Poverty Initiative

In January of 2010, the Poverty Initiatve, a group based in New York that aims to reignite Dr. Martin Luther King's Poor People's Campaign, visited Philadelphia for an immersion tour. The tour highlighted the history of the struggles of poor people in this city. Willie Baptist and Liz Theoharis, of the Poverty Initiative,  shared stories about the struggle of the homeless in 1995 and 1996.

We began the third day of the Poverty Initiative's week-long immersion course with a textual reflection on a biblical passage dealing with the subject of interruptions.  No matter what background, faith-based (and all the differences therein) or not, it was a chance to hear from one another about the ways we’ve all been affected by interruptions at some point or another, and to grapple with the role of interruptions in our lives and in our work together.

From January 13 to January 15, the Poverty Initiative in New York City began an Immersion trip that will go across three states to reflect on and see important sites in the fight against poverty—and also sites that are significant in the creation and sustaining of a power structure that places a few wealthy people on top while the rest toil away below them. I am fortunate enough to take part in the first leg of this journey. Let me tell you that I have been left with my jaw on the floor at the strength and intelligence of the participants and with the amount of leadership mentality in the room. Every way I turn I am just hit with the amount of power and potential.

On this show:

+ Organizers from around the world gather to strategize building a movement to end poverty.
+ Domestic workers fight to be protected under labor law.
+ Workers United speaks about their creation as a new union.
+ Poor & working people see loss of services under PA budget stalemate.
+ Local news and analysis from Philly's working people.

A number of Philadelphia groups MMP is connected with are gathered with others from around the country and the world to develop leaders of a movement to end poverty. Here is some coverage of the School in the mainstream press. 

http://wvgazette.com/News/200908090058

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/pennsylvania/52903102.html

Stay tuned for reports from the School participants at:

http://pileadershipschool.wordpress.com/

In honor of today's historic inauguration and yesterday being Martin Luther King day, I wanted to share with folks a piece NPR did on the Poor People's Movement.

The Poverty Initiative, an organization dedicated to "raising up generations of religious and community leaders committed to building a movement led by the poor, to end poverty"