In the late 1960s, my aunt Kathleen became deeply affected by the race riots that were happening in major cities across the United States. Living in Brooklyn, New York at that time, she wanted to find out how she could help fight racial inequality. She learned that Caucasian people did not want to have black people living near them and Kathleen thought that this was despicable. She participated in a Civil Rights march and attended racial inequality meetings inside people’s homes. A black lady was hosting a meeting about the Fair Housing movement and it was there that Kathleen found out how white building managers refused to rent apartments to blacks. There was a call for white volunteers to help investigate discriminatory practices against blacks who wanted to rent an apartment. Without hesitation, Kathleen signed up.

During the investigation, Kathleen would pose as a potential renter who would be interviewed by the building manager after they had already refused to rent to a black person. She would bring whatever the black person before her brought to the interview to see if the excuses the managers were using not to rent to them were legitimate. If they brought a dog, Kathleen would bring a dog. If they brought a child, Kathleen would bring her son David. Kathleen visited several apartments and after each interview, the building manager would always offer her the apartment. Her efforts exposed discriminatory practices that were against the law.

In 1977 Kathleen and her husband Richard bought a house on a predominantly black block. They were the last white family to buy a home where she still resides. She currently has wonderful neighbors from many ethnic backgrounds. The block is now one-third white, one-third black, and one-third Muslim and is very close-knit.

I am proud of my aunt for her efforts.