“The Healing 2” @ North End Urban Expression Arts Festival

Universidad Sin Fronteras

At North End Urban Expression Arts Festival “The Healing 2”

August 23, 2014

Intergenerational workshop on the Detroit water crisis in the context of decolonization and privatization.  50 people engaged in the discussion Facilitated by Antonio Cosme.

NOTES:

Many things that were formerly part of the public trust are now on sale or in control of private entities in Detroit, from Parking, to schools, city planning, trash..
The shut offs are a result of a desire to eliminate the right to water, and move towards privatization of the water system. The water department is for sale.

The shutoffs from the Water in Detroit is part of a larger situation of black displacement. The emergency manager is initiating the shutoffs.
The take over started with the schools, by divesting in programming, such as computers, language, art and music. The school system was taken over in 2009. Population plummeted from 180,000 in the 90’s to 40,000 today. Destroyed public schools, destroyed communities.

Built for profit charter schools are unreliable due to turn over.

2008-09 Crisis. Displaced many Detroiters, by taking their homes with predatory lending. Took away alot of black wealth. Destroyed/displaced communities. At same time made predatory loans to City to maintain tax records.

Michigan tried to repeal the emergency manager act in 2012, as a state we overwhelmingly voted against such antidemocratic governance.
Detroit future city plan intends to invest in only certain communities. Process called Cantonization.

Choosing winners and losers, Looking to rubbelize roads and shave water retention and drainage in former communities.