Group says media ignores poverty
Students across the country celebrated Break the Media Blackout Day Tuesday, a national campaign organized by the Up and Out of Poverty Now Network to combat homelessness and oppression. On campus, the event began with an afternoon speak-out on College Green, organized by College sophomore Liz Theoharis, a member of Philadelphia's Empty the Shelters. The speak-out offered many people the opportunity to discuss issues ranging from race relations to affordable housing. "The Media Blackout is the concept that poverty and oppression issues are not really covered in the world and the media," Theoharis said. "We never hear in the news about poor people organizing themselves. We want to raise awareness around the Penn campus on poverty and oppression issues." Speakers included student group leaders, activists from community organizations and representatives from anti-poverty programs affiliated with the Up and Out of Poverty Now Network and Empty the Shelters. In addition, students could share their thoughts at an open microphone. Student activists also distributed flyers highlighting frightening statistics to passersby on Locust Walk. The literature explained that 35 million Americans live in poverty, 7,000 fall below the poverty line every day and 1 percent of the households in the United States own almost 40 percent of the country's wealth. It also stated that the welfare reform bill recently passed by the U.S. Senate would force 1.2 million children into poverty. "We're tired of sitting back," shouted "Kate," one speaker who shared her personal story of suffering and poverty. "We're standing up!" A panel discussion was held at the Castle later in the evening to examine how students can fight poverty and oppression. It also examined the state of American poverty and various forms of economic violence against the poor. Two of the panelists included recent Penn graduate Nicole Wagenberg, an Empty the Shelters member and teacher at University City High School, and Marian Kramer, co-president of the National Welfare Rights Union. Break the Media Blackout Day concluded with a sleep-out at St. Edward's Church in Kensington, Pa., an abandoned building which nearly 35 homeless families have inhabited. The sleep-out gathered students from Penn, Villanova University and Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr colleges, to continue the discussion about the lack of affordable housing in Philadelphia. "It's time for students here and across the nation to take on these issues," said "Jana," a member of Refuse and Resist!, a national protest organization. Theoharis said she hoped the day would be an impetus for students to work toward preventing poverty. "Poor people are going to have to be in the lead if there's going to be an end to poverty in this country," Theoharis said.