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Equal Voice for America’s Families
An employee of the Mississippi Workers' center for Human Rights invited me the attend a convention in Birmingham this past Saturday called Equal Voice for America's Families, which was sponsored by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. The convention took place simultaneously in Birmingham, Los Angeles and Chicago with a satellite feed connecting all three locations. A total of about 15,000 families participated in the event overall.
The objective of the event was to empower low-income families to mobilize and effect change in their communities and in Washington. Whether it is having town hall meetings to address violence in their communities or writing their congressman about healthcare and employment, the point was to let the families know that they have power to take action. In other words, change starts with us. Here's a link to the National Family Platform, which says, "The Equal Voice for America's Families campaign calls for the country to adopt a national family platform that addresses the challenges families face comprehensively, not issue by issue."
I had a lot more to say, but I got logged out and lost everything I typed before. Therefore, I'll sum up the atmosphere of the event in these words: Energy. Excitement. Chanting. Mariachi band. Sweet Honey in the Rock. Hot Latino band. Native American prayers and dances. All colors. All ages. All worth it.
posted by L.W. on 09/10/08 at 11:13 AM. [printer-friendly version]
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Dec 01, 2008 | 02:47 PM
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
ladd: YEAH, WMartin! We did it. That didn't take long at all and, folks, this has so much potential to change a teen's life, not to mention the city's. ;-) Stay ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 02:03 PM
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
WMartin: Thank for keeping everyone informed on such worthy projects that just need a little jump start. I'm glad to help and my company is happy to be able get ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 01:49 PM
Time to Stop the 'Black Friday' Lunacy
WMartin: rico, you might want to re think the gift card idea. ;-) http://i132.photobuc ket.com/albums/q16/sloshe nburg/lga081201.gif
Dec 01, 2008 | 01:26 PM
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
ladd: Y'all are doing great. Now we only need $235 more to get her to the matching grant. Remember, ANY amount helps! Cheers, all. ;-)
Dec 01, 2008 | 12:27 PM
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
ladd: I just donated! I also sent it to everyone on LoungeList.com.
Dec 01, 2008 | 11:47 AM
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
emilyb: We're at $403! :) Thank you so much for posting this. I've had some questions about payment in my email box. Donorschoose is a very efficient and ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 10:54 AM
Time to Stop the 'Black Friday' Lunacy
Rico: Well that is certainly a good way to do it! More local businesses should follow their lead- or at the very least they should be collecting the email addresses of their customers ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 10:26 AM
Time to Stop the 'Black Friday' Lunacy
ladd: This response to "Cyber Money" just came in an e-mail from Jeff Good, verbatim: As a Jacksonian, are you conflicted when it comes to buying at big box retailers? Who isn't? It is ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 10:18 AM
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ladd: Casual, thank you for discussing the issue in much of your last post, even though you are managing to couch it in personal terms, nevertheless. As for the continued ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 09:44 AM
Oakley Training School: A ‘Bad Model’
lanier77: thought provoking... who in Jackson is advocating that we keep this horrible place open - its clear that its not working - are there any success stories? Someone must be behind ...
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
ladd: YEAH, WMartin! We did it. That didn't take long at all and, folks, this has so much potential to change a teen's life, not to mention the city's. ;-) Stay ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 02:03 PM
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
WMartin: Thank for keeping everyone informed on such worthy projects that just need a little jump start. I'm glad to help and my company is happy to be able get ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 01:49 PM
Time to Stop the 'Black Friday' Lunacy
WMartin: rico, you might want to re think the gift card idea. ;-) http://i132.photobuc ket.com/albums/q16/sloshe nburg/lga081201.gif
Dec 01, 2008 | 01:26 PM
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
ladd: Y'all are doing great. Now we only need $235 more to get her to the matching grant. Remember, ANY amount helps! Cheers, all. ;-)
Dec 01, 2008 | 12:27 PM
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
ladd: I just donated! I also sent it to everyone on LoungeList.com.
Dec 01, 2008 | 11:47 AM
Help Jim Hill's School Newspaper Get Going -- Only $448 Needed!
emilyb: We're at $403! :) Thank you so much for posting this. I've had some questions about payment in my email box. Donorschoose is a very efficient and ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 10:54 AM
Time to Stop the 'Black Friday' Lunacy
Rico: Well that is certainly a good way to do it! More local businesses should follow their lead- or at the very least they should be collecting the email addresses of their customers ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 10:26 AM
Time to Stop the 'Black Friday' Lunacy
ladd: This response to "Cyber Money" just came in an e-mail from Jeff Good, verbatim: As a Jacksonian, are you conflicted when it comes to buying at big box retailers? Who isn't? It is ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 10:18 AM
[Wicker] Congress Continues Effort to Protect Border
ladd: Casual, thank you for discussing the issue in much of your last post, even though you are managing to couch it in personal terms, nevertheless. As for the continued ...
Dec 01, 2008 | 09:44 AM
Oakley Training School: A ‘Bad Model’
lanier77: thought provoking... who in Jackson is advocating that we keep this horrible place open - its clear that its not working - are there any success stories? Someone must be behind ...
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