TRR Photographer, Mark Mahoney, was on hand at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandra, Virginia as Dr. Cornel West and talk show host Tavis Smiley make their second stop for The Poverty Tour – A Call to Conscience. The tour coincides with the release of a new U.S. Census Bureau report on poverty
From September 12-15, The Poverty Tour – A Call to Conscience will visit the four battleground states of the 2012 Election. The mission: Smiley & West are going on a road trip to highlight the plight of the poor people of all races, colors, and creeds so they will not be forgotten, ignored, or rendered invisible during this difficult and dangerous time of economic deprivation and political cowardice.
Smiley and West intend to push the moderators of the upcoming presidential debates to ask the candidates about America’s poverty problem, and to urge legislators to support public policy and implement programs that will alleviate poverty.
“These new Census numbers will underscore what we’ve been saying for a long time — poverty is the new American norm,” said Smiley. “The time is now to force poverty on the agenda; our leaders can’t simply continue to be quiet on this issue.”
“We’re putting the spotlight on our precious fellow citizens who don’t have access to a decent job, decent housing, and decent healthcare,” said West. “We want to hear solutions that can be duplicated and adapted in communities across the country.”
The stops include CLEVELAND, OHIO; ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA; PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA & WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA. Audio of all six town halls will be available as podcasts, and highlights will be featured on Smiley & West over the next two weeks.
Photos provded by Mark A. Mahoney
