‘Let’s Talk, Let’s Listen’ Series to Put Spotlight on Property Values, Land Acquisition

A coalition of local organizations will host a community forum on property values and land acquisition strategies as part of a new series aimed at facilitating difficult but necessary conversations about rebuilding in Altadena and Pasadena.

The inaugural event in this “Let’s Talk, Let’s Listen” Community Series, titled “The Value of the Land,” will be held Tuesday, March 18, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Morning Star Baptist Church, located at 980 E. Rio Grande St. in Pasadena.

According to materials from Pasadena Organizing for Progress!, one of the sponsoring organizations, “POP! wants to hold spaces that allow the community to have hard conversations as we take this rebuilding journey to learn and educate us all.”

The forum will specifically address land trusts as the first conversation in the series, examining what organizers describe as “the pros, cons and misinformation” surrounding this complex issue.

Heavenly Hughes, CEO and founder of My Tribe Rise, will moderate the panel discussion featuring three speakers: Remy De La Peza, founder of Morena Strategies; Demetrius Gray, a market analyst focusing on economic challenges; and Jasmine Shupper, founder and CEO of Greenline Housing Foundation.

Organizers hope to foster community unity by bringing residents together around shared concerns. The event materials emphasize collaborative learning as a key component of the rebuilding journey.

The event is open to the public and will include Spanish translation services. Organizers will also livestream the discussion on the POP Facebook page in partnership with Radio Journalero, making the conversation accessible to a wider audience.

This forum is the first in a series that will move throughout Altadena and Pasadena locations. Additional sponsors include the Pasadena Community Job Center, Clergy Community Coalition, My Tribe Rise, and Morena Strategies.

For further information, call (626) 487-7259.