Fair Housing Action Center at Work
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Featured Speakers and Panelists
Keynote Speaker: Melissa Harris-Lacewell
Melissa Harris-Lacewell is Associate Professor of Politics and African American Studies at Princeton University. She received her B.A. in English from Wake Forest University, her Ph.D. in political science from Duke University and an honorary doctorate from Meadville Lombard Theological School. She is also a student at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
She is author Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought, (Princeton 2004). Professor Harris-Lacewell's writings have been published in the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Crain's Chicago Business and New York Newsday. She has provided expert commentary on U.S. elections, racial issues, religious questions and gender issues for the New York Times, Boston Globe, CNN, NBC, Fox, Public Television, Showtime, Black Enterprise, National Public Radio and many other radio and print sources around the country.
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Panelist: Luz M. Molina
Professor Molina first joined the clinical faculty in December 1981 for one year, permanently returning in 1990. She has spent a large part of her practicing years serving the needs of poverty-stricken individuals in the areas of domestic law, children in need of care proceedings, civil rights under Title VII and 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and immigration law. Prior to teaching, she practiced law with a non-profit legal services organization in the areas of public benefits and immigration law, with an emphasis on the right of refugees to asylum and withholding of deportation. She currently works with student practitioners in a labor and employment law practice as part of her Workplace Justice Project. These efforts are assisted by the generous support of the Southern Poverty Law Center. She also directs the Extern Program, and serves as the faculty responsible for their placement, supervision and instruction.
She is involved in various efforts to bring systemic changes to the legal profession, such as the creation of a mandatory statewide child advocacy program. Her areas of interest include justice and law, social justice, ethics and the practical application of clinical education pedagogy.
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Panelist: Dr. Andre Perry
Dr. Andre Perry is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of New Orleans. His primary research interest concentrates on immigrant educational rights and migrant education. Recently, Dr. Perry’s work investigated the rights of undocumented immigrants to receive financial aid. Three manuscripts developed from his dissertation are currently in press or under review on this topic. Dr. Perry also examines retention and access of people of color in postsecondary institutions.
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teachIN
The “Teach-in,” free and open to the public, will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom of the Morial Convention Center (Hall E). The event will feature a keynote presentation by renowned author and Princeton University Professor, Melissa Harris Lacewell, Ph.D. Lacewell will discuss Hurricane Katrina’s effect on the racialization of America’s view of New Orleans.
In addition, panels on race relations and the state of black New Orleans will provide attendees valuable insight into New Orleans’ progress in achieving Dr. King’s dreams of civil rights and social justice.
Attendees will continue the “Teach-in,” with an informative slate of workshops on:
On Monday, January 21, 2008, Martin Luther King Day, New Orleanians can support the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC) and the work it does to address housing discrimination by treating themselves to a meal in honor of Dr. King. Featured “Dine-Out” restaurants will dedicate 15% of their income from Monday to support the civil rights work of GNOFHAC.
All Sport Bar and Grill; Located at 10711 Chef Menteur Hwy.
Lil’ Dizzy’s Restaruant; Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; located at 1500 Esplanade Avenue and 610 Poydras Avenue; Call 569-8997 for more information.
N'awlins Flavor; Located at 830 N. Rampart Street.
The Praline Connection;Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; located at 542 Frenchmen Street; Call 943-3934 for more information.
Quiznos Sandwich Shop #10805; located at 339 Baronne; Call 581-1735 for more information.
Restaurants interested in supporitng the event should contact Kate Scott.
About the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center
Mission
The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC) is a private, non-profit civil rights organization established in the summer of 1995 to eradicate housing discrimination throughout the greater New Orleans area. Through education, investigation, and enforcement activities, GNOFHAC promotes fair competition throughout the housing marketplace, including rental, sales, lending, and insurance practices. GNOFHAC is dedicated to fighting housing discrimination not only because it is illegal, but also because it is a divisive force that perpetuates poverty, segregation, ignorance, fear, and hatred.
Our History
The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center was established in the summer of 1995 to eradicate housing discrimination throughout the New Orleans area. Since its inception, GNOFHAC has built an impressive record of advocating for the fair housing rights of New Orleans consumers. GNOFHAC has filed over 20 lawsuits in state and federal court and assisted complainants in filing over 120 administrative complaints. GNOFHAC has thus far assisted in the recovery of over $1,200,000 in monetary relief as a result of its enforcement actions and has negotiated numerous consent decrees requiring housing providers to comply with fair housing laws, attend educational seminars, market their properties to protected classes, and engage in other activities to ensure that housing opportunities are provided on an equal basis.
GNOFHAC has expanded the expertise and willingness of the private bar to assist victims of housing discrimination. GNOFHAC has conducted training for more than 100 attorney participants to handle fair housing cases for victims of housing discrimination and provides regular updates through its attorney round table discussions. In addition, GNOFHAC has developed cooperative relationships with other area nonprofit legal service organizations to build their capacity to identify and challenge violations of fair housing laws.
GNOFHAC quickly developed a reputation in the community as an effective source of fair housing assistance and information. It receives and processes over one hundred cases a year, which is only a fraction of the hundreds of calls GNOFHAC receives requesting technical assistance on fair housing issues. GNOFHAC serves all protected classes and investigates all forms of housing discrimination. Trained by national experts, it is able to conduct sophisticated testing and investigation in the fields of rental, sales, lending, insurance, and public accommodations. It investigates systemic as well as complaint-based allegations of housing discrimination and works with a variety of community and advocacy groups.
GNOFHAC also has expanded the community's ability to eliminate housing discrimination and enhanced the ability of other organizations and entities to serve their clients. GNOFHAC has worked with a variety of community groups to ensure that their members can identify and respond to fair housing violations. GNOFHAC provides over 30 first time homebuyer trainings per year, reaching over a thousand consumers, and regularly conducts additional fair housing trainings and workshops for hundreds of other consumers and industry members each year.
Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation (UREC) is a not for profit based community based development organization committed to the rebuilding of neighborhoods; focused on affordable housing; specializing in education and training; and dedicated to social improvement. UREC works primarily in the Greater Baton Rouge Metropolitan area.
The Louisiana Family Recovery Corps was created in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to respond to the individual needs of all Louisiana citizens and families.
Disasters impact people in many unseen ways. Once communities and economies have been torn apart, it can be difficult to find work, shelter, schooling and healthcare - often jeopardizing the well-being of individuals and families. In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita claimed 1,464 lives, displaced residents and destroyed more than 200,000 homes in South Louisiana.
The Recovery Corps, a nonprofit corporation, coordinates the efforts of numerous disaster response organizations and social service providers. Recovery Corps programs are based on principles of mutual responsibility, accountability and partnerships with disaster-affected individuals and families.
