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Libraries Without Borders US (LWB US) is committed to delivering access to information by meeting people where they are with the resource they need most, from parks in Baltimore to laundromats in Minnesota. Earlier this year, LWB US implemented programming at Wash and Learn Initiative (WALI) laundromat Beautiful Laundrette in St. Paul, a community living through a housing and public health crisis with longstanding inequities in education becoming more apparent and alarming.
LWB US is continuously inspired by the diverse communities in Minnesota working hard to ensure access to affordable housing. We believe that access to knowledge, information, and education is a fundamental right, and LWB US will continue to bring libraries, community-based organizations, businesses, government agencies, and communities to bridge this discrepancy.
Given the urgency of addressing the stark increase in rent in St. Paul, LWB US implemented programming at WALI location Beautiful Laundrette to fit the needs of the community. There, the West Side Community Organization (WSCO) hosted a Rent Stabilization Day and partner organization Neighborhood House hosted a pop-up housing clinic weekly on Wednesdays, where community members could learn about their rights as tenants and seek housing help.
We will continue to advocate for housing affordability and stability by raising awareness of initiatives and resources within the St. Paul community.