. Abandoned by city government, nearly a half-million people were displaced as their close-knit, multi-ethnic neighborhood burned to the ground. While insidious government policies caused the devastation, Black and Puerto Rican residents bore the blame. Now, Bronx-born Vivian Vázquez Irizarry exposes the truth about the borough’s untold history and reveals how her community chose to resist, remain, and rebuild.

Defending Your Block:
How to Stay, Fight and Build

The latest from the DECADE OF FIRE team:

“Defending your Block” delves deeper into the practice Bronx activist Hetty Fox describes as “Block Defense,” and relates it to two different communities successfully holding their ground against aggressive real estate development, displacement, and gentrification in the cities of Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

Read the article at citylimits.org.

The Story We Need Now

Communities across the United States face a growing crisis of displacement and homelessness. DECADE OF FIRE is partnering with grassroots organizations who are building tenant power and fighting for the right to live with dignity in our nation’s cities. Each screening will be followed by a dialogue, highlighting local leadership and concrete ways people can become involved in housing justice and anti-displacement struggles where they live.

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Photo © 1980 Perla de Leon

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