My name is Abiodun Henderson and was awarded a canvassing
internship. When my father died in September last year, I was inspired
by his previous activism with the Black Panthers to join the Occupy
movement. For the
last eight years, I've been a server in Atlanta making an average of
$40,000 a year and when the restaurant I worked at closed, I decided to
become an activist/organizer full-time with no pay. As someone that is new to community
organizing, I'm drawn to the housing justice work AFSC is committed to. So when
the opportunity to canvass residents impacted by the housing crisis came around, I jumped at the chance to do what I love while receiving a stipend.
My job was to inform homeowners going through foreclosure
that there are a group of people willing to fight with them and empower
them with the knowledge they needed to fight for themselves. With the
help of Renika Wheeler, we talked to underwater
homeowners in the hardest hit neighborhoods Atlanta has, like Pittsburgh
and Vine City to name a few, about the
issues they were facing, the mortgage crises and why there were so many
vacant houses in our communities. The look on
their faces showed how blessed they felt to not have to go through
their trials alone.
There was Mr. and Mrs. Hartsfield, who were about to
lose their Habitat for Humanity home and were pleased to learn about
the meetings we hold every Thursday and promised
to come. We also talked to community members who weren't in crisis like
Eva Nash who said she just wanted to learn more so that she could
become empowered to help others.
I learned a lot about canvassing that I didn't realize before. For instance, eye
contact is key, talking to an individual is sometimes a better bet than a pair, maintaining a positive
attitude even when people don’t stop to talk with us and how to spot the people who will. I realized
the consequences of inaction can be seen in our own communities. They are manifested in complacency
and a disbelief that our voices even matter. Thanks to the AFSC for helping me use mine.
Abiodun Henderson
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