What is the Poor People's Campaign?

Child poverty, Women, LGBTQIA+, and People with Disabilities

What better time than the week of Mother’s Day to draw attention to child poverty and children living in poverty in single mother households? With nearly 4 in 10 children poor for one or more years before they reach age 18 - nearly double the point-in-time estimate - and more than 1 in 10 poor for half or more of their childhood years, children and other marginalized populations face an uphill battle from the day they’re born.

Voting Rights, Ending Mass Incarceration, and Justice for Immigrants

The Civil Rights movement may feel like a distant memory, but the echoes of Jim Crow era policies continue to curtail the rights of millions of Americans. In the state of Florida alone, more than 1.6 million returning citizens who have paid their debt to society can never vote again. It may surprise you to learn that the permanent disenfranchisement of our citizenry is not an issue just for minorities - three-fourths of Floridians who cannot vote are white. Week 2 will highlight reforms to our criminal justice system that will benefit all.

Militarism, the War Economy, Veterans, and Education

During Memorial Day Week, the Campaign will discuss the moral imperative we place a higher priority on homeless veterans than weapons of war in our military budget. Consider this: just $8.6 billion is slated to go toward the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve intervention for at-risk veterans in the most recently passed US budget, vs. more than $400 billion for 2,456 jets in the most recent spending bill. Skewed priorities, anyone?

Clean Air, Clean Water, and Healthcare for All

In week four, the Campaign will highlight the disproportionate impact of climate change and other environmental issues on the poor. From bearing the brunt of climate change-induced storms to a decreased ability to absorb associated costs, our planet’s poorest citizens are the ones most impacted by global changes they had the least hand in creating.

Jobs, Income, the Right to Organize, and Housing

The fifth week of the 40 Days of Action will examine the disconnect between the will of citizens and the priorities of elected officials. For example, many politicians view arming teachers with guns as a higher priority than increasing teacher wages and adequately resourcing classrooms. The problem is particularly acute in southern states like Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee which have some of the lowest teacher wages in the country, yet have recently introduced legislation to allow guns in schools.

A Fusion Movement Rising Up

In the final week of the 40 Days of Action, we’ll come together as a united movement to articulate our vision for an America that serves us all. In a world where 1% of the global population receives 82% of the wealth, there’s never been more need for a Poor People’s Campaign. We’ll celebrate the progress we’ve made over the past six weeks, and we’ll re-dedicate ourselves to continuing the work required to make our shared vision a reality. After all, the 40 Days is just the beginning.