By Yarisme Guilamo

My name is Yarisme Guilamo, and I’m a tenant leader with the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC). I’m writing today to ask you to sign our petition to Mayor de Blasio to support tenant organizing in NYC.

NWBCCC came into the lives of myself and my neighbors when we needed them the most and has inspired a change in all of us. We went from a building full of people who feared losing their homes, and tenants who were living in unhealthy living quarters, to a tenant association filled with motivated leaders that are ready for battle to demand the living conditions that we deserve. 

NWBCC gave us strength in the fight against our landlord and told us about tools and resources, like Right to Counsel, that we did not know we had. Because we have a Right to Counsel, we felt more confident in carrying out a rent strike. We knew that if our landlord retaliated we would have an attorney to defend us in housing court. Everyone needs to know about Right to Counsel so that they too can feel confident in standing up for their rights.

The knowledge and resources that NWBCCC and others like it provide are immeasurable! We must fight to pass Intro 1529 to support the powerful tenant organizing work that these organizations are doing. Stand with tenants and sign our petition now to pass Intro 1529!

Watch me speak at our press conference introducing Intro 1529: