"Ending Poverty, Not Welfare," WEJ TANF Briefing, Washington, D.C., Feb. 25, 2010 - 1st of 7 clips

This is the 1st of 7 clips of the Women for Economic Justice (WEJ) grassroots Congressional briefing on the reauthorization of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the legislation that created welfare reform. Hear from the most important stakeholders in this process low-income mothers from seven states - about how we can strengthen our nations safety net, while creating pathways out of poverty for low-income women and their families.

This briefing was organized by Women for Economic Justice (WEJ), a national network of grassroots, low-income women-led organizations
working to end poverty under TANF reauthorization and to achieve
economic justice for low-income women, their families, and communities.

The participating groups in WEJ include Community Voices Heard (NY), the Georgia Citizens Coalition on Hunger, LIFETIME: Low-Income Families Empowerment through Education (CA), 9to5 National Association for Working Women (WI/CA/CO), the Ohio Empowerment Coalition / Contact Center, POWER: Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights (WA), and WEEL: Working for Equality and Economic Liberation (MT).

In the 1st clip, the welcome is given by moderator Diana Spatz, Executive Director of LIFETIME, followed by a panel of low-income mothers from seven states that started off with Angie Grice, a young mother from Wisconsin and member of 9to5 National Association of Working Women, talking about her struggle to earn her college degree under TANF; Renita Pitts, a LIFETIME member from Oakland, California, discussing welfare time limits and access to postsecondary education for low-income mothers under TANF; and Catt Sullivan with POWER in Seattle, Washington discussing the importance of caregiving and mothering versus low-wage work.

The mothers' panel speakers is followed by a research panel that included Elizabeth Lower-Basch from the Center for Law and Social Policy, Lisalyn Jacobs from Legal Momentum, Avis Jones-DeWeever from the National Council of Negro Women and Seth Wessler from the Applied Research Center, who shared the newest research on the impact of welfare reform on low-income women and their families.

Legislative sponsors include the Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), the Honorable Jim McDermott (D-WA), the Honorable Barbara Lee (D-CA), the Honorable Pete Stark (D-CA), the Honorable Judy Chu (D-CA), the Honorable Gwen Moore (D-WI), and the Honorable Edolphus Towns (D-NY).

Organization sponsors included the American Association of University Women, the Applied Research Center, the Center for Community Change, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Coalition on Human Needs, Insight Center for Community Economic Development, the Institute for Womens Policy Research, Legal Momentum, and the National Council of Negro Women.

The briefing, along with a question and answer session with the audience, was approximately 90 minutes long. This YouTube video of the briefing consists of seven 10-12 minute clips.

For further info, contact LIFETIME at contact@geds-to-phds.org or 510-352-5160.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• +welfare
• reform
• +poverty
• +single
• mothers
• education
• +human
• rights
• +economic
• justice
• +TANF
• +LIFETIME
• +WEJ
• +Women
• for
• Economic
• Justice
• +Low-Income
• Families'
• Empowerment
• through
• Education
• +caregiving
• +mothering
• +time
• limits
• +postsecondary
• access

[4sureJT]

What a bunch of Welfare Queens sucking the taxpayer to death.

[WEJustice]

Since welfare is less than 1% of the federal budget, don't blame low-income mothers & their children for "sucking the taxpayer to death." Blame Enron, Goldman Sachs and the military industrial complex for that. It is such a typical knee-jerk reaction for conservatives like you and sammyanddrocko to scapegoat the poor. That's why the real problem continues unbated - our tax dollars going to support war mongers and corporate welfare kings, in lieu of famlies and communities.

[BobbyL5757]

Lisalyn Jacobs was just arrested for assault. She should be removed from her position.

[myrnasotel0]

THANK YOU TO THE WOMEN WHO FIGHT. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A ROLE MODEL TO FOLLOW.

[WEJustice]

@sammyandrocko A tax break for mortgages is another form of welfare - a big break on taxes due; I don't get a tax break for the rent I pay.

FYI I paid payroll taxes for years, as did my parents their entire lives. So my family paid plenty into a system so it was there when I needed it. I'm always puzzled by people who rant about welfare, when only 1 cent of every tax $ you pay goes to it, and then don't complain about corporations who get millions in handouts every year that they don't need.

[WEJustice]

I doubt you can truly say that. Mortgage tax deductions for the middle class are one of the biggest welfare programs in this country. But since I don't really know you, I can't say for sure. And since you don't really know any of the women who testified at our briefings, save your criticism. Every single one of the women who testified have worked hard and sacrificed, so you've totally missed the point. What happens when hard work and sacrifice aren't enough? Do we let our children starve?