[act-ma] 2/28: Rally to keep JP diverse and affordable for all

[Robbie Samuels]

Hi Everyone,

I'm helping organize around keeping Jamaica Plain diverse and affordable for
all. There is a rally on Feb. 28th to keep Whole Foods out of JP (details
below). It's important that there is a huge turnout to show Whole Foods, the
JP Neighborhood Council and the greater community what JP stands for.

Please let me know if you can attend, and please share with your networks.

Thanks!
Robbie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 If you care about preserving JP as a neighborhood that is home to families
from all cultures and income levels, please join us on *Monday, February
28th at 6pm in Mozart
Park<http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=gpq&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=mozart+park+jamaica+plain+ma&bav=on.1,or.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl>
* to speak up *against* a Whole Foods coming to JP and *for* another
locally-owned business that reflects our community. (A flyer is attached and
below).

There has been an outcry from many in JP - and especially the Latino
community - that Whole Foods is not a good fit for Hyde Square.  It's
unaffordable to many families and will fuel increased real estate and
commercial prices right smack in the middle of Hyde Square - one of the last
remaining places where a thriving multi-racial and mixed income community is
hanging on.  Many of the residents who are likely to be displaced by this
change are the very residents who worked for decades to make JP a great
place to live and raise a family.

*Many people feel like Whole Foods is a done deal.  It's not. * This it the
community that stopped a federal highway project - which had never been done
before.  Whole Foods will back out if there is enough community pressure.

Whole Food is not inevitable, and other business can flourish in Hyde
Square.  But in order to have an impact, we will need lots of support on the
28th - we need you and your family, friends and neighbors to come join us!

I ask four things of you:

-- Commit to attending on the 28th (email me back to let me know)
-- Commit to bringing 5 friends with you (email me back to let me know)
-- Spread the word widely to your networks on email, facebook, etc. and
among your family and friends.
-- We know the best way to reach people is personal contact.  Can you call
10 friends and invite them personally?

Thank you!

Robbie
---------------------------------

**

*
*

*Rally for an Affordable and Diverse JP*
Mon, February 28th, 6pm, Mozart Park


Then come to a hearing of the JP Neighborhood Council at 7pm at the Kennedy
School


Do you want a JP that’s affordable for all families?

Do you want to strengthen JP’s diversity?

*Whole Foods is not inevitable - another business can flourish in Hyde
Square.*

*JP has a 30-year history of residents working together to keep JP intact.
 We stopped a highway. We stopped Kmart. We can stop Whole Foods.

***

Whole Foods in unaffordable to many families in JP and the expansion of this
upscale chain into Hyde Square will drive up real estate and commercial
prices, displacing even more low-income families and merchants – many of the
very people who made JP the great place it is today.



*Who We Are:** *A multicultural, multigenerational group of JP residents and
allies working together for a better JP.

* Join us to Speak Up …

**-* *AGAINST -*    a Whole Foods in Jamaica Plain and against the continued
gentrification of JP

*- FOR -             *a locally-owned business that serves low and moderate
income families in JP and beyond

*- FOR -             *strengthening JP’s cultural, racial, ethnic, and
socioeconomic diversity

* *

*
Stay connected: 1. *Go to our *Whose Foods? *Facebook page and “like” it.  *
2.* Join our listserv to get involved: http://bit.ly/whosefoods-signup.

*3*. Coming Soon: www.whosefoods.org



*
Hyde Square** is home to families of all income levels and many
cultures.  Let’s
keep it that way.*
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