CUNY’s Center for Place, Culture, and Politics presents an evening of solidarity with the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign, featuring Ashraf Cassiem, the WCAEC’s Chairperson

For more than a decade the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign has been one of the most prominent organizations of South Africa’s militant poor, fighting against evictions and police brutality, as well as for free basic services and quality health care in the country’s working class townships and informal settlements. As a grassroots coordinating body for over 15 community organizations in the Western Cape Province, the WCAEC has been at the forefront of challenging the neoliberal economic policies that have been imposed since the fall of apartheid. For more: http://antieviction.org.za/[antieviction.org.za]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__antieviction.org.za_&d=CwMFaQ&c=8v77JlHZOYsReeOxyYXDU39VUUzHxyfBUh7fw_ZfBDA&r=P3Dse-m_fAQ6WWxI9SpLjYoyl1scbknWZTMGYy1F5gE&m=Xm5wOYtMRvlQCP-MrIJ0WDAKYfW3Svpjxl-Vk9rl91Y&s=JHTELF60QAtwuAFYU9VNNsxCtFAY18PR5kPcQERAgnU&e=>

In 2009, the WCAEC’s activism inspired the founding of Anti-Eviction Campaign affiliates in Chicago and in Los Angeles following Ashraf’s speaking tour of the U.S. These local organizations have gained national attention for defending families facing eviction and taking over vacant, bank-owned homes as housing for homeless families. For more: http://chicagoantieviction.org/[chicagoantieviction.org]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__chicagoantieviction.org_&d=CwMFaQ&c=8v77JlHZOYsReeOxyYXDU39VUUzHxyfBUh7fw_ZfBDA&r=P3Dse-m_fAQ6WWxI9SpLjYoyl1scbknWZTMGYy1F5gE&m=Xm5wOYtMRvlQCP-MrIJ0WDAKYfW3Svpjxl-Vk9rl91Y&s=Fw2v37ZpC6OrxGgPQ_HW5IMerH5q1R5v_QvV-CH3hzY&e=>

Clips from the documentary “When the Mountain Meets its Shadow” will also be shown. Produced by the German Dok-Werk film cooperative, this documentary focuses on three personal stories, including Ashraf’s. Each individual, in their own way, fight for survival in the informal settlements around Cape Town. The film offers a sensitive portrait of a society in transition from racial apartheid to neoliberal capitalism. For more: http://www.when-the-mountain-meets-its-shadow.com/[when-the-mountain-meets-its-shadow.com]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.when-2Dthe-2Dmountain-2Dmeets-2Dits-2Dshadow.com_&d=CwMFaQ&c=8v77JlHZOYsReeOxyYXDU39VUUzHxyfBUh7fw_ZfBDA&r=P3Dse-m_fAQ6WWxI9SpLjYoyl1scbknWZTMGYy1F5gE&m=Xm5wOYtMRvlQCP-MrIJ0WDAKYfW3Svpjxl-Vk9rl91Y&s=TqwRKlA-OhAQG90Qfaql9_uhQK_t4nKK6x2-EK4Cu-U&e=>