Toolbox
Published: February 10, 2012
@Normal:Story needs clarification
In the Jan. 30, paper there was an article written by one of your reporters that contained some statements and misquotes that painted an inaccurate portrayal of the screening of “Strength of the Storm” at the Old Labor Hall in Barre.
My relationship with the workers center was never an introduction. It was a collaboration of our group, Mobile Home Park Residents for Equality and Fairness and volunteers from the workers center who were right there with us from the very beginning, working side by side in the muck and mess. Not only at Weston’s Mobile Home Park but at several parks around our state.
As we worked to be heard, some of us came to the conclusion that there were many more issues that needed to be addressed even before the flood which made the effects of the storm more of a struggle for a lot of us.
Our movie is about what can be done when real people work together to be heard. It felt insulting to me personally that this journalist added an opinion rather than facts to write about it as if it were a promotional piece rather than a documentary about our story of resilience. The movie is about what we did to take care of ourselves when we weren’t asked what we needed or included in any of the discussions about things that affected us. Things started happening after we got organized, and it is clear to us that our homes would not have been removed for free without us organizing.
My own story through the five month journey after Irene is about how it has been an opportunity to be involve in the conversation about the inequities between the 99 percent and the 1 percent, became brave enough to speak out, join in on neighborhood canvass days to speak to others about their struggles, march in demonstrations, and work hard for our group.
That was what our movie was about and it’s a shame that your reporter didn’t cover our story with respect.
Sandy Gaffney
Montpelier
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