“Voices From Our Communities: Where We Are” highlights residents' perspectives on housing, belonging, and the future of Albany, Hudson, and Catskill
HUDSON, NY - October 30, 2026 — As the Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition (HCHC) prepares to celebrate six years of organizing and building community power, the organization is releasing “Voices From Our Communities: Where We Are,” a new video highlighting the experiences, concerns, and hopes of residents across Albany, Hudson, and Catskill.
Through firsthand reflections, residents describe the changes they've witnessed in their neighborhoods, from the loss of affordable places to live, eat, and gather to the displacement of longtime community members. Their stories reflect a deep connection to the places they call home and a desire for working-class families to remain in their communities.
Watch “Voices From Our Communities: Where We Are”: https://youtu.be/RaGjYgWmfpw
A Community's Future, Told by Its People
Across the region, residents are facing rising housing costs, economic pressures, and displacement, while raising important questions about who gets to shape the future of their neighborhoods. Through their stories, the video highlights the need for greater economic opportunity, accessible community resources, and meaningful representation in local decision-making. Above all, it reinforces the importance of ensuring that the people most affected by these challenges have a voice in shaping the future of their communities.
“Living in Hudson, we do have a lot of low-income people,” said Indya Cross, a Hudson resident. “If Hudson is made up of low-income people, the community should represent the low-income people. It should represent the people who made up the community prior.”
For HCHC, these conversations are central to its work. Over the past six years, the organization has brought residents together to organize around housing justice, education equity, criminal justice reform, and other issues affecting their daily lives.
“Listening to our neighbors is only the beginning. What matters is what we do with what we hear,” said Conchita Miller-Henry, HCHC Board Member. “For six years, HCHC has worked to turn community concerns into meaningful action. We want people to recognize that they have the power to organize, hold decision-makers accountable, and create meaningful change in the places they call home.”
Six Years of Organizing, Building a Stronger Future
The release of “Voices From Our Communities: Where We Are” comes ahead of HCHC's 6th Anniversary Gala on Thursday, November 19, 2026.
This year's theme, “We Cleared the Way: Clean Slate. Collective Freedom,” reflects the progress made through years of grassroots organizing and the continued work to build communities where everyone can thrive.
The celebration will recognize the directly impacted people, organizers, advocates, and partners who helped advance New York's Clean Slate Act, a landmark law designed to remove certain barriers to employment, housing, and other opportunities for people with past convictions.
The day will begin with a free community leadership workshop facilitated by Alicia Garza, founder of Black Futures Lab and co-creator of Black Lives Matter, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at the Hudson Area Library.
The evening gala fundraiser will take place from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the Elks Lodge in Hudson, with Garza delivering the keynote address.
As HCHC marks six years of organizing, the voices featured in the video serve as a reminder of what drives the organization's work: the experiences of community members and their determination to build a future defined by dignity, stability, and opportunity.
Event Details
HCHC’s 6th Anniversary Gala
Thursday, November 19, 2026
6:00–9:00 PM
Elks Lodge, 201 Harry Howard Avenue, Hudson, NY
Tickets: https://bit.ly/rsvp-hchc-gala
Watch the video: https://youtu.be/RaGjYgWmfpw
About the Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition
The Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition is a Black-led nonprofit advancing housing justice, education equity, and criminal justice reform across the Hudson Valley and Capital Region. HCHC leads the Albany Free School and works across generations to build grassroots power through organizing, advocacy, and cultural programming. In partnership with community members, HCHC creates space for Black, Brown, low-income, and working-class families to thrive.
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Media Contact:
Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition
