Empty Houses, False Promises

Empty Houses, False Promises: Policy, Politics, and Livelihoods in the Economic Crisis

Thursday January 29, 2009, 5:30-7:00 P.M. at the Barrister Club. (Directions below)
Please join us at 5:00 for a light snack!

As the economic crisis unfolds, the web of those affected continues to explode in breadth. Millions of people, both domestically and abroad have lost their homes, savings, support networks and in many cases, their livelihoods. Undoubtedly, the crisis has affected people very differently across nations and even between individual households and communities. Nevertheless, the crisis' global nature reveals our intertwined lives and calls for concerted responses.

Join us for what will surely be a stimulating and engaging discussion as we deliberate the impacts and potential responses to the crisis.

In this session, we will focus on addressing the following questions, tapping into the knowledge, experiences, and interactions of five panelists from both within and outside of academe:

• How is the crisis impacting different global and local communities?
• Given the depth of the crisis, what can be done by individuals, community organizations and/or policy makers to defend and expand access to housing, health care, and employment.

Panelists

• Barb Clark - Chief Organizer for Acorn, Columbus
• Rohit Negi - Graduate Student in the Department of Geography
• John Turner - Development Program Coordinator for the City of Columbus
• Michael Webb - Graduate Student in the Departments of Geography and City & Regional Planning
• Norm Wernet - State Director of the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans

Submit A Question for Discussion
Unlike the presidential debates where the audience is excluded from participating, panelists will field questions from the audience. While questions asked during the event will receive highest priority, we are also soliciting questions before the event. Please fill out the following form to submit a question.

Question:

E-mail address:    
Name:      
I'd prefer NOT to be identified if my question is selected.    
 

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Related Links
Check out the following links for some useful materials regarding the financial crisis. If you have a suggestion, please feel free to contact us.

• A Primer for Advocates: Subprime Lending, Foreclosure and Race
• Foreclosure Map (Obviously for Speculators, but useful)

Special Thanks
This event would not be possible were it not for the hard work of the following individuals: Marc Auerbach, Phil Birnie, Sayoni Bose, Nick Crane, Chris Hartmann, Tim Hawthorne, Rohit Negi, Zoe Pearson, Chris Riley, Johnathan Rush, Lili Wang, and Michael Webb.

Sponsors

• Council on Student Affairs (via student activity fees)
• The Center for Urban and Regional Analysis
• Geography Graduate Organization
• The Department of Geography
• Coca-Cola

Directions
The Barrister Club is located on the second floor on the northwest corner of the South Campus Gateway at the corner of High Street and West 11th Avenue.

• From the Oval, simply walk east to College Road and turn right.
• Follow College Road south to 11th Avenue.
• Turn left toward High street, and look for the Barrister Club entrance on your right, just before you reach Panera Bread.
• If you will be driving, affordable parking is available in the South Campus Gateway parking garage, accessible from East 11th Avenue or East 9th Avenue.