RESULTS Outreach Heads South
As the Hollies said, “the road is long, with many a winding turn,” but along the way, I was fortunate enough to meet with many, many people who care about those who struggle in our country to meet basic needs and put food on the table. Their passion, their drive, their willingness to learn and do what we do at RESULTS – that is so very hopeful to me.
I visited three cities and crossed four states in the South last week. I started in the Magic City, Birmingham, AL, where I got to talk poverty, share stories, and plan for a strong RESULTS presence with some very bright and passionate young women. I also got to check in with Birmingham’s fantastic global group leader, Cale Campbell, who has been tireless in bringing folks together to do great work on our global issues.
From Birmingham, it was off to Atlanta, GA, where I’ve been working with a gang of inspiring ladies for the past couple of months, training and supporting them to take action. On Tuesday evening, we had a community outreach meeting where we officially welcomed Atlanta to our RESULTS group network (see picure at right). There were many newcomers in the audience who joined in and everyone is looking forward to putting pressure on Senator Perdue, in particular, to do the right thing on issues of poverty.
After a great evening in Atlanta, I made my way to Durham, NC to partner with MomsRising for a short film night and conversation on the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. North Carolina recently revoked its state level EITC, so many families will feel the sting this tax season. This makes it even more important for folks in NC to have a voice in advocating for critical lifelines such as the EITC and CTC at thefederal level. Though this was a collaborative event with amazing partners, we also have a group of volunteers who are taking action specifically on RESULTS issues, and there is momentum building toward a strong NC voice, holding Congress accountable!
All three cities are welcoming new volunteers. These are really fantastic folks who are learning how to build and use their political power to fight poverty. You can join them. In addition, I'll be helping lead presentations to share advocacy skills and start new RESULTS groups in Baton Rouge (March 29) and Colorado Springs (April 9). If you live in any of these areas and want to get connected or learn more, please contact me at [email protected] – together, we can do incredible things!