October 2007 Truth Commission, New York City

The Poverty Initiative convened the October 2007 Truth Commission at Union Theological Seminary during the Union Theological Seminary's annual alumni gathering, Union Days. The goal of this event was to support the growth of a nation-wide dialogue concerning the issues of poverty in America -- a conversation led by “true experts” on poverty, those who are under the daily assault of being poor in this country.

October 2007 Testifiers

Testifiers and commissioners from communities both near and far participated. Testifiers are people living in poverty and leaders of organizations of poor people. They are the true experts on poverty today, and their role is to shed light on the struggle of millions of people both here in the U.S. and beyond, through their presence, leadership, experience and story.

Members of the following organizations served as testifiers for this Truth Commission:

• Direct Action Welfare Group (Charleston, WV)
• Picture the Homeless (New York, NY)
• Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (Detroit, MI)
• Taxi Workers Alliance of PA
• United Workers Association (Baltimore, MD)

More information on testifier organizations.

October 2007 Commissioners
Commissioners, by their presence, lend credence to the stories of the true experts who will testify. At the event, the role of a commissioner is to witness the testimonies of those people sharing experiences of the impact that poverty has in their lives and then to determine with others what his/her response will be

The following Union Alumni/ae will serve as commissioners for this Truth Commission:

• Ambassador James A. Joseph, Professor of the Practice of Public Policy Studies at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy, Duke University, former Ambassador to South Africa, and Leader-in-Residence at the Hart Leadership Program
• Dr. Sally MacNichol, Anti-violence activist, advocate and educator; Director of programs at CONNECT, a New York City-based organization that works to confront domestic violence through community organizing and education
• Rev. Dr. Marvin McMickle, Senior Pastor, Antioch Baptist Church, Cleveland, OH; Professor of Homiletics, Ashland Theological Seminary
• Dr. Daisy Machado, Professor of the History of Christianity, Union Theological Seminary
• Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, Senior Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, G

Learn about the second UTS Poverty Truth Commission of April 2007

Testifier Organizations

Direct Action Welfare Group (Charleston, WV)

The Direct Action Welfare Group (D.A.W.G.) is a group comprised of current and former public assistance recipients, low wage workers, and concerned individuals who come together to share information and ideas and to advocate for each other, their neighbors, and themselves. Our purpose is to promote social justice and to empower former and current public assistance recipients and persons living in poverty by providing them with the knowledge, and the tools to change their lives.

Picture the Homeless (New York, NY)

Picture the Homeless was founded on the principle that homeless people have civil and human rights regardless of our race, creed, color or economic status. Picture the Homeless was founded and is led by homeless people. We refuse to accept being neglected, and we demand that our voices and experience are heard at all levels of decision-making that impact us. We oppose the 'quality of life laws' that criminalize homeless people in any form by the city, state and national governments. We work to change these laws and policies as well as to challenge the root causes of homelessness. Our strategies include grassroots organizing, direct action, educating homeless people about their rights, public education, changing media stereotypes, and building relationships with allies.

Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (Detroit, MI)

The Michigan Welfare Rights Organization is the union of public assistance recipients and low-income workers in this state. MWRO has chapters across Michigan and is one of the founding members of the National Welfare Rights Union. Our goal is to organize recipients and low-income workers to fight for our rights, to eliminate poverty in this country and to build an army prepared to battle for the economic and human rights of millions of disenfranchised Americans.

Taxi Workers Alliance of PA

Founded in 2005 by taxi drivers, the Taxi Workers Alliance of PA is the largest Taxi Driver Union in the city of Philadelphia. TWA-PA is a multi-ethnic membership based organization and its mission is to transform the taxi industry, and improve working conditions through organizing, political and media advocacy, litigation, direct legal services and access to health care. TWA-PA's programs and activities respond to the direct needs of more than 1,200 driver members, providing them with a means to advocate and organize for their rights and achieve basic workers protection and benefits. The primary focuses of our work are: economic justice, work place civil and privacy rights, safety, healthy conditions and access to health care and the institutionalization of a democratic mass-based organization (unionization).

United Workers Association (Baltimore, MD)

The United Workers Association organizes low-wage workers and others in poverty to advance human rights for all, including the right to freedom from poverty. We are an organization of low-wage workers ourselves - all decision making is done by the Leadership Committee. The committee composed entirely of low-wage workers. Former low-wage workers and day laborers form most of our staff, with at least 50% of staffing hours reserved for those who are from the ranks of the poor.