If you only grasp at the leaves and stems of a problem but not the roots, the problem always will continue to grow.
THE MAIN ROOTS OF POVERTY ARE THE LACK OF:
Affordable Housing
Living Wage Jobs,
Healthcare coverage,
Access to Higher Education
WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM?
HOW BIG IS THE PROBLEM OF POVERTY?
IS THE PROBLEM ON THE INVIDUAL LEVEL OR THE SOCIAL LEVEL?
CHARITY: Usually addresses poverty as if it is the result of personal failures.
CHANGE: Groups like us believe poverty is a social problem: People are poor because their wages are low, their housing or healthcare is expensive.. People are poor because they don’t have power to change those things, because there isn’t affordable housing, living wage jobs, etc. If the scope of the problem is on the social level you need to address it on that level. You need a social movement.
IF YOU HAVE A BIG PROBLEM, ON THE SOCIAL LEVEL, YOU NEED A BIG SOLUTION ON THE SOCIAL LEVEL.YOU NEED A SOCIAL MOVEMENT!
Social Movements in the past have: Abolished Slavery, Won Civil Rights Won living wages, the weekend, won the right to vote for women etc.
In 1967, with the major objectives of the Civil Rights movement accomplished, Dr. King proposed moving from the level of Civil Rights to the level of Human Rights. It was in this period, of his POOR PEOPLES CAMPAIGN, which attempted to unite the urban and rural poor of all races, from all over the country, and address the ROOT causes of poverty that he was killed, leading a general strike of sanitation workers in Memphis. But, dreams don’t die, they just wait for their time. Today we are picking up where Dr. King left off and organizing for the basic Human Rights to Affordable Housing and Living Wage Jobs.
615-733-0633 | 42 The Arcade Nashville TN 37219 | Info@HomelessPower.Org