Poverty Scholars Program Leadership School Press Release July 30, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE          
July 30, 2009 
                           
National Contacts: Onleilove Alston 718-501-4181 and oa2145@columbia.edu
   
THE POVERTY INITIATIVE AT UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY HOST  INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP SCHOOL FOR GRASSROOTS ANTI-POVERTY LEADERS

Kanawha County, WV – Next week 200 community and religious leaders from anti-poverty organizations around the country will converge at Camp Virgil Tate outside Charleston, WV for an historic week-long leadership school.  The school, which will run from August 9-15th, is a project of the Poverty Initiative based at Union Theological Seminary in New York City and will include faith leaders and clergy from The Church of Scotland, NY Faith & Justice, and other national and international organizations.

Leadership School Coordinator: Presbyterian Deacon and PhD New Testament Candidate at Union Theological Seminary Elizabeth Theoharis: “I think that it is our moral responsibility as Christians to work to end poverty. We are building on the legacy of Rev. Dr. King to continue the Poor People‘s Campaign in America”.

During the week-long school, leaders representing over 20 organizations, ranging from Domestic Workers United in New York to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida and Jesus People Against Pollution in Mississippi, will work towards reigniting the Poor People’s Campaign and finishing the unfinished business of Dr. Martin Luther King. The school will also host several international participants from the Shackdwellers Movement in South Africa, the Church of Scotland, and Justicia Global (Global Justice) in the Dominican Republic

We believe that it is a moral imperative for people of faith to be equipped to preach the “good news” to the growing numbers of poor who are being affected by the economic crisis. The leadership school will include in its program: ecumenical worship services, an interfaith team of chaplains, as well as workshop and plenary sessions dedicated to the role of religion in a movement to end poverty.

Featured as the March 2009 cover story for Sojourners Magazine, The Poverty Initiative, based at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, has a mission to raise up generations of religious and community leaders dedicated to building a social movement to end poverty, led by the poor.  For more information, visit www.povertyinitiative.org.

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Opportunities for interviews/photos with a variety of Leadership School local, national, and international leaders will be available throughout the week.