The Assessment

Elianna Lippold-Johnson

Dust Bowl farm in the Coldwater District, north of Dalhart, Texas, June 1938.Dorothea Lange/Farm Security Administration via Library of Congress

We are sorry to inform you
but the house must come down. 

The inspection revealed some cracks in the foundation
The roof is sodden 
The insulation is a fire hazard
Something is sinking and bubbling underneath
It may have been built on occupied land
by people violently oppressed
This is the source of the problem
Patched up with plaster, mistakes ignored, painted over – shoddy work
never remedied – imagine that. 

On the bright side 
the original blueprints have been located
and while the engineers recommend some changes
the bones are there 
Equality
Freedom
Justice
Once it comes down, you’ll see the possibilities
Think of it: a bright front door, a more comfortable living space
for future generations 
Tear it down
Rebuild 
This time,
our recommendation is that you figure out a way to
Make it structurally sound.

Elianna lives in Minneapolis with her husband and 4-year-old daughter.