Human Rights

Over 500,000 people were reached on January 6, 2015, Oscar's 72nd birthday, as the National Boricua Human Rights Network and La Respuesta coordinated the "Social Media Campaign for Oscar López." Using various hashtags (e.g.

On the 18th of December, DC homeless folks and their allies gathered at Mitch Snyder's gravesite, then marched to Freedom Plaza to an all-night vigil for those who have died on the streets while homeless. Many carried signs bearing the names of people who died on the street. At the vigil a casket is set up in a tent representing those who have died, it will be marched up to Mitch Snyder's grave site on Dec 19.

Video-The march plus interview(begins 1:42) with vigil participant who discusses Mayor-Elect Bowser's choice to support DC's Olympic bid instead of helping homeless people

Prior to the closing of La Casa Shelter, and as part of an ongoing pattern of displacement, the District closed Franklin Shelter, another low barrier shelter in Northwest, Washington, D.C.[vi] Between the two closures, the District removed all available shelter space in District operated facilities in the Northwest quadrant of the city and reduced its available shelter space for men by over thirty percent (30%).

The pattern of targeting and removal of the largely minority homeless population exhibited by the District defendants and of record includes: i) a clear and undisputed pattern of closing all low barrier public shelter services in largely Caucasian Wards 1 and 2 and relegating the remaining public shelters to Wards 5, 7 and 8, with highest minority populations....