Envisioning Home

During the 1968-1969 tenant strike in St. Louis, Jean King and Richard Baron emerged as agents of social change that transformed and revitalized public housing in the city. The shared vision of Richard, a legal aide-turned-real estate developer, and Jean, a homegrown leader, was to build affordable housing communities, grounded in safe, sustainable neighborhoods.

On January 30, the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings and the Urban Institute hosted a screening of the documentary film, “Envisioning Home,” sharing Richard and Jean’s personal memories and conversations illustrating their unique partnership in transforming the face of St. Louis public housing. A panel discussion with Richard and Jean; Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Bruce Katz, vice president and co-director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program; and Susan J. Popkin, senior fellow of the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at the Urban Institute, followed the screening.

Bruce Katz, Vice President and Co-Director of The Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, delivers the opening remarks

Bruce Katz, Richard Baron, Shaun Donovan and Susan Popkin lead the panel discussion

 
Writer and Producer Daniel Blake Smith with Richard Baron, Shaun Donovan, Susan Popkin and Bruce Katz