Avital Aboody is from Sherman Oaks, CA and attended UC Berkeley. As a New York Corps member, she served as a Tenant Organizer at Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB).

This piece originally appeared on The SurRealEstate.org here.

The files are all transferred, the loose ends all tied up
I’ve parted ways with tenants, and tonight we’ll toast a full cup
To my wonderful year with UHAB, which today will sadly end
But the housing fight continues until the banks are forced to bend

I thank you faithful readers for giving us your time
And hope you’ve learned a thing or two bout organizing on a dime
This year we’ve had our share of ups and downs and in betweens
But as the tenants grow even stronger we know we can only succeed

Before this job I theorized about the trials of movement building
But this year I stood on the ground, chanting and poster wielding

Where I go from here is still unclear, but there’s one thing I know for sure
I’ll carry this experience with me; my conviction is deep and pure.

Housing is a human right! We won’t let you forget
That tenants have a voice and we won’t quit til needs are met!

I’ll sign off here and send my love to allies far and wide
Keep pushing, keep believing, because justice is on our side!

The 2010-2011 Corps members moved out of their batim (houses) yesterday. Mazal Tov to all of them as they transition into their next phase building the social justice community.