Help ‘Where Is My Land’ assist the Pearson family, who are courageously fighting against historical injustice and systemic discrimination. For 50 years, the Pearsons have been fighting for full access to their property, which is currently due to the City of Livermore’s failure to enforce its own city ordinances and codes. 

"As an African American, my ancestral resilience fuels my determination to reclaim what was unjustly taken. The land stolen from my parents represents a legacy of strength and a testament, I stand firm in my pursuit, knowing that reclaiming our property is an act of liberation and empowerment,” says Tashenia Pearson. 

Background:

Ms. Pearson's parents, Mr. Lacerial and Mrs. Opaline Pearson, were encouraged to purchase property in Livermore, California, in 1971, only to discover later that an adjacent property held a "recreational easement" that prevented them from using a portion of their own land. This easement, purportedly intended to grant shared access, has instead become a symbol of racial segregation and discrimination.

Historical Injustice:

The Pearsons were intentionally steered towards a property with inherent limitations. They were subjected to racial slurs and experienced vandalism of their home. This wall, referred to as a "spite wall," echoes a painful history of division and discrimination in housing. Ms. Pearson's parents were coerced into signing agreements that favored their neighbors, a white family, leaving them with inferior property rights.

Current Struggle:

Despite Ms. Pearson's determined efforts, she faces ongoing challenges. A leaning, structurally unsound concrete wall encroaches on her property and obstructs her rights, preventing her from selling, renting, or utilizing her home as she desires. Additionally, the recreational easement granted to the neighbors is solely for their enjoyment, while Ms. Pearson pays the property taxes on it. The easement prevents Ms. Pearson from accessing the area due to its flawed language and the fact that the wall was built in such a way that the easement portion is on the neighbor’s side of it.  City officials have turned a blind eye to these violations, and an arbitration decision failed to consider the larger issues of discrimination, injustice, and the structural inequities at play.

Equitable Resolution:

Ensure an impartial review of the entire history of the property, that considers the discriminatory intent of the easement and wall, as well as its continued disparate impact on Ms. Pearson's property rights.

Join Ms. Pearson’s Fight for the Restoration of her Full Property Rights.  

You can help us protect the Pearson Family and hold the builder and the City of Livermore accountable by joining the fight today!

1.     Sign this petition and tell us why it's important to help the Pearson Family regain full access to their own property by invalidating the easement, tearing down the racially motivated, unsound wall, and enforcing the City of Livermore’s ordinance.  

2.     Share the Pearson family's story with your community and on your social media platforms. Feel free to share the links below. 

3.     Follow @whereismyland for updates on the Pearson Family and their battle for land ownership on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok-links below. 

4.     Send a message to the City of Livermore Officials demanding the City to enforce its own building codes and remove the illegal wall, and to invalidate the easement. @cityoflivermore @CityofLivermoreCalifornia @mayormarchand

Where Is My Land is an organization dedicated to helping Black people discover, search for, identify, and reclaim land taken from them in an attempt to obtain full justice, reparation and restitution for harms committed against them by government entities or private actors. 

Donations on this website go to Change.org, not to Where Is My Land. Please donate to Where Is My Land by using this link: Donate Here to Where Is My Land

Watch this video as Ms. Pearson tells her family's story!

Follow the Pearsons:

Instagram:  @pearsonsstolenproperty

Twitter:  @PearsonStolen

TikTok: pearsonsstolenproperty

Facebook: Pearsons Stolen Property

#teardownthepearsonwall  #justice4thepearsons