ABOUT US:
Welcome to the Housing Equity Project! It’s our pleasure to present to you the research that we’ve compiled about tenant organizations and movements within our state, specifically in the Hartford area.
We’re excited for you to come on this journey with us! Read more about each participant below!
Full Name: Alexander Slomin
Major/Year: Public Policy & Law 25′
Why Did You Choose This Project?: I have some experience in addressing housing struggles within my home state (NJ) and was excited at the opportunity to do similar work in Connecticut.
Full Name: Brayant Paulino
Major/Year: Psychology 25′
Why Did You Choose This Project?: I chose this project because of the housing issues I’ve seen people close to me go through. I am also trying to improve a city I’ve been a part of for so many years!
Full Name: Rashida Rattray-Reid
Major/Year: Sociology 25′
Why Did You Choose This Project?: As a housing justice advocate, I know how important history is. It’s an honor to be able to uncover the history behind vital tenant movements in our state
Full Name: Angelina Rose Varghese
Major/Year: Public Policy and Law 25’
Why Did You Choose This Project?: I wanted to be part of a project that allowed me to directly leave a positive impact in this community and in Hartford as it has been my second home for almost 3 years.
Full Name: Diana Martinez Lee
Year: Class of 24′
Why Did You Choose This Project?: In high school, I volunteered with the food and kitchen program, Father Joes Villages, in downtown San Diego for people without homes and food insecurity. I heard about the many injustices from the patron’s own stories while I was a volunteer. I found out about this particular project and thought this was a powerful way to give a voice to those who are suffering from housing injustice.
Full Name: Phin Wright
Major/Year: International Studies 26′
Why Did You Choose This Project?: I chose this project because it offered an opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the Hartford community and hopefully counteract one of the most pressing issues in Hartford.
Our Community Partner–Sarah White is a staff attorney at the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, where she works alongside tenants to support organizing and policy campaigns. She is the past co-chair of the Housing & Homelessness Committee of the National Lawyers Guild.
Our Project lead Ozlem Atalay is the Liberal Arts Action Lab Coordinator and Lecturer. Ozlem holds a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University. Their research focuses on queer spaces and the involvement of LGBTQ communities in the local decision-making processes. Ozlem’s dissertation is a multi-method study of participation of LGBTQ+ communities in decision making processes and inclusive city politics in contemporary urban Turkey and the United States. Their research contributes to a growing body of literature on collaborative city governance, inclusive city politics, civic engagement, place making and queer critique.
Our Faculty Fellow Laura Humm Delgado is an urban planning scholar and former practitioner. She received a Master in City Planning and a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and she previously worked for the City of Boston researching affordable housing, homeownership, land use, and abandoned properties. Her research focuses on housing and community development, including the role of community-based organizations and public agencies, in U.S. cities.