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By Jenny Bonham-Carter

How often do we hear this startling statistic on the news? There are 140 million poor and low-income people living in the U.S. today. This includes more than half of our children, 74 million women, 38 million Hispanic people, 23 million black people, 8 million Asian people, 2 million Native people and 66 million white people, with a disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities.

Although these 140 million people account for an astounding 40% of the U.S. population, their problems are not recognized by our nation’s policies, laws or legislation. As a result, 250,000 people die every year – that’s 700 people a day – from poverty and inequality.

The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival was founded by Bishop William Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis in 2017 to address these issues. Inspired by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Poor People’s Campaign of the 1960’s, this new Poor People’s Campaign is a highly diverse umbrella movement lifting from the bottom up, bringing together many individuals and organizations nationwide, working from grassroots- to policy level to build power for change. The PPC fights the interlocking injustices of systemic racism, systemic poverty, the war economy, climate destruction and the false narrative of religious nationalism.

The PPC is calling for a Third Reconstruction Agenda to end poverty and low wages from the bottom up! The campaign has 14 demands: 1) That our politics, policies, laws and legislation center and prioritize the poor. 2) That every person has the right to work with dignity, with a federal minimum wage of at least $15/hour, equal pay for equal work, paid family and medical leave and the right to form unions. 3) That the ultra-rich, corporations and Wall Street pay their fair share of taxes. 4) That the great wealth, resources and capacities of this nation be directed towards expanded social welfare programs that center the poor, rather than corporations and the wealthy, so we can all fare well. 5) The right to meaningfully participate in the decisions that impact our lives by expanding voting rights and securing our democracy against extremist threats and violence. 6) Quality comprehensive healthcare for us all. 7) That everyone’s basic needs for housing, food, water and utilities are met and an end to homelessness and the criminalization of unhoused people. 8) Quality, equitable and diverse public education for all of our students from Pre-K to college and the elimination of student debt. 9) That immigrant rights are respected and protected wherever we live, move or work. 10) That the rights of indigenous people and First Nations are fully protected and respected, including the rights to their lands, resources, free exercise of religion, sovereignty, constitutional guarantees, treaty protections and other beneficial federal legislation. 11) A robust climate agenda to ensure a swift transition to a green economy. 12) That our government prioritize peace in the world and at home, and that at least 10% of U.S. military spending is immediately redirected to the needs above. 13) That the laws, legislation, policies and budgets of this nation are based on the five key principles of the U.S. Constitution: to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and future generations. 14) A Third Reconstruction that unites the 140 million poor and low-income people in this country to realize their political power.

The Massachusetts Chapter of the Poor People’s Campaign invites you to join us. We’re in the beginning of 40 weeks of moral action when we’re taking back the mic, lifting our voices and registering our votes as demands. We gather to manifest the unity of love, not the division of hate. We invite all supportive individuals, organizations and faith communities to join us on Saturday, March 2nd at 10am when we march from the Old State House to the current Statehouse at the Boston Common, where we will rally from 11am-1pm. The rally will include speeches and community singing.

On that same day and time mass gatherings of Poor People’s Campaign chapters will take place simultaneously in 31 state capitals across the country to demand the abolition of poverty in the U.S. For more information about the Massachusetts Poor People’s Campaign, go to FaceBook@emappc, Instagram @ma_poorpeplescampaign or X @MA_PPC. Email: massachusetts@poorpeoplescampaign.org.

Jenny Bonham-Carter is a Somerville resident and the Music and Arts Coordinator for the Massachusetts Poor People’s Campaign.