By Erica Veal

Of the many issues facing the Eastside, neglect by city officials, money-hungry developers, and a disconnect between gentrifying residents and the Black families who have been there for generations top the list.

The Lowcountry Action Committee (LAC) formed in June 2020 in the aftermath of the George Floyd protests that swept the nation, including Charleston. LAC is a Black-led grassroots organization dedicated to Black liberation through service, political education, and collective action in the Lowcountry. According to co-founding member Joshua Parks, “I felt the need to form LAC last summer because I knew the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, would create a heightened consciousness among the masses of oppressed people. I also knew that the state would use our rebellion as justification for increased repression.”

Parks was absolutely correct in his analysis. Regarding the increased repression, he stated that it “came in the form of state sanctioned violence to put down protests and increased militarization of state and local police departments, which inevitably leads to increased police budgets in our cities.” Here again, he was spot on. Not only did we seemass police violence in Marion Square and on Charleston’s Eastsidelast May, and again inSeptember,against protesters and City residents, the2021 budgetfor the Charleston Police Department has increased by $2.3 million dollars over their approved 2020 budget (and $4 million over the amended budget.) This comes when the City of Charleston is attempting to cut overall spending because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry and City revenue.

LAC is a Black-led grassroots organization dedicated to Black liberation through service, political education, and collective action in the Lowcountry.

“Understanding the significance of this moment in history, friends and comrades decided to come together and create an organization that would consciously struggle to turn this moment into something sustainable,” Parks said. “We formed the Lowcountry Action Committee to raise the class consciousness of, mobilize among the Charleston masses, and to struggle for a People’s Budget and community control of police.”

Last fall, members of the LAC co-founded theCharleston People’s Budget Coalitionto advocate for an equitable city budget, the elimination of poverty and racial disparities, and the redistribution of power to create true accountability with city officials in Charleston. In addition to their work with the People’s Budget Coalition, which has included a number of reallocation and transparencycampaigns,LAC has been mobilizing on the ground in Charleston’s Eastside community since the start of 2021. 

This comes when the City of Charleston is attempting to cut overall spending because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry and City revenue.

In January they launched theCharleston Eastside Community Support Fundto provide staple pantry items, fresh produce, toiletries, PPE and educational materials to Eastside residents on the third Saturday of every month duringFood For Thought,an initiative with theEastside Community Development Corporation(ECDC)and theAvery Research Center for African American History and Culture.Because of this organizing work, LAC has developed a solid relationship with the current president of ECDC, Latonya Gamble, who has been in regular conversation with LAC members about ongoing issues and needs of Eastside residents.

Of the many issues facing the Eastside, neglect by city officials, money-hungry developers, and a disconnect between gentrifying residents and the Black families who have been there for generations top the list. In response to this, LAC launched #HandsOffEastside,a virtual series collaboration with the Avery Research Center and the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation. Featuring a different program each Thursday in May at 6PM, the series kicked off with “A Conversation with Latonya Gamble,” moderated by Daron Lee Calhoun, II, of the Avery Research Center. Gamble, a lifelong Eastside resident, discussed the history of the community, ECDC and specific issues facing residents who have been hard hit by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Some have sold properties that have been in their families for generations at nowhere near market value, as developers take advantage of their lack of resources and understanding about the home appraisal process.

“Students have basically lost two years of school” since the onset of the pandemic, according to Gamble. “People need to make at least $21 an hour to live comfortably in Charleston,” but she added that most Eastside residents work in the hospitality industry, making somewhere between $7-$9 an hour. She also mentioned how developers have been targeting Eastside residents, especially the elderly, with misleading flyers and harassing phone calls, leading some to believe they are behind on their property taxes. Some have sold properties that have been in their families for generations at nowhere near market value, as developers take advantage of their lack of resources and understanding about the home appraisal process.

In addition to the conversation with Gamble on May 6th, there is an “Heirs’ Property, Wills and Estate Planning” seminar happening on May 13th, followed by a “Land Use and Gentrification” seminar on May 20th, and a “Community Archives” workshop on May 27th. Registration links are available on the eventspageof LAC’s website.

To support the good work of the LAC, donate to theirGoFundMe.To support the ECDC, contribute to theirAmazon Wishlist,theirGoFundMeorPayPal.Clickhereto donate to the Avery Research Center andhereto support the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation. If you, your organization or someone you know is doing great work to decrease racial disparities and meet community needs in Charleston, and would benefit from reallocated police funds, consider joining the Charleston People’s Budget Coalition and email PeoplesBudgetCHS@gmail.com for more information. 

She also mentioned how developers have been targeting Eastside residents, especially the elderly, with misleading flyers and harassing phone calls, leading some to believe they are behind on their property taxes.

Liberation in our lifetime!