Listen to a 5 minute story from WPLN about the Mayoral Urban Plunge:

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The "Urban Plunge" is an opportunity for people who have never experienced homelessness to do so with the added safety of homeless guides.
The Nashville Homeless Power Project has not yet designed an urban plunge for the general community.
We know that such a plunge would be a minimum of a 48 hour experience.?? Our goal is to develop a list of those who are potentially interested in doing this at some point so that we can plan one in the coming months.
To get involved call us at 733-0633 or email us at info@homelesspower.org and we???ll guide you through the process.


MEDIA COVERAGE:

Liberadio(!), 2007 06 21
I???m Not Homeless, But I Play One on TV
Liberadio(!) clips of the press conference following the Urban Plunge:
Cathie Buckner of the Homeless Power Project on David Briley???s Altercation at the Mission (00:02:13)
Richard of the Homeless Power Project on Howard Gentry (00:01:20)
Karl Dean on his experience (00:01:25)
Howard Gentry on his experience (1:24)
Full conference (00:24:30)

Tennessean, 2007 06 21
Mayoral rivals spend a night on the streets

Nashville WKRN, 2007 06 20
Potential Mayors Get Out On The Streets

Nashville WSMV, 2007 06 20
Mayoral Candidates Live Homeless For 8 Hours

Nashville WPLN, 2007 06 20
Mayoral Candidates Spend Night on Downtown Streets

Yahoo! News AP, 2007 06 20
Tenn. candidates go homeless for night This AP story was also spotted on The Guardian, The Herald Tribune (France), Pravda, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Houston Chronicle, Memphis WMC-TV, Memphis Eyewitness News, The Charlotte Observer, Nashville WTVF, and Yahoo! News Asia

Memphis Eyewitness News, 2007 06 20
Nashville mayoral candidates go homeless for a night

WHAT: Mayoral Urban Plunge of Nashville!

Urban Plunge??????When economically???privileged people dress down, empty their wallets, and spend time on the streets as "poor" people, that experience is called a plunge.

The Mayoral Urban Plunge in Nashville is the first of it???s kinds any where in the country according to the National Coalition for the Homeless.?? 6 Candidates for Nashville Mayor have committed to spending 10 hours (10pm ??? 8am) out on the streets of Nashville . A true URBAN PLUNGE should be no less than 48 hours but we do understand that these candidate have very limited time.

Download the National Coalition for the Homeless??URBAN PLUNGE MANUAL

Candidates Briley, Dean, Dozier and Gentry have all committed to do the Urban Plunge the week of June 18th.?? We???ll give you a full report after it happens.?? Candidates Clement?? and Eaton have also committed but have not yet identified a date for doing the plunge as of the afternoon of June 12, 2007. ??

The purpose of the plunge is to provide the candidates with first-hand, direct experience of being homeless so they can fully understand the impact?? public policy decisions have on those who are on the streets.

The Power Project has set forth goals for the candidates during their time.?? Some of those goals are:

• To find a legal place to sleep outdoors.
• Sleep on a bench for 20 minutes or so.
• ??Enter a restaurant and ask if you can sweep the sidewalk or do other work for a sandwich.
• Ask for Money or panhandle in a place where you are least likely to be recognized.

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According to Michael Stoops, Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, ???Economically-privileged people across the country have done urban plunges as a way to better understand homelessness.?? It is the most effective way we have learned for people to understand this reality.?? 10 hours is not nearly enough and the suggested minimum PLUNGE is 48 hours but we are thankful that they are willing to do this night on the street. Having said that, as far as I know, the National Coalition for the Homeless has never heard of any other city in this country in which political candidates have agreed to do the Urban Plunge.?? While this should be part of every candidate's campaign, unfortunately this is a rarity and is truly historic.???

DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A POWER PROJECT URBAN PLUNGE???

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