Vernon Oakes interviews Ginger Rumph, Executive Director of the Douglass Community Land Trust (Douglass CLT), and Silvia Inéz Salazar, Co-president of the 1417 N Street, NW Cooperative. Together, they explore the collaboration between their organizations and share insights into their ongoing initiatives.

Ginger Rumph is the founding Executive Director of the Douglass CLT, a nonprofit dedicated to racial and economic equity through community-led land ownership and permanently affordable housing. While establishing Douglass CLT, she also led City First Homes, overseeing over 200 affordable units and implementing strong stewardship systems.

Ginger brings decades of experience in housing and community development. She previously served as Vice President and COO of the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development (CNHED), where she directed policy, advocacy, fundraising, and operations. At Enterprise Community Partners, she managed national reporting systems and promoted best practices.

In her hometown of Pittsburgh, she held leadership roles in housing coalitions, worked in real estate development, and served in county government revitalizing vacant properties. A former Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic, she continues to practice Spanish through music. Ginger holds master’s degrees in public administration and social work from the University of Pittsburgh.

Silvia Inéz Salazar is Co-president of the 1417 N Street, NW Cooperative in Washington, DC’s Logan Circle, representing 83 diverse working families. Her leadership began in 2005 when she co-founded a tenant association to address dangerous housing conditions, including over 200 code violations. She mobilized residents against displacement and gentrification, building partnerships with legal, government, and community organizations.

Silvia collaborated with the Latino Economic Development Center to produce The Demise of Condo-Zilla, a bilingual children’s play that brought media attention to their struggle. She also led a partnership with the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian to showcase Mayan art by tenants. Legal efforts secured $500,000 in pro bono support, ultimately helping residents purchase the building and form a cooperative.

Beyond her housing work, Silvia has served as board chair for several justice-focused organizations and currently leads the Douglass Community Land Trust. Since 2003, she has worked at the NIH, advancing health equity through research and advocacy.

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