New York 2044: Monxo López
Reported from the imagination of artist, Monxo López, activist, South Bronx Unite.
Scroll down to see Monxo’s real estate coming of age story in comic form.
LAND PARTY SWEEPS BRONX ELECTIONS
Bronx, NY – June 4, 2044 – A political earthquake has struck the Bronx. In a landslide victory, the Land Party, a progressive political movement organized by the Mott Haven Community Land Trust, swept the borough’s recent elections. This decisive win comes on the heels of the last major superstorm, and amid the anxiety sparked by prediction of a massive one to make landfall on Monday—a stark reminder of the Bronx’s vulnerability to rising sea levels.
Read MoreVoters sent a clear message that the years of pushing climate change off to the side, and separating it from the struggles around housing and racial justice, are over. They have been frustrated by years of real estate speculation leading to an unaffordable city. Rising rents have meant displacement, and the Land Party is a shot across the bow that working class New Yorkers aren’t leaving. The Land Party’s approach, one that prioritizes stewardship and long-term planning over short-term profits, resonated deeply.
“This election is about taking back not just our borough, but our lives,” declared Land Party leader, Monxo López. “Decisions were made by those who don’t live here, who don’t understand our needs, who saw land in terms of spreadsheets. We need to work with the institutions that exist, but we also need to ensure they’re accountable to the people they serve. With the voter’s confidence, we’re now embarking on a long term project to transform how we live not just in the Bronx, but on this planet.”
A cornerstone of the Land Party’s platform is the creation of Water Boards – decision-making bodies comprised of residents most affected by rising water levels. These boards will have the power to oversee coastal development and implement measures to protect the Bronx’s unique ecosystem.
The victory is particularly significant for Mott Haven, a historically mixed-income community where the recent storm surge reached as far as the Major Deegan Expressway and temporarily displaced thousands. “What we recently saw was the result of a big misunderstanding about our relationship to water,” says López. “We need permeable land development, allowing water to naturally infiltrate the ground. These are food-bearing community gardens that offer not just green space to our community, but meaning as well.”
López is one of the co-founders of the Mott Haven Community Land Trust, the driving force behind the Land Party. The NYC Land Trusts have a long history of advocating for community land stewardship and honoring the Lenape presence. Now, they have a mandate to turn that vision into reality.
Monxo’s Story
Monxo’s real estate coming of age story in comic form, by Noah Fischer.
Monxo López is a cartographer, and South Bronx-based environmental activist. He teaches Latino and ethnic politics at Hunter College, Monxo is also a founding member of South Bronx Unite and a board member of the Mott Haven/Port Morris Community Land Stewards, the local Community Land Trust.
He holds a Ph.D. in political science from CUNY’s Graduate Center, and an MA from Université Laval in Québec, Canada. His academic research revolves around spatiality, mapping, social justice, political theory, and Latino communities. Monxo’s political writings on spatial and social justice have been published in Salon.com, LatinoRebels, and NACLA, among other media outlets; and my activist work has been profiled by The New York Times, UrbanOmnibus, and Corriere della Sera.
He was born and grew up in Puerto Rico, and lives in Mott Haven, the South Bronx.