Da DAWG Says..... » Poverty Initiative

Poverty Scholars Program | Leadership School

Evelyn Dortch — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 04:28:59 +0000

In August 2009, the Poverty Scholars Program will convene a week-long Leadership School to be held in Charleston, WV and to be coordinated in collaboration with the Direct Action Welfare Group (DAWG). The Leadership School marks the foundation of a modern Poor People’s Campaign.

Leaders who have participated in preparatory Strategic Dialogues will be joined by an additional 100 select emerging leaders from partner organizations to participate in a variety of training sessions, arts and cultural events, and campaign planning.

Goals Include:

Training a core of leaders in the movement to end poverty;

Networking poor leaders/organizations from diverse communities across the country;

Beginning to lay the groundwork for reigniting the Poor People’s Campaign;

Formally integrating Poverty Scholars into the leadership of the Poverty Scholars Program and its activities.

via Poverty Scholars Program | Poverty Initiative.

We are very excited to be a part of this and look forward to sharing this experience with leaders within DAWG and in the larger community.

Poverty Scholars Pictures March 2008

Poverty Scholars

Evelyn Dortch — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:06:07 +0000

I just returned from the second convening of the Poverty Scholars program at the Povety Initiative at Union Theological Seminary in New York. We had the honor of being joined by Bertha Burres, the Queen of he Mule Train. She organized the Mule Train after Dr. King’s death as part of the the Poor People’s Campaign. Miss Bertha, her six children, and many other women, children, and men traveled by mule wagons 1000 miles from Marks Mississippi to Washington DC to join with thousands of other poor blacks, poor appalachian whites, and indeginous people at Resurection City. I recorded her speach in two parts and hope to have it uploaded here as soon as I figure out how to do it.

The students are here! The students are here!!

Evelyn Dortch — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:34:02 +0000

Today is the first full day of our new endeavor. We are hosting a week long Appalachian Immersion trip for the Poverty Initiative of Union Theological Seminary. We have about 35 people – students, community organizers, pastors, etc. from various parts of the east coast mainly the New York area. This morning Rev Dennis Sparks and Rick Wilson spoke to the group about justice issues and organizing. Prior to arriving in Charleston they were in Wheeling and Philippi.

If the Wheeling DAWG had her Internet service she could blog about what happened with the group in Wheeling. But as we all know paying the rent and keeping the heat on comes before paying the Internet bill.

I know that in Wheeling they met with a group of Head Start parents and also were given a tour of the city by one of our board members and lifelong Wheeling native. Tonight they are going to hear all about our work and Teen DAWG and then in the morning we are off the Matewan and Big Ugly.