Women’s Center for Creative Work

Sarah Williams is Executive Director of Women’s Center for Creative Work, a publishing house, co-working space and cultural center with programming in activism, wellness and the arts in Northeast Los Angeles.

Housing justice is healing justice

“There’s just such deep financial inequity in LA County and we’re seeing now how people are feeling deeply, deeply panicked about how they’re going to pay rent. From a feminist agenda, I am thinking about how we rewire systems of inequality so they can be more equitable. Something that we try to embody is offsetting some of those deeply inequitable systems. How are we making sure that our pay scale is really fair? So, things like women and women of color being paid chronically less, how can we fix that at least within our own organization and safeguard that it’s not happening? How do we deeply change these horribly inequitable systems to support people in more equitable ways? We’re seeing the stark reality now when people really need a break in their rent for the next couple months. But developers and landlords are being privileged over everyone else. I think housing justice is healing justice.”

LACDMH Strategic Plan Points: 1a.1 education, 1a.2 engagement, 1a.3 follow up, 1b.1 housing, 1b.2 kin, 1b.3 purpose, 1c.1 assessment, 2.3 restorative care, 4.2 organizational process, 4.3 organizational outcomes.