Justin Massa

Location: Chicago, IL

About Justin Massa    

CitizenPowered.org member since Mon 01-21-2008

Personal Statement

I am the co-founder and executive director (in my spare time) of a start-up non-profit organization, MoveSmart.org. Until now, information on neighborhoods has been buried in the back of academic reports, pinned to community center bulletin boards, and locked in data sets only available to planners, inaccessible to those who would benefit from it the most: housing seekers looking for a better neighborhood. MoveSmart.org will leverage the power of this information by combining these and other data sources into a single mapping engine built into a full-featured site that includes guides, tools, calculators, forums, and social networks, all designed to foster racial and economic integration. Previous integration initiatives have proven costly and focused on families receiving public aid. Housing seekers with unlimited funds have always had the luxury of living where they choose. But for millions of families who have limited resources, finding the right neighborhood is difficult. MoveSmart.org will educate housing seekers about the benefits of integrative moves while at the same time providing suggestions on where to move, guides on how to move, and information on how to get involved in their new neighborhoods, inspiring pride in a new community and putting them on a path to true integration. In my day job, I am the Fair Housing Testing and Outreach Coordinator for the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where I supervise the testing program, handle intake and investigation, and conduct fair housing trainings. I am also serving his second term as Vice President of the Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance. Prior to working in fair housing, I was a Chicago Public School teacher and research analyst for the Center for New Community, where he monitored white nationalist activity and trained more than 5,000 young people on how to spot and respond to hate. I have written for Fellowship, Intelligence Report, and Searchlight magazines and has appeared on CLTV, VH1, and NPR’s “All Things Considered”. I have a BA in Political Science from Loyola University of Chicago and a MA in Teaching from National Louis University.

My Websites:

MoveSmart.org

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