I am the founder of the non profit We Thrive on Riverside Renters Association. We are 100 percent volunteer-run for 16 years in Cobb County, Georgia. As I am a renters advocate, in 2018 I was asked by residents to help them with maintenance issues they were having with their property. In 2019, the residents won counter claims against the property. I was asked to help negotiate the $86,000 fees that they were required to pay, and the fees were waived when they agreed to donate $10,000 to a non profit. The property was sold, and the new owners took over. In 2019, they requested my assistance to help with resident relations and agreed to repair the property. I moved on the property, and my organization had access to the community room. I organized resident meetings, workshops and activities for the residents. The Oprah Winfrey foundation awarded my non profit a grant because of my work in the community.

Covid 19 delayed the repairs for the property. In 2021, the property was sold and in February 2022, I was offered a lease renewal after meeting with the regional manager about resident concerns. The regional manager voided my lease renewal and informed me I had to leave in April of 2022. In June and July 2022, the property returned my rent payments. In September 2022, the property changed the locks on the community room and denied us access. In October 2022, the property filed eviction on me. I was seen in eviction court in February 2023, and I was given a temporary stay because I filed for bankruptcy.

I would like to add that for the past 2 years while facing eviction, I ran for Georgia State Representative in 2022. I finished first place out of 5 candidates, but I lost in the runoff. Just this past month, I was in the runoff for Mableton City Council and lost by 33 votes . A mean-spirited video circulated about my wrongful eviction from 2019. I am being retaliated against because I organize renters.