Hi! I’m Kenya!
In my journey from volunteer to a staff member of SC Housing Justice Network, some of the things I now fight for greatly impacted my ability to say yes to this role the first time around.
Housing insecurity. Lack of tenant protections. Rental housing being viewed as a commodity.
I was first offered a position as SC Housing Justice Network Coordinator in January 2022. At that time, I wanted to say, “YES!,” with my heart and soul. However, I had to sadly say, “No. I can’t right now because I’m in between housing and can’t do this work while I’m searching for a home for me and my family.”
We started renting a home in North Charleston, SC with intentions to be multi-year tenants. The corporate landlord and property management were happy to have someone moving in who would be there long-term but the housing market enticed them and the landlord decided to put the house on the market while we were still in our one-year lease. We transitioned to a smaller rental home on Johns’s Island and shortly after signing our lease, we were informed that the new landlord was also planning to sell. Rental prices were skyrocketing and though me and my husband worked, we couldn’t find an affordable home to rent in the Tricounty area. Ultimately, we ended up having to live separately (me in Augusta, and him in Charleston) until we could find an apartment. When we did find an apartment, we could only afford a 1 bedroom in Goose Creek, SC and we experienced living on a property where management was lax, constantly fluctuating amenity fees, and had 100+ potholes.
I knew I could do the work and be great at it, but there were too many variables and “what ifs” standing in my way. I continued as a volunteer at SC Housing Justice Network and helped with strategy, development, and day-to-day operations.
In 2023, the opportunity to step into an executive director role presented itself again, and this time I said yes with my entire chest. Previous obstacles were no longer a factor, and the fire within me to build tenant power in the South was stronger than ever.
Having the chance to work within an organization like SC Housing Justice Network that values people’s visions and ideas ignites my own passion daily, and seeing how hard my colleagues work inspired me to redirect my focus to increasing the capacity we needed to continue showing up and making larger impacts on our community. I developed an intense desire to see my staff be compensated more equitably, see tenant leaders provide care stipends, and make sure that SC Housing Justice Network had the resources it needed to organize tenants across the state, and with that came a new roadblock in my journey:
How could I champion raising other’s salaries, stipends, and monies if mine isn’t being raised as well?
Help Kenya Fund Their Salary at SC Housing Justice Network!
The Fundraiser Goal
My fundraising goal is $70,000. This amount will help to cover my salary, health benefits, and professional development.
Why Funding is Critical:
Currently, SC Housing Justice has no full-time staff.
As an organization focused on the people and also led by people impacted by the full-blown housing & eviction crisis, we’ve fortunately started to build some power & momentum. Housing security is a basic human right, and no one fights harder for tenants than other tenants when it comes down to it.
In our commitment to win better housing conditions for ourselves and our fellow tenants, we at SCHJN believe that supporting our organizers financially is of the highest importance.
Transparency:
This section provides an itemization of my $70,000 funding goal.
Salary and Insurance - $65,000
Professional Development - $5,000
More About Kenya in the Community
Kenya is a Black, Queer, Disabled organizer and healer from the South with a deep commitment to community building and joy cultivation as the center of their life’s work. Their combined experience in higher education has provided them with a unique perspective on how families look, how they should be supported, and how Black people are disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and other social inequities.
Kenya is a 2011 graduate of the University of Kentucky with a B.S. in Family Science and a minor in African American Studies. They have also earned a Master of Divinity degree in 2016 from the Methodist Theological School in Ohio.
Kenya is driven daily in their quest to lead empathetically amid ever-present inequities. They are currently a director-level staff member of the South Carolina Housing Justice Network and regard the SC Housing Justice Network as their political home.
Kenya is a proud Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity alum (BOLD) and has previously worked with Fresh Future Farm, Carolina Youth Action Project, Black Minimalists, Lowcountry Mutual Aid, and Mystic Soul Project.
Check out Kenya in the Press!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Your donation will be used to support funding of my salary, health benefits, and professional development. This itemized information can be found under the Transparency section on this page. Any additional funds raised will be used to support other SCHJN staff salaries.
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Yes! SC Housing Justice Network is a project that is fiscally sponsored by non-profit organization, Southern Vision Alliance.
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Yes! In fact, we would prefer it! A recurring donation would contribute to consistent funding in our organization’s account, and make it significantly easier for you to keep track of from month to month.
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Any additional funds raised beyond my $70,000 target will be repurposed to support other SCHJN staff salaries.
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We’re always seeking volunteers here at SCHJN. Send an email to info@schjn.com for up to date ways to volunteer your time or skills.