poverty

Marisol Aguilar  |   OW Contributor
Sep 23 2010

Minorities hard hit as usual

According to the Census Bureau, the poverty rate has escalated from 13.2 percent in 2008 to 14.3 percent in 2009. Last year, 43.6 million Americans lived in poverty; that figure increased nearly 4 million, compared to 2008.

“This is the largest number of officially impoverished Americans in the 51 years the government has kept track of poverty levels, and the highest percentage since 1994,” wrote Joseph Shaman, a senior correspondent for AOL news.

May 28 2009

Families for Children, Inc.

You may have watched the recent special on CNN called “Black in America”. The program highlighted a variety of triumphs and tragedies surrounding the present status of the African American. While attempting to not be cynical, I came away with the feeling of “tell me something I don’t already know.” I am sure there are segments of our population where the program will elicit reactions of shock and surprise. But issues of race, poverty, housing, crime, employment and opportunity are not strangers to many of us who live and work in Black America.

Jan 8 2009

City ad hoc committee explores solutions

Los Angeles, CA - Like many large cities, gangs, poverty and crime continue to plague the city of Los Angeles, and to shed light on the problem, District 7 Councilman Richard Alarcon held a two-panel ad hoc committee Tuesday at Los Angeles City Hall to discuss ways to combat the problems. This was the seventh in a series of meetings. Committee participants brought to light that crime, gang activity and poverty are interrelated. Alarcon originally introduced a motion to create the Ad Hoc Committee on Ending Poverty in Los Angeles in the spring of 2007.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”