CHORUS of neighborhood parents and children, in turn:
Eviction, Eviction! Eviction!
Eviction, Eviction! Eviction!
Who has the right to sell their property
To anyone they want and kick the renters out?
Who won't examine lead contamination
Or fix a single water spout?
The Slumlords, the Slumlords! Eviction!
The Slumlords, the Slumlords! Eviction!
Who are the pillars of the whole community?
Lived there all their life and never sold a house?
Who helped the families feed their hungry kids
When summer programs got shut down?
The Elders, the Elders! Eviction!
The Elders, the Elders! Eviction!
Who must survive on very little income?
Caring for their children? Trying to make a home?
Who goes to Court to fight for civil rights
Without a lawyer of their own?
The Tenants, the Tenants! Eviction!
The Tenants, the Tenants! Eviction!
Who controls the land, but doesn't let us live there?
Boarding houses up, while others tumble down?
Who ignored requests to save historic gravesites
At APV in Freedmen's Town?
The Housing - Authority! Eviction!
The Housing - Authority!
NARRATOR: Corruption!
Who met in secret, allowing redevelopment
Instead of restoration to rescue Freedmen's Town?
Who lost respect of trusting, faithful people
Who felt betrayed, or just let down?
RIOT starts among adults, finger-pointing:
The Ministers, the Media! Corruption!
The City, the Churches! Corruption!
Who has no say in - anything that's happening
But feel their parents' grief - and suffering and shame?
Who watch as tractors - flatten trees and houses
While frightened neighbors move away?
BOY SCOUTS:
Our parks and plans were taken,
But still we have a dream:
To share our Fourth Ward vision
With all
The City.
GIRLS:
My dad calls for an audit, my mother calls it theft
Nonprofits used to grab the few
Historic houses left.
FAMILIES:
The Children, the Children! Eviction!
The Children, the Children! Eviction!
PARENTS:
Who provides activities to help the youth?
And every month
Is penniless?
Sports and tutoring and transportation, too?
While grants and funding go to someone else?
All turn to YOUTH COACH, blowing whistle:
Don't worry! No one's evicted me yet!
If I could just find a landlord to sell me a house!
(returns to coaching)
ALL (to each other):
Conviction, Conviction! Conviction!
To stop all Evictions! Conviction!
NARRATOR speaks:
People ask us: Why don't you just leave? Why do you stay?
And we answer them: Because Freedmen's Town is our history. It's our home.
This is our Community. Or at least it was. What's left of it.
"ALLEN PARKWAY" (to the tune of "ANATEVKA")
MAN:
Half the units here
And all the houses there
Have dis - appeared - into - thin air
WOMAN:
Look what they've done:
Nothing much
Is left of Allen Parkway
BOTH:
Allen Parkway, Allen Parkway,
Boarded up, Broken down
Allen Parkway,
Who knows where all the funding went?
Allen Parkway, Allen Parkway,
Breaking up, Taking down
Allen Parkway,
Always at Taxpayers' expense.
Soon we'll see our neighbors scattered all around,
Helpless as they tear our buildings down
At Allen Parkway.
We had plans for Allen Parkway,
Sturdy-roof, Fireproof
Allen Parkway,
To turn our village to a campus town. . . .