In 2004 the city of Montgomery decided to buy three buildings where 99 percent of the people renting where Latinos. The city gave 19 families a deadline to leave the buildings, giving them no option of relocation or further explanations. The families did not know what to do and how to proceed after realizing that they soon had to leave their homes and probably the town where their children where born. Centro Campesino decided to engage in an intense community organizing campaign, organizing each one of the families to demand and fight for their rights against the city of Montgomery.
The city of Montgomery had no clear plan for the buildings and their only excuse was that the families had to leave because of economic development. Soon the families started holding weekly meetings to plan actions and tactics in order to put pressure on the city and stop them from buying and destroying the buildings. With the help of allied lawyers Centro Campesino started legal action against the city for engaging in discriminatory practices and failing to provide relocation benefits to the families. The families also organized a 24 mile walk from Montgomery to Faribault as a way to create awareness for their struggle. Finally the pressure was so heavy that the city decided to negotiate with Centro Campesino agreeing to the following:
- The city had to provide a public apology to the community
- The city had to pay $17,000.00 dollars to each family
- The city will have to provide cultural awareness training to all its officials
- Put anti-discriminatory signs around the city and public buildings
- Build affordable housing units and offer them first to those affected by the destruction of the buildings in downtown.
The city of Montgomery has changed the way they treat Latinos and the Latino community has realized how it is possible to challenge and change the balance of power. Reinforcing our principle that Everything is Possible!
We currently continue to work with the city of Montgomery in order to ensure that the agreement is fulfilled.
