Housing and Pay Gaps and Rompers...OH MY!

And while many of my posts that are politically charged go ignored, there was one man on Beyoncé's internet who understood my concerns and I had the pleasure of finally speaking to him, Calm Simon (Follow Page here: https://www.tiktok.com/@calm.simon ) who quickly became viral after moving his belongings into his jobs empty building and living in his office cubicle, famously hash tagging the series #homingfromwork LOL. This little several video saga not only raised eyebrows but also raised meaningful questions:

1. Is rent REALLY that drastic all over the country?

2. Why aren't working Americans able to afford their rent?  and last but certainly not least. 

3. Is this too extreme?

As the queen of drama, I typically support radical, spontaneous moves to prove a point, this being one of those times. As a follower and fan before Simons internet fame, you were never given the name of his job or what city he even lived in to be exact. However, the internet will be the internet and his growing popularity quickly gave him away as his fellow co workers started airing him out. 

The Shaderoom picking up the story is when I knew he finally made it (whatever that continues to mean in the era of going viral), and as much as I am connected to social media, it wasn't until the Shaderoom post that I found out he was in Seattle and it only further confirmed my thoughts about rent in the USA, it IS increasing across the country and ain't nobody safe! 

According to Rent.com "Rent prices in January broke new heights. Driven by a 37-year low in vacancy rates, a home-buying market still simmering despite rising mortgage rates and renters on the move, rents in Gilbert, AZ have doubled year-over-year. Expensive markets like New York, NY, Long Beach, CA and Austin, TX also saw significant increases." Their last recorded analysis in February showed rent prices up by 81 percent for one-bedrooms and 76 percent finished higher for two-bedrooms. 

Now let's set the scene, Simon lives in Seattle Washington working for an engineering consultancy firm known as Arcadis. Student loan debt is mounting, a story many of us know all too well, on top of a $200 rent increase ($1,300 to $1,500 for a shoebox apartment is beyond insane I don't care what anyone says). And the final straw that broke the rompers back was asking for a raise and being told NO! While most would live in their car, something our dear Simon did not possess lol he chose to live in the empty offices of the Arcadis Seattle location. Now this stunt only lasted 4 days (thanks to a hater), but had it not been for a millennial mindset to record and post every damn thing (no shade, just facts lol) he could've had a nice little set up for a good minute lol. The internet was truly divided here because how dare he take matters into his own hands and demand wages that combat inflation. 

 Now here's the reality check, depending on your job title and your level of expertise/education you are paid according to that, however, by now we should be aware that black people are typically paid less than their counterparts. You should also know that it is typical for black people to receive higher interest rates in student loans and pay higher prices in rent compared to our counterparts (A LOT of damn cards be stacked against us ya'll). Now aside from systemic oppression, companies should also schedule performance reviews every quarter. If a company is performing well should their employees who keep it afloat not benefit? Simon ended up helping his former coworkers receive a 2.5% raise after it was all said and done but then you look at their performance in the stock market and how it has been on the rise since this debacle...the math ain't mathin'. 

Rent, inflation and gas continue to skyrocket, raising the minimum wage is still an argument in many states and on a federal level, all the while the average working American who is fortunate enough to even be salaried is making less than 70K annually according to Leapscholar.com 

This is a classic example of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, I could make this a whole thing but I'll spare you lol Instead I really want to provide some sort of hope and relief for us all. We know the problems we are facing but we truly need solutions. 

