For my outside enrichment, I chose to go to the rally for affordable housing that Professor Stiles told us about. To go, some friends from flourishing and I went to the Foundry United Methodist Church where the rally was being held and sat down to listen to the speakers who would come up. The Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development, which was hosting the event, brought out many speakers, including ones who are homeless and struggling to find housing, or who are advocates for affordable housing because they are currently being forced out of their homes. They ultimately called upon Muriel Bowser, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., to put more than 100 million dollars into a trust fund meant to benefit affordable housing throughout the city. I was then surprised to see that Mayor Bowser herself made an appearance to speak on this issue. She discussed how she was able to commit that much to the city’s budget in 2015 for the same purpose, and that she will work hard to do the same again.
This event taught me about the extent and severity of the affordable housing crisis. I was aware that it existed prior to attending this rally, but hearing from so many people from diverse backgrounds of how this issue has affected their lives made me see it from a new perspective. This rally also showed me how homelessness can happen to anyone, and that homelessness can only be cured through affordable housing.
It is important that I went to this rally in the context of a class on flourishing because housing is deeply interconnected with wellness. Before a person can achieve any level of flourishing, they must first meet the basic human requirements of having food and shelter. Without shelter, people cannot feel safe at night or have a place that they can call home. Lacking a home can also make it harder to be optimistic, be engaged in other things since finding a home takes so much focus, maintaining relationships, finding any meaning, or having achievements. Because of the many ways that homelessness can inhibit a person’s life, having a home is a necessity to flourishing.
The affordable housing crisis can only be solved by us as constituents. By forming powerful events just like this rally, politicians who are responsible for making the decisions that affect this issue will be forced to acknowledge this public need. The effects of this can already be seen through Mayor Bowser’s presence at the rally, and her promise to try to help fight this issue by contributing another 100 million to a trust fund for affordable housing.
This event has inspired me to participate in more events like these because activism can help one flourish. Taking part in this event bolstered my positive emotions since it made me more optimistic about progress in this issue. I also felt more engaged in the D.C. community by going to this event. Attending this rally also boosted my relationships as I got to spend time with friends. The rally also gave me a sense of meaning because we learned of a greater issue to work toward. Going to the rally also gave me a sense of achievement because I learned of the many ways that progress has already been made toward solving this critical issue.
