Washington, D.C.–(ENEWSPF)–May 19, 2014. Today, civic leaders, researchers, low-income people, and poverty advocates are joining the Half in Ten Education Fund, a project of the Center for American Progress, to launch a new blog dedicated to better informing the American public about poverty and solutions to dramatically reduce it. Spearheaded by CAP Senior Fellow Greg Kaufmann, former poverty Correspondent for The Nation, TalkPoverty.org will feature posts written by low-income people, advocates working to address poverty, researchers, and others. In addition to blog content, TalkPoverty.org will serve as a hub for the most recent statistics and resources about poverty.
“With 46 million Americans living in poverty, including more than one in five children, it is long past time for us to have an informed conversation about how to dramatically reduce poverty, with low-income people themselves playing a leading role in that discussion,” said Greg Kaufmann, editor of TalkPoverty.org and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. “What shocks me as much as the scale of this problem is how little we, as a nation, discuss the solutions that are readily available to address it. We are launching this blog because it’s time we start listening to those who are living in poverty and those who are fighting poverty every day. Not only will their stories spark conversations about how to reduce poverty, but they will also help us grow the movement we truly need if we want to ensure that all Americans have a fair shot at economic prosperity.”
Launching today, the blog’s first contributors include:
CAP Action President Gov. Ted Strickland recalls his family’s economic struggles, the sacrifices they made, and how his past informs his call for collective action.
“It’s un-American, frankly, that you can work and work and work and not get out of poverty. And I think something that is sometimes missing from progressive consciousness—and something that certainly benefited my family—is an awareness of the importance of organized labor … We’ve got to find some way for people to act collectively in their self-interest. That’s a challenge that is facing organized labor but also all of us who care about giving everyone a fair shot and a fair chance.” Read Gov. Strickland’s full post
Chef Tom Colicchio, food activist and Board Member of Food Policy Action writes about the need for people to vote their values when it comes to hunger and an equitable food system.
“As soon as one legislator loses their job over the way they vote on food issues, it will send a clear message to Congress: We’re organized. We’re strong. Yes, we have a food movement, and it’s coming for you.” Read Chef Colicchio’s full post
Witness to hunger Sherita Mouzon writes about the trauma of poverty in childhood and her determination to overcome it as an adult.
“My scars run long and deep—they will always be there. The long lasting effects of trauma stick with you. But I refuse to let my past dictate my future. My memories keep me humble. I’m shaped not by the commonly accepted “fact” that since I grew up in poverty I have to live in poverty now. Instead, I’m shaped by the idea that while you can’t change the past, you can change the future.” Read Sherita’s full post.
New content by low-income individuals, advocates, researchers, and others will post each day. Contributors expected to post columns this week include Sister Simone, Joel Berg, Katrina vanden Heuvel, Bill Burton, Sarita Gupta, Robert Greenstein, Travis Smiley, Peter Edelman, Deepak Bhargava, Dr. Irwin Redlener, and residents of Baltimore and Philadelphia, among many others.
In addition to blog content, TalkPoverty.org will serve as a resource hub and include the following:
- Latest statistics on poverty in America
- Interactive state-by-state poverty data
- Links to national and local anti-poverty organizations
- Resources for further learning, including recommended articles and Half in Ten resources
Visit TalkPoverty.org
Join the conversation online:
- TalkPoverty.org on Twitter at @TalkPoverty
- TalkPoverty.org on Facebook
Source: http://www.americanprogress.org
