Workforce Housing for Organizers: Building a Sustainable Model of Community Organizing in the Black Community Logo
  • Workforce Housing for Organizers: Building a Sustainable Model of Community Organizing in the Black Community

  • Community Movement Builders is developing a site-based model for sustainable development and community organizing in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Atlanta, a historic Black working and underclass community established by formerly enslaved Africans in 1883. Our community houses serve as a hub for organizing neighborhood campaigns tailored to residents' needs, aiming to amplify their political power. Our programs emphasize youth development and organizing while showcasing the connections between urban agriculture, micro-cooperative business development, and the creation of sustainable communities. Through our deep understanding of the community, we aim to harness its collective power and support efforts to resist gentrification and foster a healthy, thriving Black community. 

    We are seeking organizers who are interested in living and working in the southwest area of Atlanta, where they will reside for a minimum of one year. Currently, we offer reduced rent of $250 per month. Utilities are the responsibility of the tenant organizers. We anticipate that these individuals will have external employment to support themselves, therefore we are requiring a minimum of 10 hours a week of dedicated organizing time as part of the cohort. There is a strong possibility we will be able to give each organizer a $1,000 stipend per month for a year. If that happens, we will require 20 hours a week of dedicated organizing/meeting time.

    Organizers will engage in political education courses and organizing training as part of the cohort. Additionally, under supervision, they will contribute to developing organizing strategies and programming tactics. They will then collectively with support and supervision begin implementing an organizing strategy. Organizers will also participate in supporting CMB city wide organizing when needed.

    *** We hope those selected will continue to live in the homes after the official cohort period. However, since we can only guarantee reduced rent, we understand if their living situations change and they are unable to commit to an extended period beyond the year.

    We expect that our programming and organizing efforts will provide a gateway to engage with the larger Black community on critical issues, empowering them to fight for control and usage over local resources, land/properties and policies. In the long term, this work will bring CMB closer to achieving our ultimate vision for Pittsburgh: a community where indigenous residents benefit from a stable network of integrated cooperative businesses led by neighborhood innovators; a safe, attractive, and youth-supportive environment; a food oasis supported by sustainable agriculture that promotes healthy lifestyles; and the development of political power through people’s assemblies that advocate for policy change. 

    Criteria for Participation

    Prospective residents: 

    • must be African/Black
    • must be or become members of Community Movement Builders
    • must be 21 or older
    • must be eager to live with, learn from, and share with people from different backgrounds
    • must be knowledgeable of the Black liberation struggle
    • must share a genuine interest in building unity
    • must commit to fully participate in the entire program
    • must demonstrate discipline, and an aptitude for collective work and study.
    • must work well with others, must be willing to take direction, to work through disagreements, disputes, and differences of opinion

    Requirements for Participation 

    • Ability to pay approximately $250/month in rent not including utilities
    • Willing to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours a week to community organizing
    • Participate in monthly activities including but not limited to general body meetings, committee meetings, political education, and more

    For any questions email: info@communitymovementbuilders.org ; subject line: CMB Workforce Housing 

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  • Cover Letter

    Prompt One

    The Pittsburgh community in Atlanta remains a food desert with few resources being targeted to support the current community. Despite this, or now because of it, Pittsburgh being targeted by real-estate development (read gentrification) that could break the community apart over the next five years. One of the Community Movement Builders' campaigns is anti-gentrification. What is gentrification? What are the tactics used to carry out gentrification? What is the impact on the community being targeted by gentrification? What are some general ideas, strategies, or tactics that you as an organizer (with the support of organizers) would use to combat gentrification in general, in the Pittsburgh Community in particular, and build people's power? 

    Prompt Two
    The #StopCopCity Movement has taken the national stage with “Cop Cities” sprouting everywhere and organizers being radicalized and repressed in kind. One of the Community Movement Builders campaigns is Ending Police Violence. What is the historical relationship of the police and Black/African people? How has police violence been used to control Black/African people? What is the purpose for building a “Cop City” in Atlanta? What are some general ideas, strategies, or tactics that you as an organizer (with the support of organizers) would use to end police violence and build people power?

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