Resisting Displacement and Dispossession
Reimagining the “Tenant” to Empower and Protect NYC Neighborhoods with Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development
3:00 PM, Room 211
When we think of displacement, we typically think of residential tenants losing access to their current housing stock. Less commonly discussed is the loss of cultural spaces—small businesses, art spaces, community centers. The owners and operators of these spaces are tenants, too—commercial tenants. This panel will discuss this cultural displacement, its impact on communities, and what protections exist – or do not exist – for commercial tenants in New York City.
Panel organizers
Meah Clay
Meah Clay is the Program Director for the Community and Economic Development (CED) Program at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A. Brooklyn A’s mission is to advance social and economic justice by empowering communities through innovative, collaborative, neighborhood-based legal representation and advocacy. Meah is a member of the NYC Bar Association’s Non-profit Organizations Committee and Housing & Urban Development Committee, represents Brooklyn A on numerous coalitions, and has spoken frequently at local law schools and conferences. Meah received her BA from Spelman and JD from Vanderbilt University Law School.
Shrima Padney
As Chhaya’s Small Business Program Manager, Shrima works to protect the commercial stability and livelihood in Jackson Heights, Queens. Born in Nepal but raised in Elmhurst, Shrima found her way back to the borough of Queens after pursuing her BA in Anthropology and MA in Migration Studies in other parts of the world. Her work at Chhaya is informed both by her professional experiences in the refugee and other non-profit sectors and her personal experiences as an immigrant in the most diverse county.
Diana Drogaris
Diana Drogaris is the Association for Neighborhood Housing and Development’s Immigrant Cultural Corridors Outreach Coordinator. She is in charge of community engagement with ANHD’s small business partners and is a proud advocate of equitable economic development. She recently received her BA from Sarah Lawrence College and will pursue her Masters in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania this coming fall.
Christian Ramos
Christian was born and raised in Ecuador. He came to the United States in 2004 and is a Bronx immigrant small business owner on Kingsbridge Road. He has been serving his community for over 15 years and has been the Vice President of the Kingsbridge Merchants Association since 2011. He is active in his community with block parties, holiday events, and monthly small business meetings in the Kingsbridge area.