To a certain extent it really feels like there isn't much we can do about what is taking place across the board, but that is not true so here are a few things you can take into the matter of your own hands to stay afloat:

1. FIND OUR POWER

This is a big one. Life is tough, there are so many things that are fed to us in order to divide us and keep us knocked down but we contain more strength and power in ourselves and together more than we realize. The sooner we can reclaim our power, the light bulb will just click! Below I have posted some meditation links. Part of my healing and journey to finding my power has started with meditiation so I hope this helps:

https://www.calm.com/

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/top-meditation-iphone-android-apps

2. Moving and Stacking with Trusted family and friends

I'm not trying to be funny here. As a millennial I think we missed a strong opportunity to advocate more for communal living. In many Black American families, it is typical to kick your kids out by the age of 18, we are the parents and aunties/uncles now, many of us soon to be grandparents at that and it's time we look at going back to more of a communal mindset. Now I know all skin folk ain't kinfolk, I won't debate that, but that is why it's so important to build your own team of trusted individuals you know who are on the same page. For instance, my best friend and I recently discussed putting our money together for investments, we already put our money together for vacations so why not? But I can only do that with her, you feel me? lol Build your team, it's tough especially these days but it's not impossible. I can promise you that. 

Now I'm also not saying you have to have roommate situations all your life either because I truly do love my space, but it is time we as a community start investing in properties, land and other skills that can allow us to be more self-sufficient rather than dependent. 

3. Advocating for jobs to pay fair and better wages

If you go back and watch the live between Simon and I, (no worries I gotchu here you go://www.instagram.com/tv/CbnvOLvjNSm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) we briefly discussed how maybe it would be beneficial for coworkers to exchange salary information, and here's why: I used to work for Stella McCartney and I was a temp there making $18 an hour in their accounting department, I not only had the experience but I also possessed a masters degree. Randomly speaking to my "cool" co worker I found out one of my coworkers who was working in the same department was making 90K and she didn't do half as much as my "cool " coworker and I. Now I understood being temp and making less due to being hired via the agency but $18 was beyond a slap in the face, especially for someone who is able to quickly pick up and go with job functions and duties. It also didn't explain why my salaried "cool" coworker who also ended up being my trainer was paid less.

I feel like having compensation conversations with your fellow career peers allows for you to see your worth. Listen no one is asking for a free handout here, I mean it would be nice but come on lol ain't nothin' in this world free! However, I am confident in myself, in my skills and I have the knowledge and just plain old common sense lol I deserve equal pay, we all do and we all deserve pay which will provide for our basic needs. Companies are paying low salaries with equally less appealing benefits and the Great Resignation of 2021/2022 continues to exemplify that. 

Begin these tough conversations with your peers, band together, we demand better livable wages, we demand affordable healthcare, we demand adequate paid time off! Dammit we demand maternity AND paternity leave and for longer than 6 months!!!

4. GET INVOLVED

Now I know, y'all ain't trynna hear this and ya'll are rolling your eyes like what's the point, but the reality is we fought so hard to be a part of the table now we don't want to be apart of the table! We have to talk to our politicians and demand something be done. In 2020 the state of California state law AB 1482 ( California Tenant Protection Act) went into effect. AB 1482 caps rent increases statewide for qualifying units at either 5% plus the increase in the regional CPI, or 10% of the lowest rent charged at any time during the 12 months prior to the increase- whichever is less. 

Placing caps on rent increases can be done as we can now clearly see and we need to be more vocal and clear about making sure that happens nationally. Below I have placed a link to all your local and federal representatives nationwide and how you can blow up they line!

Elected Officials | USAGov

This all sounds so miniscule and cliche, I realize this but I've been thinking about this a lot. Ultimately the greed and the capitalism in America is a much bigger and deeper fight than what I am suggesting, however, for the black people who are constantly preaching about taking matters into our own hands and being our own bosses...this what I got, and while my suggestions are just my thoughts they are certainly not the end all be all, as a community we can strive towards greatness together and I would love to hear what others think on ways we can curve the inevitable outcome we face if significant changes are not made. 

Whoa that ending sounded grim as hell, let me put you on to my man Simons' onesies lol, right now he is only comin' through for the menfolk/xfolk, but he said he got us ladies soon come! If you want to be a cool kid and or just support a black owned business check Simon out here: https://bio.site/homingfromwork All in all he lost his job but he still passing out super positive vibes and I love it when black people are just happy and existing!