U.S. Poverty Weekly Update June 11, 2019
Quote of the Week
“People are hungry for meaningful experiences and meaningful ways to engage in public life.”
–Dr. Hahrie Han on the June 2019 RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar
Got Two Minutes? Come See DeRay Mckesson at the RESULTS Conference
RESULTS is thrilled to announce that DeRay Mckesson will be a keynote speaker at the RESULTS International Conference, July 13-16 in Washington, DC. DeRay is an educator and civil rights activist focused on issues of innovation, equity, and justice. He has recently published a new book of reflections on his life and activism, On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope. His award-winning podcast Pod Save the People dives deep into justice, culture, social issues, and politics. DeRay was named one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine in 2015 and as one of the 30 Most Influential People on The Internet by Time Magazine in 2016. DeRay has worked to connect individuals with knowledge and tools, and provide citizens and policy makers with commonsense policies to ensure equity. He believes that “the world…can be made better, one act at a time.” We can’t wait to hear from him at the RESULTS International Conference, and we’d love to have you join us!
TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to register for the RESULTS International Conference and hear DeRay Mckesson speak. Go to www.resultsconference.org and sign up today!
Got Ten Minutes? Ask People to Write Letters to Deliver in Lobby Meetings (June Action)
If you have not listened to last week’s U.S. Poverty National Webinar with political scientist Dr. Hahrie Han, then stop what you are doing and listen to it. It is one of the best webinars we’ve had. She shared a wealth of information about organizing people into action, and many of the tactics she described are already used by RESULTS staff and volunteers. But we can always get better. One thing she highlighted repeatedly was the importance of relationship in advocacy work. Dr. Han stated that, based on her research, people get transformational experiences through their relationship with others. Civic action is about people, so it makes sense that when we work with others for a common goal, our capacity to be changed – to be transformed – grows. RESULTS is based on this precept; by developing relationships with each other (in groups), lawmakers, the media, and members of our community, we help people have breakthroughs that in turn create the political will for change.
This month, our action is to generate letters to deliver in upcoming lobby meetings. Instead of seeing this as a simple writing exercise, see it as the opportunity to create a breakthrough for someone. Approach it as not giving someone a task but offering them an experience. Then watch what happens.
TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to start reaching out to people you know and urging them to write letters three hand-written letters (1 rep, 2 senators) about the importance of investing in affordable housing. Tell them that you will hand-deliver their letters in lobby meetings at the RESULTS International Conference and/or the August recess. The June Action has information to help you including a page you can print and give to people with information they can include in their letters. Remember to tell them why you need the letter and why their voice matters. If possible, offer to write letters with them (again, it’s all about relationships!) and provide ongoing support for them as they do it. See the June Action for more details.
Got Twenty Minutes? Start Reading our New Policy Backgrounders
Last week, Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI-5) and Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), both members of the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced H.R. 3157, the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2019. This is the House version of the same bill introduced in the Senate back in March (S. 1138). It would significantly expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, benefiting 114 million people and lifting 11 million children out of poverty.
The reason we are highlighting this is that the introduction of this bill is just one of many interesting facts you’ll learn by reading or new U.S. Poverty Background Briefs. Every year, in anticipation of our annual conference in DC, RESULTS creates these “backgrounders” to help you prepare for lobby meetings in DC and back home, as well as give you a deeper understanding of the issues RESULTS is working on. Currently, we have backgrounders on tax policy and wealth inequality on the Conference Resources page, with ones on housing to be added later this week. Get your expertise on by reading these backgrounders.
TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes to start reading our U.S. Poverty background briefs found on the Conference Resources page. If you are coming to RESULTS International Conference, please read them before you arrive in DC, or ideally, before your lobby prep call (see more below). If you have questions about the backgrounders, please contact RESULTS Hunger Fellow Mackenzie Aime.
Quick News
RESULTS Conference – What You Need to Know.
- There is still time to register at resultsconference.org!
- Please book your Grand Hyatt hotel room ASAP. The RESULTS discount for rooms at the Conference hotel expires June 17, so please book your room today!
- We also have Gap Funding still available to help with travel costs (particularly flights). If you are a current, active RESULTS volunteer, apply ASAP.
- If you are already registered, you may have already gotten an e-mail about setting up lobby prep calls to prepare for your lobby meetings in DC. If so, please follow the instructions so we can set up your call ASAP. If you have not received an e-mail, you should soon. Contact Dorothy Monza with any questions.
- Check out the Conference Resources page for lots of good information, including the IC Checklist, lobby meeting request letters, policy briefs, and more.
Thank You for a Successful Week of Action. Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the Our Homes, Our Voices Housing Week of Action. All told, groups held over 120 events in 34 states to raise awareness about America’s housing crisis. Read more about these successes here.
Sen. Booker Introduces New Housing Bill. More than 70 percent of extremely low-income renters pay more than 50 percent of their income on housing. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) has introduced a new housing bill to ensure that, among others things, no households pay more than 30 percent of their income for a decent stable home.
Submit Comment on HUD housing rule. The deadline to submit comments opposing the Trump Administration’s new HUD housing rule on “mixed status” immigrant families is July 9. If you have not submitted your comment yet, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has developed a chart that provides state-by-state data regarding the numbers of immigrant and mixed status families in public housing. Use this data as you submit your comment today.
Nominate Someone for the Bob Dickerson Award. For more than 15 years, Bob Dickerson of Seattle was an inspiring RESULTS grassroots volunteer leader. At the Conference, we seek to honor his spirit by recognizing volunteers who are following in his footsteps. Nominate a fellow advocate for the Bob Dickerson Grassroots Leadership Award today (due Friday, June 22).
Welcome Shannon Mendez-Silva. RESULTS is happy to introduce Shannon Mendez-Silva, our new EYA intern for the summer. She is currently a rising Junior at Delaware State University. Shannon is a peer counselor, Vice President of the DACA Activism Club, treasurer of Forensic Student Association, member of National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Dreamers for a Bipartisan Solution. As a future social worker, Shannon brings a passion for ending poverty by contributing to larger communities and working to make organizations and agencies more effective. At RESULTS, Shannon will be assisting in International Conference prep, working on tax policy, and assisting with other grassroots actions. Welcome, Shannon!
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, June 18, U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/324294681 or dial by phone at (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 324 294 681.
Wednesday, June 19 (8:30pm ET), RESULTS New Advocate Orientation. Get started at: https://results.salsalabs.org/volunteer/index.html.
Tuesday, July 2: RESULTS National Webinar, 8:00 pm ET. Guest speaker: Ellen Nissenbaum (CBPP). Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801. Find recordings and slides from previous webinars on the National Webinars page.
Thursday, July 4: Independence Day. All RESULTS offices closed.
Saturday, August 10: RESULTS Joint U.S./Global Poverty National Webinar, 2:00 pm ET. Join at: https://www.fuzemeeting.com/fuze/f2988286/30204806 or dial (201) 479-4595, meeting ID 30204806.
Saturday, July 13-Tuesday, July 16, 2019: RESULTS International Conference. Register today at www.resultsconference.org!
Find other events on the RESULTS Events Calendar.
U.S. Poverty Staff time out of the office: Meredith Dodson, July 3-7. Jos Linn, July 5, 20-28.
Other Resources
Learn more about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
Do you have a new person in your RESULTS group or info to update? Use our Volunteer Information Form to add them.
Report lobby meetings in our Lobby Report Form and report any published media in our Grassroots Media Form.
If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Steven McGee at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports (our new digital 2018 Annual Report is now available).
RESULTS Staff directory.